What is the only best strength-building exercise that many of us can do right now? But isn’t it almost certainly?
Talk to enough exercise scientists and the latest exercise research. Then the answer is probably squats.
“There’s probably no more movement because of the strength and flexibility of the lower body,” said Brian Christensen, a professor of biomechanics at North Dakota State University Fargo, who studies resistance movements.
Benefits are not limited to the lower body. “This is really a whole body exercise,” said Silvio Rene Lorenzetti, director of performance sports at the Swiss Federal Sports Institute in Magglingen. “We need core stability to train our back.”
Some people are worried that squats can hurt their knees and lower back, but Sasa Durick, a squat exercise scientist who studied squats, said the exercise actually protects these and other joints. Helps to improve. This movement “helps maintain flexibility, stability, and function” in the hips, knees, and ankles, he said.
But perhaps most basically, squats are the key to living and aging. “When you clean your house or plant a vegetable field, you need to crouch,” said Dr. Durick. Same as above to make it easier to get in and out of the chair and to lower yourself to the infant level to play face-to-face.
In essence, 2014 Scientific OverviewSquat is “one of the most primitive and important basic movements needed to improve sports performance, reduce the risk of injury and support lifelong physical activity.”
The right way to squat
Crouching is easy, portable and powerful. “I don’t need a gym,” said Dr. Kristensen. It works wherever there is a few feet of open space, such as a living room, office, stairwell, park, or closet. And all you need is your weight.
If you are new to squats, one of the safest and easiest ways to get started is to use what is commonly referred to as a box squat. This is because it is commonly done in exercise boxes in the gym. However, you can also do these at home. In that case, use a chair, stool, bench, or bedside.
If you have a lower body injury or past injury, talk to your doctor about whether it is advisable to crouch first. “Be patient and pay attention to the right technique,” said Dr. Durick. “Don’t hurry the squats.”
To get started
step 1
When you sit on it, find a chair or box high enough for your thighs to be parallel to the ground. Keep your back straight and keep your core tense and chest up.
Step 2
Place it a few feet from the wall. The straight lines on the wall will help you align your body.
Step 3
Stand against the wall, place a chair behind you, and place your feet about 4 inches from the wall. Place your hands on your hips or stretch them sideways.
Step 4
Glue your heels to the ground. Bend her knees slowly, count 5 and lower yourself until her butt gently touches the box. Don’t actually sit down. Get up from the box and straighten your legs for another 5 counts.
Hold that form
If you feel the box squat is dialed in, you can throw away the box or chair and move to a self-supporting weight squat. But keep paying attention to your form. Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science and weight training expert at Lehman College in New York, said:
The keys to a safe and effective weight squat for beginners, agreed by him and other scientists, are:
step 1
Keep your feet about the width of your shoulders and turn them slightly outward. This is the easiest and most stable posture. If you make your legs too wide, close, too angled, or too angled, you can put annoying loads on your knees and hips.
Step 2
Align your head and spine, with your chest up and stare straight into your eyes. Do not curl your back or bend it into an arch.
Step 3
The knees should move so that they are approximately aligned with the toes when crouching. Do not spread outwards or buckle, and do not extend too far beyond the edge of your toes.
Step 4
Squat as low as possible. Ultimately, we aim to keep our thighs parallel to the ground. But at first, if you can’t lower it, it’s okay. It’s still squats.
Within these guidelines, experiment to find the movement that suits you. “There is no absolute best form for anyone,” said Dr. Schoenfeld. “There are certain biomechanical principles that need to be followed,” he continued, “but one needs to determine what is most comfortable for him or her.”
Progress to more challenging squats
Ultimately, when your weight makes it difficult to crouch, you may want to pick up a dumbbell. “Over time, we need to add resistance,” says Dr. Schoenfeld. It takes us to goblets and mines.
“There are many variations of squats,” said Dr. Kristensen. “Goblet squats are one of the most accessible.” Entry-level weight squats require you to crouch, holding dumbbells and other weights close to your chest with both hands, just like scooping a goblet. While maintaining good foam). in the investigation He oversaw last year and Goblet Squat effectively targeted and strengthened our anterior thigh muscle, the quadriceps. The effect was especially noticeable in women.
But they couldn’t get the hamstrings, the muscles behind our thighs, to work.To that end, research has found you to be better Mine squat, Named after Jim’s mine machine (named after the explosive device). It consists of a rotating barbell set diagonally on the floor stand. At the gym, place the desired weight on the pole, grab the edge with both hands, hold it near your chest, lift it, and then crouch. This movement affects both the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, as well as the other lower body muscles, a study by Dr. Kristensen shows.
But don’t be afraid to crouch. You know how to crouch. We all do so. Movement is basic and essential. “Squats mimic so many physiological tasks in our daily lives,” said Dr. Lorenzetti. So the “biggest mistake you can make” in squats is “don’t start squats,” he concludes. – This article was originally published in The New York Times
