Squatting help#1889

First off, thank you for providing free calisthenics resources! It is much appreciated.

I have been following the beginner routine for about 3 weeks now. I am finding that I cannot squat without lifting my heels (even a jacknife squat). I understand this is a common problem. My question is: should I stop doing squats if I cannot yet do them with my feet flat or shall I continue despite my heel lifting (while also trying to do exercises that help my ankle mobility). I hope this makes sense. Thank you.

Hey! Chrys here, one of the trainers at Hybrid. Yeah that makes sense, and no, you don’t have to stop squatting altogether. Try holding onto a sturdy countertop and squatting just to the depth where your heels still stay down. Even if that’s a pretty short squat right now, that’s fine. You can work on ankle mobility alongside it without putting squats on hold. Do your heels come up right away or only once you get close to the bottom?