The Proper Way to Do a Squat
Squats are amazing. They work everything in your lower half and help build muscles in my favorite areas: legs and butt.
The problem that many people have with squats is that they aren't doing them properly. Form is everything when it comes to any kind of weight training. Yes, even if all you're using is the weight of your own body. If done incorrectly, squatting can cause pain in your lower back and your knees...two things I'm sure everyone would like functioning properly well into their 50s.
Here are some things to keep in mind when working your lower half:
It's a common misconception that the core is only where the abs live. In reality, your core is everything in your midsection, to include your lower back. Squeezing your tummy gives your lower back support and prevents it from having to work overtime. If the concept of squeezing your abs is foreign to you, picture your belly button and your spine coming together.
Squatting is basically sitting back into a make-believe chair and standing right back up. When you do this, your body weight shifts back, making the rest of you want to balance. If your body weight is in your toes or the ball of your foot, this can cause unnecessary strain on your knees. Instead, keep your weight in your heels by pressing down into them.
When you're squatting, you should be bending at the knees, not the waist. Don't bend forward like you're going to pick something up. Instead, shoot your butt back like you're going to sit in a chair, and keep your chest and head lifted, like there's something in front of you that you're trying to keep eye contact with.
Although you do need to bend at the knees, you shouldn't be leaning forward into them. When you're squatting back, you should be able to glance down and still see the tops of your shoes. If you can't, then that means your knees are poking out past your toes, causing pressure that can eventually lead to pain.
This last one is just for fun. Squats can work your abs and legs just from the process of bending down. If your goal is to build a better booty, though, you'll want to squeeze your cheeks together as you stand up, holding for just a second at the top. The only way to build that muscle is to work it!
The problem that many people have with squats is that they aren't doing them properly. Form is everything when it comes to any kind of weight training. Yes, even if all you're using is the weight of your own body. If done incorrectly, squatting can cause pain in your lower back and your knees...two things I'm sure everyone would like functioning properly well into their 50s.
Here are some things to keep in mind when working your lower half:
1. Squeeze your abs
It's a common misconception that the core is only where the abs live. In reality, your core is everything in your midsection, to include your lower back. Squeezing your tummy gives your lower back support and prevents it from having to work overtime. If the concept of squeezing your abs is foreign to you, picture your belly button and your spine coming together.
2. Put your weight in your heels
Squatting is basically sitting back into a make-believe chair and standing right back up. When you do this, your body weight shifts back, making the rest of you want to balance. If your body weight is in your toes or the ball of your foot, this can cause unnecessary strain on your knees. Instead, keep your weight in your heels by pressing down into them.3. Your feet should be wider than your hips
This is one of the trickiest parts about doing a squat. If you've ever done a workout video, the trainer always tells you to keep your feet about hip-distance apart. Well, everyone's hips are different, so if you're trying to copy what the trainer is doing, chances are that you're not standing wide enough. You want to have a stance that is comfortable for you to sit back in, and that will vary from person to person.
3. Keep your chest lifted
When you're squatting, you should be bending at the knees, not the waist. Don't bend forward like you're going to pick something up. Instead, shoot your butt back like you're going to sit in a chair, and keep your chest and head lifted, like there's something in front of you that you're trying to keep eye contact with.
4. Keep your knees behind your toes
Although you do need to bend at the knees, you shouldn't be leaning forward into them. When you're squatting back, you should be able to glance down and still see the tops of your shoes. If you can't, then that means your knees are poking out past your toes, causing pressure that can eventually lead to pain.
5. Squeeze your cheeks!
This last one is just for fun. Squats can work your abs and legs just from the process of bending down. If your goal is to build a better booty, though, you'll want to squeeze your cheeks together as you stand up, holding for just a second at the top. The only way to build that muscle is to work it!
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