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Squat 101

by FORZA INDUSTRIES 0 comment(s) Fitness

Squatting incorrectly can be extremely painful and could result in injury. Here we talk about proper squat form, how to safely execute a squat and the many health benefits of this fitness move. Understanding how to squat properly using your legs and not your back translates into a better workout performance and real life functionality. 

How to squat:

Picture yourself as if you were about to sit in a chair placed behind you. This will ensure that you are driving your hips back correctly.

1. Go as deep as you can comfortably. If you have knee issues, don’t go any deeper than a 90-degree angle, with your thighs parallel to the floor.

2. Keep your heels “glued” to the floor whilst you lower into a squat, and think about driving them into the ground as you straighten your legs to return to the starting position. (This will put even more emphasis on your glutes - meaning more of a burn for you.)

3. Keep your knees in line with your toes. Also, don’t let your knees cave in. Press them outward so they stay aligned with your feet as you squat down.

4. Do allow your torso to tilt naturally as you squat. (Just don’t collapse your chest or round your shoulders forward.) If you’re too erect, your hips cannot release properly and you’ll put too much strain on your knees.
 

So how many squats should I do per day? 

If you want to see amazing results, doing squats daily probably won’t hurt you, however, a better goal beyond how many squats a day would be to aim to do three sets of 10-20 repetitions at least three times per week. This will give your lower-body muscles a good workout, and time in between to recover fully. 

Squat benefits: 

You'll be able to lift heavy things safely 

Squats give you the strength to pick things up correctly by using your lower body instead of your back.  

They're time efficient 

One of the prime benefits of squats is that they’ll tone your booty quicker than just about any other move on the planet. By recruiting pretty much all the muscles in your lower body (quadripceps, hamstrings, gluteals), when you learn how to do a proper squat you’ll find yourself toning up faster and more effectively!

They can prevent injury

Many people shy away from doing squats if they have knee issues, but studies have shown that the muscles recruited and built when a person does a proper squat will actually improve knee stability and strengthen the connective tissues surrounding the knee.

They are functional fitness

Functional exercises are those that help your body to perform everyday activities more easily, as opposed to simply being able to operate pieces of gym equipment. Squats are one of the best functional exercises out there for promoting mobility, flexibility and balance with real-world benefits. Squat as much as you can!