I was thinking the other day about ATG vs parallel squats. The argument for parallel is that not everyone has the flexibility or proper proportions to go ATG without rounding the lumbar spine. Seems like a sound argument. What I wondered, though, is why there is not then "benching to parallel" and so forth. I'd argue that, similar to squatting, body proportions are huge in benching; a guy with long forearms has to retract his shoulders/upper arms to a much greater degree than a stocky, barrel-chested guy in order to get the bar to his chest, putting the shoulders in a potentially dangerous position very similar to what happens to the lower backs of guys ill-suited to squatting ATG. Any thoughts?

Below parallel =/= ATG.

I've personally yet to see someone that can't hit below parallel if they put in the effort to build flexibility, plus squatting just below parallel reduces shearing force on the ACL.

Yes!  And lifters with short arms/long torsos should be allowed to deadlift off blocks to compensate!



Parallel is a standard. Parallel is easily achieved. Children do it without thinking. Toddler squats.

By ATG, I really mean hams to calves- basically, the natural stopping point of the motion.

As far as reducing shearing force on the ACL, do you mean compared to a higher or lower squat? I'd read that stopping higher is tough on the knees, but if a full ROM is hard on the ACL, it's news to me.

I think you've got my point backwards. I'm arguing for more depth, not less. My question is basically why the squat is the one lift whose definition has been altered to help those with sub-optimal mobility or body structure.

ATG isn't the standard though....hips below parallel is. I only see ATG squats for oly lifters, and that's done for obvious reasons.

There is more shearing force on the ACL on less than full ROM squats.

Oh, your OP seems to be arguing for shallower squats.

Yeah, in retrospect I should have been more clear.

All the other big lifts are done from the absolute stopping point: deads from the floor, bench from the chest, press from the delts, regardless of the fact that these lifts are easier or harder based on how you're built. But with squats it's just a matter of breaking parallel, which seems to be a rule based on a recognition that going to the fullest possible depth is not great for some body types.

Because someone a long time ago decided that hip joint below knee joint was a good judging point and it has stuck.
The same can kind of be said about deadlifts. They are the only lift that the start and end points are not set by you body proportions. The bench and OHP is from where they touch to full extension. But deads start from a set numer 8.75" off the ground. Which someone a long time ago decided was a safe distance that if a olympic lifter droped the bar it would not crush his head. That number has stuck ever since.

funny thing, my brother insisted that he could not squat parallel without standing on plates or a 2x4, etc.  After about 10 min he was doing it fine with my help.

I have never come across someone who cant, with some proper coaching...unless they have some injury or something.