by Neil Anderson

“But, Neil…I heard that if you go too low in a squat it will mess up your knees.”    

My response, “Actually it is quite the opposite.”

What most people do not understand (even trainers and other fitness –so called- experts) is that squatting below parallel, when you are able to do so, is the most functional way to completely strengthen the entire musculature of the lower body.  This flies in the face of conventional practice.  Of course, conventional practitioners aren’t focused on or concerned with functionally strengthening your lower body when they recommend a squat.  This is assuming they recommend squatting at all.  Many professional fitness instructors feel squatting, (a movement you do daily in real life situations) is too