Squats- Pg. 1
“squats- the king of all exercises !”
Squats are one of the most sensible, practical exercises to include in any exercise program. Why? Humans are squatter’s -- always have been. To sit on your chair you squat. To sit on the toilet you squat. To sit in your car you squat. We have evolved that way over millions of years. Squatting as well as a many other movements are encoded in our genes!
Today we must learn how to squat properly, otherwise the result will be injury. I cringe when I watch others bend down to lift something. The squatting movement is a double edge sword; do it incorrectly and you will injure yourself. Do it properly and it will change your life:
- By functionally strengthening just about all the muscles of the mid and lower body.
- By strengthening core muscles, that stabilizes the lower back.
- By strengthening muscles that allow you to lift objects up off the floor.
- By teaching those muscles how to work in concert with each other to prevent injuries.
- By toning and shaping those muscles faster than all other lower body exercises.
- By providing the basis to improve your gait and balance.
Before starting squats you may need to assess any physical limitations like knee or low back conditions with a medical professional. In my many years of teaching this movement, I have relied extensively on literature from the scientific community, also including watching kids squat down, and every other source in between. There is a re-learning curve here, yet very well worth taking the time. Another observation I have made is that very tall folks need to be extremely careful when performing squats as they can create negative forces in the lumbar area (low back). There are a number of other movements that can be used, for example, leg presses.