Squats and Your Body
SQUATS
The powerhouse move we all know and love.
If you’ve ever participated in a Downs Fitness workout, you know that squats are a staple in every class. Whether we include them in part of a warm-up, add some weights during strength training or max out during cardio 15, we’re going to get you squatting at some point. We love squats and so should you. Here’s why.
The squat is classified as a compound exercise because it works multiple muscle groups at once. This is why it is imperative to keep squats as a regular part of your fitness regime. As opposed to isolated exercises like leg curls or leg extensions, the squat targets multiple muscles in your lower body: gluteus maximus, minimus, and medius (buttocks), quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstrings (back of the thigh), adductor (groin), hip flexors and calves while also working the following muscles in your midsection: rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. If you do a basic body weight squat, you are working every muscle from the base of your neck down through your feet. If you are mixing it up with dumbbells or barbells, you will also work your shoulders, chest and arms, depending on the variant.
Doing an exercise like this on a regular basis is going to allow you to see results in your daily life. When done correctly and habitually, the squat will help you with every day tasks and movements like getting out of bed, walking, or bending over to pick something up. Because the squat works so many parts of our body, you will find that your regular practice will help your body to feel stronger and more efficient in your daily life.
It is imperative that you perform a squat correctly. While this powerhouse exercise is simple enough for every beginner to participate in, it is also very easy to injure yourself without knowing the basics.
Here’s how to perform a basic squat:
Remember the box rule: if you were to mark the floor with tape in the shape of a box, you want your feet, hips, and buttocks to stay within that box as a guide.
Start with your feet a little wider than hip-width.
Maintain strong and upright posture focusing all of your weight in your heels (as opposed to the mid or front part of your foot).
Keep your chest open and upward and your abdominals constantly engaged.
Inhale, push your hips back into a sitting position (maintaining that perfect posture) and lower them until your thighs are parallel or almost parallel to the floor.
Notice the burn in your thighs and glutes as you lower and pause once your knees are over (but not past) your toes.
Focus on the weight in your heels, the strength in your abs and the openness of your chest as you exhale to push back up to the starting position.
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat….. And repeat again.
Keep in mind a few common mistakes that could lead to injury:
Do not allow your knees to bend past your toes. You should be able to see the tips of your toenails at the bottom of your squat. If you go past this point, you take stability out of your targeted muscles and you can strain your lower back and knees.
Gradually increase your depth according to your body’s abilities. If at first you feel any sort of discomfort or pain with a deep squat, it is possible that you need to strengthen those targeted muscles. Try a more shallow squat at first and work your way towards depth. If you go too deep too soon, you may end up overcompensating with incorrect muscles.
If you find yourself twisting at any point, this means you may be going too deep. The squat should feel very stable, straight down and straight up. If you are fatigued in a workout and start to twist to get up from your squat, you could injure your hip flexors, knees and lower back.
Be mindful of your posture and the tendency to lean forward, especially when you are fatigued. This may strain your lower back and lead to pain or injury.
To put it as simply as possible, you should feel incredibly stable performing your squats. A squat is something that can be included in all types of workouts from cardio to strength training. If you are just starting out your fitness journey, you should absolutely welcome the squat into your repertoire of exercises. From beginners to advanced athletes, the squat does not discriminate and will bring you positive results in your fitness journey and everyday life!