The Acute Effect of Squat Exercises Performed at Different Depths on Muscle Activation and Jump Performance

April 15, 2026 updated by: Fatih GUR, Pamukkale University

The Acute Effect of Squat Exercises Performed at Different Depths on Muscle Activation and Jump Performance: A Randomized Crossover Trial

This study examined the acute effects of different squat depths (partial, parallel, full) on lower extremity muscle activation and jump performance (countermovement jump - CMJ). Fourteen healthy sports science students participated in this randomized crossover study. Participants performed three sets of squats at their 5-repetition maximum (5RM) load across three different depths. Surface electromyography (SEMG) was recorded from the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) muscles during each set, while CMJ performance was assessed before and after the squat protocols.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study examined the acute effects of different squat depths (partial, parallel, full) on lower extremity muscle activation and jump performance (countermovement jump - CMJ). Fourteen healthy sports science students participated in this randomized crossover study. Participants performed three sets of squats at their 5-repetition maximum (5RM) load across three different depths. Surface electromyography (SEMG) was recorded from the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) muscles during each set, while CMJ performance was assessed before and after the squat protocols. Results indicated that both mean and peak activation values of all muscles increased significantly with greater squat depth. The highest activation levels in the RF and BF muscles occurred during the full squat, whereas VL activation peaked during both the full and parallel squat conditions. Regarding CMJ performance, no decline was observed after any condition; however, a significant improvement between pre- and post-test values was found only after the full-squat condition. Increasing squat depth positively influences muscle activation and jump performance, and performing full squats in training may enhance neuromuscular stimulation and promote post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

14

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Denizli
      • Denizli, Denizli, Turkey (Türkiye), 20160
        • Pamukkale University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Inclusion criteria were: being 18-35 years of age, having at least one year of resistance training experience, and being familiar with partial, half, and full squat techniques.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Exclusion criteria included having a chronic illness, a current or recent musculoskeletal injury, or experiencing pain during any of the three squat variations.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Partial Squat
Participants perform 3 sets of partial back squats at 5RM load (approximately 45° knee flexion).
Other: Partial Squat Exercise
3 sets of 5-repetition maximum (5RM) squats with a 3-minute rest interval between sets.
Experimental: Parallel Squat
Participants perform 3 sets of parallel back squats at 5RM load (approximately 90° knee flexion).
Other: Parallel Squat Exercise
3 sets of 5-repetition maximum (5RM) squats with a 3-minute rest interval between sets.
Experimental: Full Squat
Participants perform 3 sets of full back squats at 5RM load (approximately 140° knee flexion).
Other: Full Squat Exercise
3 sets of 5-repetition maximum (5RM) squats with a 3-minute rest interval between sets.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Muscle Activation (Surface Electromyography - sEMG)
Time Frame: During the squat protocol (at the time of the intervention).
Mean and peak electrical activity of the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris muscles during the squat exercise.
During the squat protocol (at the time of the intervention).
Countermovement Jump (CMJ) Performance
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-test) and 5 minutes after the completion of the squat protocol (post-test).
Jump height measured in centimeters to assess acute changes in explosive power.
Baseline (pre-test) and 5 minutes after the completion of the squat protocol (post-test).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Pamukkale University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 7, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 16, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 16, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 15, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • E-671169

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared to protect participant privacy and confidentiality, as the informed consent form did not include a provision for public data sharing.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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