The barbell squat is one of the most effective exercises for building lower body strength, but it is also one of the most commonly performed with faults. If your squat feels off, hurts, or has stalled, the issue is usually a fixable technique or mobility problem rather than a lack of effort. This guide covers the most common problems with the barbell squat and how to fix them, from knee valgus and limited squat depth to heels lifting and squat mobility restrictions.
A quick note before we start: not every squat fault is a technique error. Some come down to your individual anatomy, which we cover in our guide on how hip anatomy shapes squat performance. The fixes below address the common squat technique and mobility causes.
Problem 1: Knees Caving In (Knee Valgus)
Knee valgus is when the knees collapse inward as you drive out of the bottom of the barbell squat. It is one of the most common squat technique faults, and often points to a lack of strength or control through the glutes rather than a problem at the knee itself.
How to Fix It
Focus on actively pushing your knees out to track over your toes as you stand. Strengthening the glutes, particularly with exercises like banded squats and single-leg work, builds the control needed to stop knee valgus. Cueing yourself to spread the floor with your feet can help engage the right muscles during the barbell squat.
Problem 2: Not Hitting Squat Depth
Struggling to reach squat depth, meaning the hip crease dropping to at least the level of the knee, is a frequent frustration. It can come from limited squat mobility, poor control, or simply not knowing what depth actually feels like.
How to Fix It
First, work out whether the limit is squat mobility or control. If you can reach depth in a bodyweight squat but not under the bar, it is usually a control or confidence issue that load exposure and practice will fix. If you cannot reach depth even without load, squat mobility work at the ankle and hip is the priority. It is also worth knowing that squat depth is partly determined by your hip structure, so not everyone will, or should, squat to the same depth.
Problem 3: Heels Lifting Off the Floor
If your heels rise as you descend into the barbell squat, you lose stability and shift load forward onto the knees. This is almost always a squat mobility restriction, most often at the ankle.
How to Fix It
Ankle squat mobility work, such as calf stretching and banded ankle mobilisations, addresses the underlying restriction over time. In the meantime, elevating your heels slightly with small plates or weightlifting shoes lets you keep good squat technique and full squat depth while you build the mobility you need.
Problem 4: The Good Morning Squat
The good morning squat is when your hips shoot up faster than your chest out of the bottom, leaving you bent forward with the bar drifting ahead of you. It shifts load onto the lower back and is a common problem with heavier barbell squat attempts.
How to Fix It
This usually reflects the load being too heavy for your current strength, or a lack of control through the trunk and quads. Reducing the load to reinforce good squat technique, strengthening the quads and core, and cueing yourself to lead with the chest as you stand all help keep the bar path vertical.
Problem 5: Butt Wink
Butt wink is when the pelvis tucks under at the bottom of the barbell squat, rounding the lower back. A small amount is normal and not necessarily a problem, but a pronounced butt wink under heavy load is worth addressing.
How to Fix It
Often the fix is squatting to just above the depth where the tuck begins, then gradually building squat mobility and control to extend that range. Hip and ankle squat mobility work helps, and for some people it comes back to hip structure, which again is where an understanding of your own anatomy matters.
When to Get Your Squat Assessed
If you have worked on these fixes and your barbell squat still causes pain, keeps stalling, or a fault will not budge, it is worth getting assessed. Our strength and conditioning team can review your squat technique, squat mobility and strength, and build a plan around your individual structure. For lifters and athletes, our performance physiotherapy and sports physiotherapy teams can help you squat well and without pain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my knees cave in when I squat?
Knees caving in, or knee valgus, usually reflects a lack of glute strength or control rather than a knee problem. Strengthening the glutes and actively pushing the knees out to track over the toes helps correct it during the barbell squat.
How deep should I squat?
A common target is the hip crease reaching at least the level of the knee, but squat depth is partly determined by your individual hip structure. Not everyone will squat to the same depth, and forcing more depth than your anatomy allows can cause other faults.
Why do my heels lift when I squat?
Heels lifting is almost always an ankle squat mobility restriction. Ankle mobility work fixes the underlying cause over time, while elevating the heels slightly lets you keep good squat technique in the meantime.
Is butt wink dangerous?
A small amount of butt wink is normal and not necessarily a problem. A pronounced tuck under heavy load is worth addressing through squat mobility, control, and often squatting just above the point where it begins.
Related Reading
Some squat problems come down to your anatomy rather than your technique. Our guide on how hip anatomy shapes squat performance explains why hip socket depth, orientation and femur length change what an ideal barbell squat looks like for you.
Book an Appointment
Book an appointment at BeFit Training Physiotherapy. No referral needed.
BeFit Training Physiotherapy Edgecliff
Ground Floor, 287-289 New South Head Road, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Phone: (02) 9327 7749
BeFit Training Physiotherapy Coogee
Shop 1/2 Byron Street, Coogee NSW 2034
Phone: (02) 7205 2805
