The squat is one of the most basic movements the human body can perform. You may not even realize it, but squatting is something you do every day. When you sit and stand up from a sitting position, you are essentially doing a squat. But they're not only great for performing basic daily functions, they're also a reflection of your overall fitness. Their advantage is that they can be performed anytime and anywhere. In this article, we reveal to you why experts recommend doing squats every day.
Muscles are activated
Doing squats helps gain physical strength, muscle mass, the body also burns fat. If you perform squats correctly, all the muscles in the body will be activated. Of course, the most stressed muscles are in the legs, but the muscles in the pelvis, shoulders, upper back and chest, among others, are also activated.
Joint and bone health improves
Bones adapt to different loads. For example, if you lift weights or stress your muscles with your body weight, the tissue that connects muscles and bones will create a bond that will your bone becomes stronger. Squats can help increase bone mineral density and reduce the chance of knee and ankle injuries by strengthening tendons and ligaments. Also, when performing squats, it also adjusts your digestion.
Balance is improved
Balance plays a large role in physical movement and is essential to quality of life. With age, muscles, tendons and ligaments wear down, so regular squatting helps slow down this process.
A body is forming
The squat helps to shape the legs and buttocks, abdominal muscles and torso, and also improves physical fitness posture and balance.
How to properly perform a squat?
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
- Place your hands on your thighs or stretch them out.
- Push your shoulders back slightly, squeeze your stomach.
- Take a deep breath, bend your hips and knees and lean your chest forward slightly.
- Slowly lower yourself to the floor.
- When you reach the squat position, as if you were sitting on a chair, stay in this position for at least two seconds.
- Make sure your knees are in line with your feet as your knees should not go past your toes.
- Shift your weight onto your heels and slowly return to an upright position.
- Repeat the exercise at least five times.
The most common squat mistakes
- Don't get low enough to the ground.
- Do not put your knees apart, but rather cross them.
- You lift your heels off the floor.
- Knees go beyond the toes.
Before you start squatting, make sure you are warms up. At least 10 minutes of cardio and 5 minutes of stretching will help you relax your muscles and prevent possible injuries. The number of squats you should do depends on your fitness level. Experts recommend at least 10 repetitions of three sets several times a week for beginners.
