Daily Life Movement Essentials: Squatting
Squatting is an important movement in both our daily lives and in training.
Standing up from a chair, getting yourself out of bed, and a heavy back squat are all forms of squatting. This makes the squat an essential movement in our lives. If performed with proper mechanics, the squat can be a huge benefit to both your training and quality of life.
Set up
- Set your feet shoulder-width apart with toes slightly rotated out.
- Keep your eyes and head forward, not towards the ground.
- Take a big belly breath, bracing your core and maintaining a lumbar curve.
Lowering your hips
- Send your butt back and down. (don’t just drop, pull your hips down)
- Allow your knees to track in line with your foot (don’t let the knees cave in).
- Stop when the hip crease is below the top of your knee.
Standing
- Return to standing by driving your feet into the floor in the exact same path that you descended.
There are many benefits to squatting. Not only is it an essential movement in everyday life, but there are many benefits you may not even know about. When you squat, it helps keep your knees, hips, and back healthy, not only while you are young but also as you grow older and are in your later years of life.
It is often said that squatting is bad for your knees but this is a common misconception. It has been shown that the opposite is true as long as good technique is maintained. Squatting actually helps maintain and promote health in your knees, lower back, and hips.
Squatting is an essential part of life and can help improve your life in more ways than one. If you want to be stronger, faster, healthier for longer, and improve your quality of life – try adding more squats into your workouts. The more you squat with good form, the more your body will thank you for years to come.
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