Should You Put Your Heels On Plates During Squats?

Why are people lifting with their feet on plates? What do lifting shoes do? The answer to both is they elevate the heel to improve mobility in squatting movements.

But, do they work? What does lifting with an elevated heel even do and should you start lifting with lifting shoes? This article is going to answer these questions.

What Are Heel Elevated Squats?

Squats are by far, one of the best exercises you can do. Collectively, they;

• Train your entire lower body
• Build your core
• Improve performance
• Strengthen bones and joints
• Even helps in weight loss!

While these are a fundamental movement, due to various issues, such as years of inactivity or injury, many people can’t perform squats due to mobility issues.

This is where heel squats come into play.

Heel elevated squats are the exact same movement as back squats. The only difference is the heels are elevated. Squatting with raised heels offer several benefits such as²;

• Increase mobility and squat depth
• Reduce the weight load from their hips and ankles
• Increase the demand on their quads
• Build a stronger base

For some lifters, it may also just feel better on their body to keep their torso upright and take a little stress away from the posterior side and hips.

Note: Olympic lifting shoes are designed with a slight elevation in the heel. The reason weightlifting shoes are made like this is because it puts the lifter at a greater advantage through the ability to squat deeper and increase ankle range of motion.¹ This is exactly what you are creating by raising your heels up a little using a small weight plate.

What does elevating your heels do for squats?

Elevating your heels when performing a squat will do two things: Increase squat depth, and transfer force and emphasis to your quadriceps.

Heels elevated squats better activate the muscle fibers of your quads because it increases the range of motion at the knee while decreasing the range of motion at the hip. By going deeper into your squat through knee flexion, you will provide your quads with incredible stretching (eccentric) contraction in addition to full range concentric muscle contraction. Achieving an optimal (full) range of motion is an essential part of building muscle and strength. 

Those with poor ankle mobility can not get deep into the squat, which means they are not activating their leg muscles as well as they should. This includes the glutes. So, elevated heel squats will be more effective for the entire lower body when compared to half squats done because of poor mobility. 

That said, the goal is to be able to squat with a full range of motion with your feet flat to the ground as that will provide the best overall muscle activation and is the most natural. So, you'll need to work on ankle mobility (and hip mobility) in the meantime if you are stuck only doing heel elevated squats due to form issues. When your mobility is up to par, you can squat with flat feet and then use heel elevated squats as a form of an accessory lift to hone in on greater quad development. 

What Muscles Do Heel Elevated Squats Work?

A heel elevated squat is going to work the same muscles as a normal squat. This includes;

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Core

However, lifting with raised heels will shift the focus towards your quadriceps. Your quads are a big muscle group that includes the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and the rectus femoris. Collectively, they’re your body's primary pushing muscle.

Heel elevated squats also keep your torso in a more upright position.  This will take stress off your lower back.

Should you squat with your heels elevated?

There are two groups of people who should be elevating their heels with plates when squatting.

The first are people who lack ankle mobility. The elevated heel allows them to increase the depth of their squat. 

The second are people who simply want to target their quads more. In this manner, they’re basically a variation such as a front squat. 

Note: This is speaking specifically of heel-elevated squats, not wearing lifting shoes. Lifting shoes are worn by those who want a more solid base for their squats and other strength exercises.

Will they improve my squats?

Generally, yea. Assuming you have issues with ankle mobility. Using the heel-raised squat is often an effective solution.

However, it’s important to remember, you should also be working on improving the mobility/flexibility of your ankles and hips. You want to train but also improve your mobility.

If you are using heel elevated squats as a way to better target your quads, then you should develop greater quad strength. This will improve all lower body performance.

Just be sure you’re not forgetting about your hamstrings and glutes. Be sure to include other assistance lifts (such as stiff-leg deadlifts and hip thrusts). 

Benefits of Heels Elevated Squats:

We've already went through the benefits of squatting with your heels elevated, but let's recap in a more clear manner for those who like to skim articles.

