The One Fitness Move That Can Keep You Fabulous
I seem to be annoyingly known for asking people to do squats as part of their fitness regimen. (Well, I mean my clients are sometimes annoyed, not me!) But bear with me; there is a reason that The Squat has been called “The King of Exercises.” (Or “The Queen of Exercises,” if you will).
The Squat – No, I’m not talking about all the gigantic barbells and super crazy weights. Just the simple act of sitting back and down, without hanging on, keeping your balance, and pushing up to standing again.
Why Do Squats?
Here’s a good list of reasons, for starters: It develops flexibility, it activates your “posterior chain,”—the back of your legs and glutes, it activates the messages between your brain and body, and it strengthens your lower back. Powerful stuff …
How to Squat? The correct technique is very important.
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your feet parallel.
- Put your hands on your thighs, look up and lift your chest.
- Bend your knees, put weight on your heels, and slightly sit back.
- Slide your hands down your thighs, so that your elbows reach your knees. Ensure your knees don’t go beyond your toes and keep your head and chest upright.
- Hold that position for 3-5 seconds.
- Rise back upwards, press through your heels, and straighten out your hips until you reach the starting position.
- Repeat this process 10 to 20 times. To start with, do this two to three times a week.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
Here’s a little test: can you stand up straight, keep your shoulders and back and butt against the wall, and:
- reach overhead with one straight arm and then the other, without bending either arm or experiencing pain?
- keep your head on the wall while doing the above move?
- move your head to look over your right shoulder and then your left?
The more I work with my clients, the more I realize that the individual differences we have (for example, one leg is longer, one side of the body is tighter), the more I encourage flexibility and stretching in combination with weight training. Sit-ups and push-ups and walking are great, but the slight imbalances that occur in each of us should be addressed if we are to progress injury and pain free. Here’s where the Squat move fits in: done correctly, it integrates both flexibility and strength. Being able to lift your own body weight (we do it every time we walk), is a powerful move. I suggest it’s also an effective way to challenge yourself for overall body strength. So integrate “The King”—or “The Queen”—into your workouts!
CHECK OUT THIS DIAGRAM TO SHOW WHAT POSITIONS PRODUCE LEVELS OF BACK STRAIN!
