Squat Form: How to Squat with Good Technique
Good squat form means the bar travels straight up and down over the middle of your foot, your knees track in line with your toes, and your hips drop below your knees without your lower back rounding. Formfix checks all of this from a single iPhone video or photo and returns a 0–100 score with the #1 thing to fix in under 15 seconds.
Whether you squat high bar, low bar, or front squat, the fundamentals are the same: brace, sit between your hips, and drive the floor away. This page covers what good form looks like, the mistakes that cost you the most, and exactly how to film your set for analysis.
Download Formfix on the App StoreWhat good squat form looks like
Straight bar path
The bar moves vertically over your mid-foot from start to finish. Forward drift usually means your hips shot up early or your balance shifted to your toes.
Knees track over toes
Your knees push out in the same direction your toes point — roughly 15–30 degrees out for most lifters — and stay there through the whole rep.
Depth below parallel
The crease of your hip passes below the top of your knee at the bottom, with your lower back staying neutral rather than tucking under.
Braced, neutral spine
You take a big breath into your belly before unracking and keep your ribcage stacked over your pelvis for the entire rep.
Even foot pressure
Weight stays balanced across heel, big toe, and little toe — the 'tripod foot' — with no heel lift or toe lift at the bottom.
Controlled tempo
A deliberate 2–3 second descent, a brief moment of tension at the bottom, and a strong drive up without bouncing out of the hole.
Most common mistakes and how to fix them
Knees caving in (valgus)
Why it happens: Usually weak or under-active glutes and adductor tightness; fatigue makes it worse on later reps.
Fix it: Cue 'spread the floor' with your feet and push your knees out toward your pinky toes. Banded side steps and tempo squats at lighter weight rebuild the pattern.
Butt wink at the bottom
Why it happens: The pelvis tucks under when you run out of hip or ankle mobility, or when you chase depth your body doesn't own yet.
Fix it: Squat to the deepest depth you can hold a neutral spine, and work ankle rocks and hip flexor stretches between sets. Elevating your heels slightly often cleans it up immediately.
Heels lifting off the floor
Why it happens: Limited ankle dorsiflexion shifts your weight forward onto your toes as you descend.
Fix it: Cue 'claw the floor' and sit back into your hips. Daily calf stretches and ankle mobility work, or flat shoes with a slight heel wedge, help while mobility improves.
Chest collapsing on the way up
Why it happens: Your hips rise faster than your shoulders — a sign your quads are the weak link or the weight is too heavy to brace against.
Fix it: Cue 'chest up, drive your back into the bar.' Pause squats and high-bar tempo work strengthen the position; drop the weight until hips and chest rise together.
Bar drifting forward
Why it happens: Often caused by looking down, sitting straight down instead of back, or losing upper-back tightness.
Fix it: Keep your gaze neutral, cue 'hips back, then down,' and squeeze the bar into your back like you're trying to bend it. Film from the side to see the bar path clearly.
Bouncing out of the bottom
Why it happens: Relying on the stretch reflex instead of muscular control hides weakness and makes depth inconsistent.
Fix it: Add a 1–2 second pause at the bottom of every rep for a few weeks. Keep the same depth on every rep — consistency matters more than load.
How to film it for analysis
Camera angle
Side-on (profile view) at hip height is the single most useful angle — it shows bar path, depth, and spine position. A 45-degree front angle is a good second view for knee tracking.
Distance
Stand 8–12 feet (2.5–3.5 m) away so your whole body and the bar stay in frame from standing to full depth.
Framing
Keep the camera still — prop the phone or use a tripod. Frame from above your head at lockout to below your feet at the bottom, and film 3–5 reps, not just one.
FAQ
How do I know if my squat form is good?
The fastest check is video: from the side, the bar should move straight up and down over your mid-foot, your knees should track over your toes, and your lower back should stay neutral at the bottom. Formfix scores these points 0–100 from a single clip and tells you the #1 thing to fix.
How deep should I squat?
Aim for the hip crease passing below the top of the knee ('below parallel') as long as you can keep a neutral lower back. If your pelvis tucks under before you get there, squat to the depth you can control and build mobility over time.
Why do my knees cave in when I squat?
Knee valgus usually comes from under-active glutes, tight adductors, or simply too much weight. Cue your knees out toward your pinky toes, lighten the load, and add banded hip work until the pattern holds under fatigue.
Is it bad if my knees go past my toes?
No — knees traveling past the toes is normal and necessary for most people to reach full depth, especially with an upright torso. What matters is that your heels stay down and your knees track in line with your toes.
Should I film my squat from the front or the side?
Side-on at hip height shows the most: bar path, depth, and back angle. A 45-degree front view is the best complement for spotting knee cave. Film both if you can — Formfix analyzes either.
Can AI really check my squat form?
Yes — computer vision tracks your joints and the bar through the rep, so it can measure depth, knee tracking, bar path, and tempo objectively. Upload a clip to Formfix and you get a 0–100 score and the #1 fix in under 15 seconds.
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