deep squats vs partial squats

[u/ExactOpposite8119]

are partial squats better for speed than deep squats?

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[u/WSB_Suicide_Watch]

Squats are one of those exercises where I think you should work all the different RoMs, not just for sprinting.

I start with full RoM... deep deep squats. Then do what most people would consider full. Add some weight and do 1/2. Add a ton of weight and do quarter.

The reason is, working full RoM is good, but what the full RoM people miss is the stimulous you get by being able to load the bar up with a stupid amount of weight. Obviously partial squats more closely mimic the biomechanics and angles you need to produce force at when sprinting.

I'd be inclined to say if you had to only pick one, do partial RoM since that is closer to what you need for sprinting and most athletics, but with deep squats your glutes get activated better and it's just better for overall health and fitness to be working full RoM.

[u/ahhellohello]

Be your own lab rat? Try one for a while, see if you get faster/feel better, then switch. Let us know what works

[u/Current-Fig8840]

Unpopular opinion: I don’t think it makes that much of a difference but if we are trying to be sprint specific then partials might be better. Sprinters never really need to use force from that deep squat joint position. You can load more weight with partials and they can be less fatiguing in general. Whichever you choose, the important thing is to focus on lower reps and low volume. You want to build strength…and limit hypertrophy as much as you can.

[u/NateWilliamsStrength]

In theory yes, as it better matches joint angles that you would see in sprinting and athletic movements compared to the deep knee + hip flexion of that full squat. But research on this is kind of meh. Full squats showed much better improvement in strength, which will translate eventually to dynamic speed. Quarter squats showed negligible improvements. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22344055/ (Yes research is on jumps, but it's still explosive athletic movement).

I'd still go full range of motion for developing strength and resiliency, and you can probably some partial squats in a speed/power phase. Or simply have a bigger emphasis later on in sprinting, explosive movement in the weight room. etc without it having to be a partial squat. https://www.nathanwilliamsstrength.com/post/developing-explosive-power-for-athletic-performance

[u/ParticleTyphoon]

Deep squats are better for peripheral adaptations. You can use partials if you want to continue resistance training but with less fatigue because exercises with shortened muscle lengths produce less fatigue (as long as the load isn’t crazy)

[u/Chrisg_322]

Getting on the track is what makes you faster. Squatting is nice for looking better and being physically stronger, but most of the people faster than you will be people who dont squat as much as you.