Struggling with squats? Here's how your leg length affects your squat depth—and how to fix it

There are some fundamental rules to follow when performing a squat: keep your core engaged, chest upright and push through your heels to stand up. These guiding principles can improve your form but it's also important to remember that everyone's squat looks slightly different.

Leg length is one factor that can impact how you squat—for example, anyone with longer thighs needs to lean their torso further forward to maintain balance. This is down to how your leg length impacts weight distribution and hip angles.

Physical therapist and Squat University founder Dr. Aaron Horschig has created a helpful video showing how this works. He also has a simple suggestion on how to make sure you can still squat comfortably: widen your stance and open up your hips.

How to fix your squat form

More trainer-approved squat tips

Here’s another great trick I use with my personal training clients, which I learned from my own trainer. It’s a simple but effective way to help you maintain an upright torso position.

Imagine you’re wearing a superwoman badge in the center of your chest with a light beaming out. As you squat, focus on keeping that beam shining straight ahead rather than down at the floor. If you notice your badge tilting down, pull your shoulders back and lift your chest to realign.

This visualization is another way to help you maintain proper posture and avoid leaning too far forward.

Another reason you might find squatting difficult is if you have broader, wider hips. This is the case for most women, which is why we need to adopt a slightly different stance with our feet angled outwards.

For more tips on form and progression, read our comprehensive guide on how to squat properly.