05/11/2021
Everyone knows what a squat is, but do you know how to do them properly to get the most benefit? Squats work most of the major muscle groups of the glutes, hips, and thighs. I'm on day 18 of the 30 day challenge; 100 squats a day! If you can't do 100 a day, commit to do 50. It's better than nothing, and this will keep your butt from getting droopy!
To do a proper squat:
Start with your feet hip-width apart, hands by your sides, feet slightly turned out.
Focus on holding your back straight, neither rounded nor arched. Keep your head facing front and raised slightly as you squat (pick a spot on the wall to focus on).
To begin the squat, let your hips drift back as your knees start to bend. To counteract your center of gravity shifting behind you, allow your arms to swing forward.
Bend deeply, imagining you are about to sit on a low stool. In fact, you can place a low seat or block beneath you, aiming to feel your butt touch it before you straighten back up. Stop your squat when your quads are parallel to the floor, to avoid injury.
Check your posture. While some degree of lean is inevitable during a squat, the goal is to keep your spine straight, regardless of its angle, and to minimize the natural forward pitch that occurs. By keeping your weight distributed farther back in your heels and focusing your eyes at the wall and not down, you can help prevent that whole bent-over thing.
When you reach your lowest point, smoothly rise to standing. Let your arms drop naturally to your sides and return to a neutral erect position. People often make the mistake of either dropping too fast, or rising too rapidly. All about time under tension and mind-muscle connection!