Rediscovering the natural position we all had as children is the forgotten key to loosening stiff ankles and saving your lower back.
- The deep squat isn’t a strength move — it’s the human body’s natural resting position.
- We’ve lost this ability thanks to overuse of chairs, couches, and heeled shoes that shorten the posterior chain.
- In many Asian cultures, this position is maintained for life, helping keep the back healthy and hips mobile.
- For runners, it’s essential: it unlocks ankle dorsiflexion and frees the hips, improving running efficiency.
- No need to force it: you can relearn the position by using heel lifts or holding onto a support.
- The goal is to accumulate 5 minutes a day in this position — not necessarily all at once — for game-changing results.
Can You Squat With Your Heels Flat on the Ground? If Not, Read On
Ever watched a two-year-old pick up a toy from the floor? They drop straight down, knees fully bent, heels flat, spine relaxed. They’ll stay there for minutes, playing, observing the world — then stand up like nothing happened.
Now picture yourself doing that… today.
Chances are, it’d look different: heels lifting off the floor, knees creaking like old hinges, and maybe a not-so-graceful backward topple — turtle style.
It’s not (entirely) your fault. Blame civilization. Or rather, blame chairs. We were born with perfect mobility — designed to deep squat — but we’ve spent decades sitting on raised surfaces, telling our brains and muscles: “Relax, that flexibility isn’t needed anymore.”
The result? We’ve become stiff. And that stiffness shows up in our running and our back pain.
The “Third World Squat”: Why They Do It in Asia and We Don’t (and Why Their Backs Are Better)
In the fitness world, it’s often dubbed — somewhat snobbishly — the “Third World Squat.” It’s the position you’ll see millions of people in Asia, Africa, or the Middle East naturally adopt while waiting for a bus, eating, or chatting.
The key difference between their squat and the one you do with a barbell at the gym? Intent. In the gym, your squat is active — muscles braced, spine tight, core locked.
But what we’re talking about here is a passive, resting squat. The goal isn’t to push — it’s to “hang” into your joints and let gravity do the stretching.
In the West, we’ve outsourced the job of supporting our bodyweight to chairs — shortening calves, stiffening hips. People who maintain the deep squat habit retain pelvic mobility and natural lumbar decompression. We, meanwhile, throw money at osteopaths trying to get it back.
The Mechanical Benefits: Unlock Ankles and Hips to Run Better
Why should you care about squatting if your main goal is running — or just living without pain?
Picture your body as a chain. If one link is stuck, the next one overworks — and badly.
The first stuck link? Ankles. If you can’t deep squat without lifting your heels, you likely lack dorsiflexion (the ability to bring your toes toward your shin). When you run, that stiffness means ground impact isn’t absorbed at the ankle — it shoots up to your knees or hips.
The deep squat is the best natural “can opener” for your ankles and hips. Sitting in that low position gently stretches tissues, “greasing” the femur in its socket.
How to Relearn the Deep Squat: A 3-Step Progression
Don’t try to drop down cold if you’re stiff as a log — that’s a recipe for pain and frustration. Regaining this position is a journey, not a sprint. Here’s how to trick your stiffness into letting go.
Use a Heel Lift
If your heels rise, let them — for now. Slide a book, a small plank, or weight plates under them. This removes the ankle limitation temporarily and lets your hips drop. The goal over time is to lower the height until you’re flat on the floor (be patient — it takes time).
Hold Onto a Doorframe
If you’re tipping backward, add a counterbalance. Stand facing a doorframe, grab it, and drop down. Your arms help with balance, letting you keep your spine more upright and “sit” between your legs without fear of falling.
Relax Your Back (Yes, Really)
Time to unlearn what your fitness instructor told you. In this specific passive mobility drill, it’s not only okay — it’s encouraged — to round your spine. Let your back gently flex. You’re after decompression and relaxation, not tension. Breathe into your belly.
The Challenge: 5 Minutes a Day (Broken Up) to Transform Your Mobility
No need for a dedicated workout. The beauty of the deep squat is that it’s a life position, not a gym move.
Set yourself a challenge: accumulate 30 minutes of deep squat time over the course of a week.
It doesn’t have to be in one sitting. In fact, at first, 30 or 60 seconds might be your max before your legs beg for mercy. That’s fine.
Do it while watching TV, waiting for your coffee, or replying to a text (bonus: the phone in your hands acts as a counterweight).
Five minutes a day. Sounds like nothing, but for your hips, ankles, and back, it’s like breathing again after years underwater.