Date 2019-01-29
Category ARTICLES
Proper form is Very key in the bid to getting the most of workouts. While you may not realize it, the fact is you actually perform squats almost every day. You may have done a squat when you went to grab something from the bottom drawer of your wardrobe or when you go to pick up your kid.
Doing a squat for the purpose of building muscle and control of your body is something that, however, requires a little more thought. Doing a squat correctly depends on the makeup of your body. “things such as limb length, flexibility and past or current injuries can dictate how you squat.
The two muscles that you need to keep in mind when doing squats are your calves and hips. Making sure that they are stretched and warmed up before you start doing squats is essential. These muscles are responsible for helping your butt muscles move in and out of the squat. If they are not flexible, your form could be on shaky ground, which could lead to injuries.
The National Academy of Sports Medicine outlines these steps to perform the ideal squat:
- Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, your back straight, and your head up with your eyes forward.
- Squeeze your glutes and push your shoulder blades toward your spine.
- Descend as though you are sitting in a chair, keeping the knees aligned over the second and/or third toes.
- Come back up keeping your glutes engaged and your eyes forward; repeat for as many reps as you want.
If you are having trouble maintaining this body position as you squat, there are a number of things you can do. Place a stability ball in between your back and a wall.
Perform the squats while moving the ball up and down the wall to keep proper back placement. Alternatively, you could try squatting onto an actual chair to make sure that your knees are tracking over your toes properly.
It’s important for you to perform squats properly so that you not only get the most out of it, but also so that you don’t injure yourself.
**360nobs