#1: Improves depth of squats

One of the most significant benefits of the elevated heels squat is that you can go deep into your squat due to your ankles being in a more advantageous position. Essentially, it's like a sort of crutch to lessen the demand on ankle and hip range of motion. If you have poor hip or ankle mobility, you will immediately notice the difference. You will be able to go lower into the squat.  

This deep range of motion will help you to build both size and strength. When you go deeper into the squat, you provide your leg muscles (quads and glutes) with optimal stretching tension, which is necessary to build size and strength. And the deeper you can go with your squat, the more you can maximize your potential when it comes to building your leg muscles. 

#2: Elevated heel squats activate your quadriceps more

By elevating your heels, you are directly impacting your quads. This is because you have a greater range of motion at the knee, which the quads control.

The vastus medialis is one of the more common muscles in the quadricep muscle group to be underdeveloped, and this exercise targets it perfectly. 

#3: Reduces the stress on the lower back

Let’s face it, squats can put a great amount of strain on your lower back and lumbar spine, especially if you are going deep, heavy, and your form is not entirely on point.

Raised heel squats reduce this stress because your upper body remains way more upright throughout the squat. You don't have to worry as much about arching your back.

This is because your knees go over your toes and you will not be pushing your hips as far back. This allows your upper body to stay straight which reduces the pressure on the lumbar spine and the strain on the muscles of the lower back.

Not only does this prevent lower back injuries, but it can also be a good option for people who are worried about re-injuring their lower back yet still want to squat.

It also makes sense for some to move to heel elevated squats after doing sets of regular squats if your lower back has had enough. It can allow you to put less demand on your low back while increasing the volume of work on your legs. Often times, you low back will tire out before your quads. 

Disadvantages of Heel Elevated Squats:

While heel squats offer some important benefits there are some drawbacks to this exercise, and it’s important that you understand what they are before incorporating them into your routine. 

Let’s take a look at these disadvantages,

#1: Increases stress on knee joints

If you have bad knees and poor mechanics, this exercise might not be the best option.

Your knees may move a bit far out which could result in strain if your muscles are weak or you already have bad knees. In addition, it will increase the overall range of motion which could cause problems for bad knees.

To be clear, these are not bad for your knees when using proper loads and a progressive training program. Just be sure to start light and work up in weight.

Related: Resistance Band Knee Exercises to Strengthen Your Knee Joint

#2: Reduces activation of the posterior chain

The posterior chain includes your hamstrings, buttocks, and lower back. These three muscles work on hip extension. By elevating your heels, the stress of the load is transferred more to the quads and less to the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.

As such, if you were to do only elevated heel squats, you’d be taking away from your glutes and hamstrings. However, assuming you’re using a well-rounded program, this isn’t really an issue.

Hip extension exercise = deadlift, RDL, hip thrusts

#3: It doesn’t reinforce dysfunctional movement, but it doesn't promote it either

By squatting with your heels elevated, you are mitigating ankle dorsiflexion (the need to bend at your ankle). While this helps the squat, full ankle dorsiflexion is an essential mobility movement to have.

If you’re using the heel-elevated squat because you lack ankle mobility, but never train your ankle mobility, this squat variation isn’t going to help.

However, if you have some specific long term limitation, heel elevated squats are a great option to keep training.

Are heel elevated squats bad for knees?

Raised squats are not bad for your knees when done properly. You just have to avoid excessive forward knee tracking and build strength with proper progressive training.

If you have bad knees or previously had an injury, it's always best to go slow or look for an alternative exercise to target the same muscles that will be less strenuous on your knees. 

HEEL ELEVATED SQUATS VS REGULAR SQUATS

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How To Perform Heels Elevated Squats

As with any new exercise, start by first ensuring that you are performing the exercise with the correct form. Use less weight until you perfect your form and range of motion.

If you can, record your movements or have a partner watch to form check. Keep in mind you can elevate your heels for basically any squat variation;

• Barbell squat
• Goblet squat
• Front squat

1. You’ll need a weighted plate, dumbbell, or squat wedge to place under your heels. Place the object of your choice on the ground and place your heels on it. Be sure that you are standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width and your toes on the ground.

