The key feature of proper squatting technique is the ability to maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. This becomes even more challenging if you’re trying to squat below parallel, and the difficulty that many people have with this only serves to perpetuate the myth that squatting is bad for your back. You may also have observed some really strong lifters performing a squat with a rounded back, which further complicates the issue. While it’s one thing to sacrifice a little bit of form when going for a near maximum-effort lift, this exception doesn’t apply to you if you’re not squatting triple your bodyweight, or if you’re still learning how to squat. Quality of movement should take precedence over the quantity of the resistance being moved.
This doesn’t mean that the lumbar spine should
