I know what you?re thinking, ?what the hell is up with the title of this article?? Bear with me for a moment and hopefully I?ll be able to clearly develop the analogy. You?re probably aware that marijuana is considered a gateway drug. That is, its use regularly leads to the use of other illicit substances. In short, it opens the door to the world of illegal substances! On a similar plane, I consider the squat to be a gateway movement. No, that does not mean that by squatting you will be setting yourself up for drug addiction, but it does mean that you?ll be opening the door to a world of improved functional capacity, enhanced athletic performance, and a metabolic/hormonal profile geared toward fat loss and muscle gain.
For years athletes, gym rats, and even couch potatoes have been bombarded by illogical warnings on the danger of performing squats when exercising. We?ve been told by ?authorities? that by squatting we will inevitably destroy our knees and succumb to disability. I, for one, would like to know how these ?authorities? get on and off the couch, or toilet for that matter, with performing a movement that eerily resembles the dangerous squat. No disrespect, but I don?t think these people know diddley squat! Ok, that was a pretty lame joke ? back to my point (I do have a point). The fact of the matter is that you perform squats all day long during your day-to-day activities. Given the fact that the movement is essential in everyday life, how in the world does it make any sense to avoid becoming proficient at it? To answer my own question, it makes no sense at all to avoid squatting. In fact, I firmly believe that squatting should be a foundational movement in any exercise program.
Don?t get me wrong, I am no way suggesting that a deconditioned individual should take it upon themselves to immediately go the gym and begin squatting 315 for reps. Rather, I think that the squat, modified to one?s level of ability and mobility, should be incorporated into everyone fitness program whether the individual is a college-level athlete or retired grandparent. The key to reaping the full benefits of the movement without incurring any kind of injury is performing the squat properly. If you squat improperly you will get hurt, but then again, if you lift an object off the ground with improper form you?ll throw out your back. There?s no reason to avoid the movement because you can get hurt, you just need to focus on performing the movement correctly. Rather than attempt to verbally illustrate the movement, I am going to defer you to an excellent slideshow demonstration of ideal squat form: http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html - simply click on the slideshow link next to ?air squat.? *CrossFit not only has an amazingly innovative and effective fitness program, but also offers these movement demonstrations to the public free of charge!*
Another way to practice the movement is to squat to a box (or any other stable object). The box, chair, crate, etc., should be a height so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Setting the box lower so that your thighs are below parallel will help to better develop the flexibility and strength required to perform the ?air squat,? but most people benefit by starting with the former. Some tips on box squatting:
*Feet should be around shoulder with apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
*Keep an arch in your lower back at all times! This is essential to avoid injury to your lower back.
*Weight should remain on the heels throughout the movement.
*Initial movement should originate at the hips ? NOT THE KNEES!
*Concentrate on sitting back and down rather than just down.
*Keep your knees open at all times, do not allow your knees to roll inward.
*Do not passively drop onto the box, use your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself down into the bottom position.
*Squeeze through your glutes at the bottom of the movement to begin the ascent.
*If balance is an issue, extend your arms in front of you as an aid.
*As a self-check, look at your shins at the bottom of the movement. Ideally your shins will be completely vertical. The further your knees drift forward over your foot, the more stress on the knees themselves.
As you can see, there are a lot of things to keep active in your mind when you first start squatting. In my opinion, the complexity of such a seemingly simple movement is one of the main reasons so many authorities condemn the squat. Because the vast majority of people who squat do so improperly and wind up getting injured due to no reason other than their own ignorance. That?s equivalent to blaming accidents caused by drunk drivers on automobiles.
Now that I?ve exposed the idiocy behind the ?say no to squatting? campaign, and hopefully gave you a good idea of how to properly squat, I?d like to briefly discuss the benefits of squatting. A few benefits are listed below:
*Squatting develops proper hip extension, which is essential to any athletic pursuit. As proper hip extension develops, the athlete will run faster, jump higher, etc.
*Squatting improves quality of life. By practicing the movement, and becoming stronger as a result, the numerous squats you perform during the day will be considerably easier. You?ll be bounding off the couch like never before ? hopefully to go to the gym!
*Squatting, along with other compound movements that load the heels and engage the quads/hamstrings/glutes, creates a flux in highly beneficial hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone that contribute to fat loss and muscle accrual.
*Squatting, especially the front squat variety, have a profound impact on increasing bone density. Given the epidemic of osteoporosis in our country, this should be reason enough for every capable elderly person to squat.
Like I said initially, squatting is a gateway movement that opens the door to improved athletics prowess, fitness level, and functional capacity. Far from being detrimental, the squat is a basic human movement pattern that is essential to every person. As with any other exercise, proper form is critical to avoid injury. The next time your working out, and squatting of course, and someone comes up to you and tells you that squats are dangerous; look them in eyes and sincerely ask them how them get on and off the toilet without performing a squat? Nothing like a dose of reality to shut up a naysayer!
Jonathon Edward is a Certified Personal Trainer, Nutritional Advisor, and Motivational Coach based out of Orlando, FL. He specializes in creating unique and effective training and nutrition programs that consistently help his clients reach their goals. Jonathon is also the founder of Primal-Movement, a personal training company providing Functional Fitness to the masses. More info can be found at: http://www.primal-movement.com
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