2. Engage your core and glutes to maintain an upright posture. With your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet, inhale, and lower down into a squat. When lowering, be sure to push your hips backward as if you’re going to sit on a chair.

3. When you reach the bottom of the squat, exhale as you push upwards through your heels to return to starting position. Keep your core engaged throughout. Don't let your heels come up off the plate or platform as well. 

Best rep range: 5-8 for strength and hypertrophy & 8-12 for hypertrophy. Use a load that challenges you in the rep range (once you get the form down pat).

Raised Heel Squat Set Up

There are two different ways that you can raise your heels up.  The first is to put a metal plate under your heels to lift them up. The second is you can use a wooden block. There are some blocks made specifically for this exercise. 

When it comes to a weight plate, you don't want to use one that is too big. Generally, a 2.5lb or 5lb plate is enough. The thinner, the better. You can even use it as a form of progression, where you start with a thicker plates and move to a thinner plate until you can squat with no plate.

If you are doing heel elevated squats for the purpose of quad isolation, then use a 5lb plate. 

Another option is to wear elevated heeled weight lifting shoes. More on this in a moment. 

Tips for the Heels Elevated Squat

Following these simple tips will help to improve your form so that you can take advantage of the many benefits of this exercise and reduce the risk of injury. It’s always a good idea to record or have someone check your form when you perform any new exercise.

• Keep your torso in an upright position throughout the range of motion.
• Slightly arch your lower back throughout the exercise.
• Be sure that your feet are completely square.
• Do not roll your feet in or out.
• Pay attention to the proper alignment of the knees. Do not allow them to collapse inward.
• Your toes should be in front of your knees during the lift.

Common Heel Elevated Squat Mistakes?

Proper form is always important with any exercise - it reduces the risk of injury, and targets the specific muscles. Here are the most common mistakes people make when doing the raised heel squat,

Lifting your heels:

Stability is important, and if your heels begin to creep up, the barbell can come forward and you’ll become less steady. Plus, you’re increasing the risk of injury to your knees, hips, and lower back.

Be aware of the heel, the ball of the foot, and the outer ball of the foot. They should always have contact with the floor. By spreading your toes and gluing these three points onto the floor you’ll improve your foundation and improve your form.

Lifting your toes:

Lifting your toes places too much pressure on your heels, which results in overworking your posterior chain. This can affect many of your other exercises such as back squats, Romanian deadlifts, supermans, barbell hip thrusts, and reverse hyperextensions.

In order to keep your toes from lifting off the floor, you can try to strengthen your feet by using the tripod technique.

Arches Collapsing:

When your arches begin to collapse, you are putting your knees at the risk of caving, which creates poor form and the potential of injuring your foot or ankle.  You’ll know that your arches are collapsing by looking at your inner and outer foot.

When looking at your outer foot, is it losing contact with the ground?

When looking at the inner foot, does the arch lose height at all?

You’ll need to be barefoot to see these things. Your feet will tell you a lot about your form. Ask a friend to check your form and watch your feet or record yourself and review it afterward.

WEIGHTLIFTING SHOES! 

Weightlifting shoes have a raised heel and will provide you with a solid surface to lift from. 

This allows you to;

• Squat deeper
• Use a more upright position
• Greater quad activation
• A stronger base.

So should you buy a pair of squatting shoes? If you are very serious about weightlifting and strength training, then it's a good investment. However, if you’re just using heel-raised plated for some variation, there’s really no need in getting shoes.

Check out our favorite selection of squat shoes!

Alternatives to a Heel Elevated Squat

Don’t worry if you’re not able to do a raised elevated squat there are plenty of variations that you can do that will allow you the same benefits.  Remember that no matter which exercise that you are performing proper form is essential. So take your time and be sure that you are mastering this before adding weights. 

Dumbbell Squats

Dumbbell squats are an amazing exercise. They are simple to perform and places your center of mass lower, which makes going deeper easier. 

Also, it places less pressure on your joints, especially your back. 

You’ll start by holding a pair of dumbbells in your hands and then go down into a squat. When you perform the dumbbell squat, your center of mass is much lower compared to a traditional back squat. This allows you to fatigue your muscles without the fear of losing balance.

