“Never Squat Again” - a.k.a. The Worst Advice I’ve Ever Heard

Squat Avoidance is Not a Strategy. You squat when you sit or stand from sitting -- and loss of leg strength correlates with earlier death. ---------

Occasionally I meet someone who was told by a doctor that they should “never squat again”.

To the physical therapist's brain, this phrase is crazy-making.

We think, if you don’t squat:

“How are you going to sit down and stand up?”
“What do you think is happening when you go up curbs or stairs?” (A single leg squat if I ever saw one).

Squatting (if we are lucky enough to have full control of our legs) is as much a reality of daily non-exercise life as breathing, brushing our teeth, etc.

Squatting can even be a form of rest(!).

Squatting low allows you to “sit” where there are no chairs.
Squatting low allows you to gracefully find your way to the floor in yoga class, while hanging out with toddlers, so that your bum can reach that stylish midcentury couch, or for a sound healing experience (the sort that the entire world seems to need right now).

Longevity and Common Sense

Research shows that the low squat is a marker of longevity.

Billions of humans move their bowels daily in a deep squat.

Childbirth historically happened in a deep squat.

Loss of leg muscle mass and strength appears to be a predictor of death.

Straight from the research: “Higher levels of upper- and lower-body muscular strength are associated with a lower risk of mortality in adult populations, regardless of age and follow-up period.”

If leg weakness = early death...

Is it just me, or does squatting low seem like a skill we should at least try to maintain?

Whether or not “the Deep Squat” is in the cards for you personally, the Deep Squat Decoded workshop (next happening on Sunday) offers tips and tactics to deepen your squat from whatever its starting point.

Squat Avoidance is Not a Strategy.

And I’ll say that again: avoiding squats is not a strategy for living well.

It is predictable way to lose function, strength, muscle mass and the basic ability to get on and off a couch. And maybe even to die early.

Need some guidance to improve your squat? Come to my next online workshop: Deep Squat Decoded (Sunday June 8th, 2025): Register here.

Categories: : Longevity, Physical Therapy