Table of Contents
Squats. Everyone says do them. You see all these short, stocky guys at the gym, ass-to-grass, looking like they were born for it. But if you’re like me, towering over everyone, or just sporting a seriously long set of legs, squats feel like an alien torture device. Trying to squat deep usually ends with your butt winking at the ceiling, your back screaming, or just falling backwards. It’s a mess. Most of the squat advice out there? It’s not for us. It’s for average-height people, and we are not average. Not when it comes to limb length, anyway. This ain’t about being weak. It’s about levers, geometry, and a body that wasn’t built for what the internet calls a “perfect” squat. And frankly, the idea of a “perfect” squat for everyone? That’s just dumb. My knees always feel a bit wonky, and I’m pretty sure my spine is trying to escape. I just needed a sweater; it was that cold in the gym, even trying to warm up.
Why Squats Feel Weird for Tall Guys
Look, your height isn’t just about how high you stand. It’s about proportion. Most tall people have longer femurs—that’s your thigh bone—relative to their torso. Or even just long femurs relative to their shins. When you try to squat, that long femur needs more space to move down and back. A short-femured person can drop straight down, almost like they’re sitting in a chair directly below them. We can’t. Our knees shoot forward a mile, or our chest pitches over like we’re bowing to royalty. Neither is good. Both feel terrible and put all kinds of stress where it doesn’t belong. You end up relying on sheer spinal strength, which is a recipe for a bad back. Or your knees just hate you. It’s a fundamental physics problem, not a weakness. So stop beating yourself up. I mean, seriously, what’s the point?
Deep Dives on Hip Hinge
The hip hinge is the backbone of a good squat for anyone, but especially for us stretched-out folks. You gotta learn to push your butt back. Way back. Imagine there’s a wall behind you, and you’re trying to touch it with your tailbone first. That keeps your chest up, or at least less inclined to face the floor. Many tall people struggle here because our natural instinct when squatting is to bend at the waist, not hinge at the hips. This is why a good morning exercise, or even just really thinking about pushing your hips back during a goblet squat warm-up, can be so useful. It’s like, your body has to learn a new language. And it takes time. Like, a lot of time.
The Stance Game: Wider Is Better, Usually
Forget that shoulder-width nonsense. For most tall lifters, a wider stance is just smarter. It gives your long femurs room to move. It’s basic geometry. When your feet are wider, your hips have more room to drop straight down, or at least closer to straight down. Experiment. Start a bit wider than shoulder-width, then go wider still. Turn your toes out a bit too, maybe 15-30 degrees. This opens up your hips and lets you sink deeper without rounding your back or having your knees collapse inward. It feels weird at first, maybe even a little unnatural compared to what you see in those perfectly shot Instagram videos. But who cares what it looks like if it feels right and you’re actually getting stronger without breaking yourself? My stance is almost ridiculously wide, some might say. But it works. And that’s what counts.
Foot Position Fiddling
Yeah, so you got the wider stance thing. But don’t just widen your feet and call it a day. The angle of your feet matters too. Play around with it. Some people feel better with their toes pointed out more, some less. It depends on your hip structure. Everyone’s hips are built a little different, even among tall people. It’s not a one-size-fits-all deal. Try 10 degrees out, then 20, then 30. Find what lets your hips open up the most and allows you to descend without your knees caving or your ankles complaining. It will feel awkward. The idea is to make it feel less awkward over time. It’s not instant gratification, sadly.
Ankle Mobility: Your Secret Weapon (or Your Biggest Problem)
This is a huge one. For real. If your ankles are stiff, your body compensates elsewhere, usually by making your knees track way too far forward or your heels lift off the ground. Both are bad news. Tall people often have tight calves, just a common thing. So, working on ankle dorsiflexion is non-negotiable. Spend five minutes before every squat session doing ankle mobility drills. Seriously. Calf stretches, ankle rocks, trying to touch your knee to a wall while keeping your heel down. You can buy wedge boards too; they’re pretty useful for this. Or just put tiny weight plates under your heels. That’s a common trick. It changes the ankle angle and can let you hit depth without struggling so much. It’s not cheating, it’s adjusting for your body. No one cares if you need a tiny bit of help getting into position safely.
Box Squats, Goblets, and Other Lifesavers
You don’t need to dive under a barbell right away, if ever. Start lighter, get the movement down. Box squats are fantastic. You set a box or a bench behind you and squat down until you gently tap it. This helps you learn to push your hips back and control your descent. It also takes some of the fear out of going deep. You know there’s something to sit on if you lose balance. Goblet squats? Amazing. Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest acts as a counterbalance, letting you stay more upright. This is, in my experience, the absolute best way for a tall person to learn to squat properly. It forces you to keep your chest up and encourages that deep hip hinge. Do them for months before even thinking about a barbell on your back. There’s no rush to look cool if it means risking injury.
Bar Placement Matters, A Lot
When you do eventually get under a barbell, don’t just throw it on your traps like everyone else. For tall lifters, often a low-bar position works better. This means placing the bar lower on your back, across your rear deltoids (the back of your shoulders). It forces you to lean forward more, engaging your glutes and hamstrings more. This slight forward lean actually puts your long torso and femurs in a more biomechanically efficient position. It feels odd at first, like the bar might slide off, but with practice, it’s way more stable. And your back will thank you. High-bar squats often force tall people into an extreme forward lean just to hit depth, which puts huge shear forces on the lower back. Not good. At all.
Patience and the Ugly Squat Phase
This squat journey isn’t a quick fix. You will have ugly squats. You will feel awkward. Your form will look different from others, and that’s perfectly okay. Don’t compare yourself to shorter people who make it look easy. They have different bodies. It could take months, even a year, to really dial in a squat that feels strong and safe for your frame. Be patient. Film yourself. I actually watch my squat videos back. It’s usually pretty painful, but you spot things. Little tweaks. Maybe your knees are caving in a bit; maybe your back is rounding. Then you fix one thing at a time. It’s like a puzzle. One piece at a time. The goal isn’t to squat like an Olympian; it’s to squat safely and strongly for your body. It’s a long game. Stick with it. And remember, sometimes, just sometimes, other leg exercises like Romanian deadlifts or leg presses are just as good, if not better, for certain tall people. Squats aren’t the only way to build strong legs. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
FAQs: How To Do Squats As A Tall Person
1. Why do squats feel so awkward for tall people: It’s mostly about long femurs and limb length proportions; this changes how your body moves through the squat, often forcing your torso to pitch forward or your knees to go way out over your toes.
2. What’s the best squat variation for a tall person: Goblet squats are fantastic for learning the movement, allowing you to maintain an upright torso; box squats also really help in teaching proper hip hinging and depth.
3. Should tall people use a wider squat stance: Absolutely; a wider stance and turning your toes out slightly often provides the necessary room for longer femurs to descend without excessive forward knee travel or lower back rounding.
4. How important is ankle mobility for tall squatters: Super important; tight ankles limit your ability to get deep while staying upright, leading to compensatory movements that can strain your knees or lower back.
5. What if I can’t squat deep without pain: Don’t force it; focus on improving mobility, particularly in your hips and ankles, lighten the weight, and use variations like box squats or goblet squats until your body adapts.