The downside to this variation is that you are not able to use as much weight as you can with a barbell, so this wouldn’t be a primary exercise for your lower body.

Related:

• Best Dumbbell Squat Variations
• Best Dumbbell Quad Exercises

Cyclist squats

The cyclist squat is just like an elevated heel squat but your feet are closer together, and generally the heels a little higher. This places the emphasis even more on your quads (shoulder width apart is more well-rounded for the legs, but with your feet close together like a cyclist squat, your torso is even more upright and your quads are absolutely the main focus). 

One of the reasons why the heels elevated squat is so great is because it targets your quadriceps and makes them work harder. That is what the cyclist squats can do for you as well. This exercise is a great alternative that will increase the size and strength of your quads.

To perform the cyclist squat you’ll start with a narrow stance and elevating your heels. With a barbell on your back, you’ll squat down, making sure that your torso is upright and your knees are forward over your toes. Just make sure you don’t squat with your heels too close together. I wouldn’t go any closer than 4 inches apart for safety reasons.

High Bar Back Squats

Certain squats require more ankle mobility. For example, the low bar squat requires more ankle mobility as the knees move forward more requiring more ankle dorsiflexion.

If your issue with regular squats is ankle mobility, an easy fix might be to position the bar higher your back, which is called a high bar squat.

With a high bar squat, the bar is resting on your upper traps whereas a low bar squat the bar is resting on your mid traps and just below your posterior delt. 

Something to note is that while a high bar squat requires less ankle mobility, it may be less comfortable for you. We wrote an article where we go into high bar vs low back back squats in-depth (definitely a must-read for those trying to figure out how to back squat comfortably).

Related:

• Test Your Mobility
• Ankle Mobility Exercises
• Hip Mobility Exercises

In any case, you need to see where your issues are. Do you have poor ankle mobility, poor hip mobility, or both? The most important thing to do is improve your mobility. Once you have normalized your joint's range of motion, you can perform squats properly. From there, if you stay consistent with squatting through a full range of motion, you will maintain good mobility as squats are a form of dynamic stretching (they move your through a normal/optimal range of motion, stretching your leg muscles).

In Conclusion:

The simple technique of adding something under your heels when performing a squat helps people increase their squat depth and it also can help more advanced lifters hone in on their quads because the load tension is shifted to the front and they can move through a greater range of motion at the knees. The only people who shouldn't really do heel elevated squats are those with bad knees.

FAQ’s

Should I do heels or flat squats?

Both are really good, and squats are a staple in any exercise. Raised heel squats are great to target the quadriceps muscles and stretch the calf muscles. But, elevated heel squats shouldn’t replace your traditional squats. Think of heel elevated squats as an accessory exercise. 

Are elevated heel squats for glutes?

The elevated heel squat exercise is a great lower body exercise as it allows your torso to stay upright, targeting the front of your upper legs targeting your quads more than the glutes. That said, your glutes will be targeted as well and through a fairly large range of motion. 

​​What are some precautions I should worry about?

Because you are elevating your heels you are shifting the focus more on your quads and that’s helpful if you need extra quadriceps work. You are also mitigating the mobility of your ankles. Therefore, be sure to include mobility work in your program.

Why do raised heel squats hurt my knees?

By raising your heels, you’re increasing the range of motion at your knee. This targets more of your quadriceps muscle fibers. However, if your form isn’t correct and your knees push too far forward in front of your toes, you can feel pain in your knees. But incorrect form certainly isn’t the only reason, and it could be from a previous knee injury.

Related:

• Your Guide To Squatting: How To, Improving Form, Benefits, Muscles Worked & The Many Variations
• Split Squat vs Lunge: Which Exercise is Better?
• Split Squat: How To, Variations, & Programming Tips

References

1. Fortenbaugh, D., Sato, K., & Hitt, J. (2010). THE EFFECTS OF WEIGHTLIFTING SHOES ON SQUAT KINEMATICS. https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/cpa/article/view/4407
2. Pierce, M. (2023). The effects of heel elevation on back squat performance. https://repository.wpunj.edu/handle/20.500.12164/3353