Squats, with their ease of practice and effectiveness in toning the body, have become popular. However, many people perform squats incorrectly, leading to injuries and reduced effectiveness. So, how do you squat correctly? Let’s find out with AIA in this article!
Basic Squat Posture
Squats mainly impact the glutes, hips, and thighs, while also benefiting other muscle groups. The correct basic squat posture involves:
- Standing with feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward.
- Pushing hips back, bending knees in line with ankles, and slightly widening knees as you lower down.
- Assuming a squatting position while keeping heels and toes on the ground, chest up, and shoulders back.
- Reaching a parallel position with knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Pressing heels down and straightening legs to return to standing.
Perfecting the Squat Form
To perfect your squat, follow these steps:
Step 1: Stand straight with feet hip-width apart.
Stand straight with feet slightly wider than hip-width and hands on hips.
Step 2: Tighten the abdominal muscles.
Stand erect, gently pulling shoulders back, chest out. As you exhale, pull your navel back to tighten the abs, stabilizing the spine and pelvis.
Step 3: Lower your body as if sitting on an invisible chair.
Bend your knees, keeping the upper body straight. Lower yourself as far as possible without leaning too far forward.
Note: Avoid letting knees go too far forward or collapsing inward. Keep knees aligned with your feet.
Step 4: Straighten legs to lift your body up.
Straighten your legs, being careful not to lock your knees as you return to standing.
Note: Keep heels pressed down when squatting, then push them into the ground as you stand up to return to the starting position.
Step 5: Repeat the movement.
Repeat the motion 10 to 15 times.
3 Common Mistakes in Squatting
Despite the simplicity of the squat movement, people often make these three mistakes:
Mistake 1: Tucking the pelvis.
This error describes a posture where:
- The pelvis tilts backward.
- The tailbone tucks under, creating a slight curve or bend in the lower spine.
Mistake 2: Raising the hips too quickly.
This subtle mistake is hard to detect but contributes significantly to lower back stress and pain. As you rise from the bottom of the squat, your chest and hips should rise at approximately the same rate.
Mistake 3: Breathing.
Often overlooked, correct breathing is crucial. You are advised to inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up. Control your breath properly by:
- Taking a deep breath into your stomach.
- Bracing your body and holding your breath as you squat down.
- Exhaling as you return to the starting position.
How many squats per day are sufficient?
Squatting daily should not cause pain (unless you do millions of reps or squat with heavy weights). Aim for 3 sets of 10 – 20 repetitions daily, at least 3 times a week. This routine allows your lower body muscles to train effectively and recover.
Benefits of Daily Squats
- Building Lower Body Muscles: Research (1) shows squats help build lower body muscles, focusing on the posterior chain including lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and leg muscles.
- Enhancing Functional Movement: Regular squats improve everyday movements like sitting down and standing up, as studied (2) and published in the BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation journal.
- Improving Stability and Joint Posture: Squats target not just muscles but also joint stability and posture. Research (3) has shown squats can improve bone mineral density (BMD), strengthening your skeleton. Another study (4) concluded squats activate spinal muscles four times more than planks, aiding in standing and posture support.
- Burning Calories and Fat: Squats are effective for weight loss and calorie burning, as stated in research (5) recommending resistance exercises focusing on large muscle groups and compound movements like deadlifts and Olympic-style squats.
- Improving Flexibility: According to research (6), squats, being a closed kinetic chain exercise, involve significant movement at the hips, knees, and ankles, enhancing flexibility in daily activities.
Conclusion
We hope this article helps you correct and perfect your squat technique for desired results and injury prevention. Stay healthy and achieve a toned body!
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