I seen other videos of Gatlin squatting 180 deep.
Do you have the link for these videos?
There was also a video of Chambers doing deeps with 180kg … Seems about the go-to weight for professional violent sprinters 
Awesome article by the great Bill Starr.
Great videos, thanks a lot.
I think McGill’s comments are a great warning regarding trying to fit everyone into the same “ideal” mold, especially if weight training is not the primary competitive activity but merely a supplemental training component, as it is for the vast majority.
Another take on the issue with Maurice Greene and the so-called “new squatting” (1/4 squats with higher weight):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRY_J9Iy9mE
i happen to be one of those who can squat much deeper than parallel by Dr. McGill’s tests, but the question is, why? Just like Charlie said in the Edmonton lecture about not doing drop jumps higher than necessary to take the Golgi Organ slightly beyond necessary for sprinting, my sense is that greater force development is more useful than ROM that you don’t use even in the blocks–and as Mo says, the risk of injury is less.
Also, as James has pointed out, squats don’t transfer to sprints–one study I’ve seen says that a 20% increase in squat strength gains 2% over 40m, and a 10% gain in squat gains nothing, so you only gain from squats in the beginning when you are building organism strength. On the other hand, there is a study in NSCA I saw earlier this year showing 3 depth jumps in the warmup improving 20m sprint from, as I recall, 3.3 to 3.1, and I’m finding 3 drop jumps from 20-24" (bottom step from bleachers, and never going over 30" like Charlie said) also works and works better than squats.
There are many paths to Rome. I think the emphasis should be power development–which can include sleds, steep hills, box jumps and other plyos–rather than just weights or squats, particularly if your training age is over, say, 2. So for people who might be squat (or injury) challenged, there are many other things to do.
I agree with Flash
Interesting points also made by lkh.
However the last statement leads us to the question whether we think that improvements gained in the weight room whether is GS, squats parallel to the ground or half, contributing to more effective power development, consequently to improvements in sprints.
I think that there is a reason as to why guys like discus throwers, shot-putters, hammer throwers or Olympic lifters are pretty good in all power tests, considering that there is not much of speed development in their programmes they are not the slowest either over 20/30m.
Example: at uni we had a very good Olympic weight lifting squad (couple European medalists) during athletics session (subject at uni) we were learning about starts, how to teach it etc… and those guys were smoking 10.7 sprinters over 20m. They were having laugh.
Also, when my squat had gone up I have improved massively across all power tests and result in actual event.
I have noticed some time ago that some guys just cannot squat deep (McGill’s comments are a great explanation to what is actually happening) I don’t pay too much attention whether is ass to the grass, parallel or half for as long as it is done the same way during every lifting session.
I think, strength development is essential especially for female athletes who are underpowered having said that we cannot forget about, that at the end of the day we won’t be a weight lifters.