Everyone who walks through our doors for their Intro Class learns to squat, and for good reason too. The squat is the movement that will keep you mobile into old age and and help you build muscle to stay strong. Imagine an exercise that will give you strong legs, increase your core strength and burn a ton of fat… That’s how good the squat is!
The best thing about the squat, is you can do it with your own bodyweight, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, friends (ask first) and pretty much anything you can lay your hands on.
HOW TO SQUAT
To start, don’t worry about any weight. We are working on learning proper movement and doing it for multiple reps before we add any weight.
- Stand with your feet Shoulder width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- Switch your belly on tight (like you’re stopping yourself from peeing)
- Push your hips back and keep your weight on your heels
- As you start to sit back, bend your legs until your hips are below your knees
- Keep a tall chest and flat back.
- Keep your belly tight as you push through your heels back to a standing position
TIP: If you can’t get all the way down without tumbling backwards, grab onto a post for balance.
WHEN TO SQUAT
The beauty of squatting is it can be done anywhere with whatever you have on hand.
Stuck in the office? Do 30 squats after prolonged periods of sitting.
Need a quick and easy workout? Try hitting 50 or even 100 squats as fast as possible with good technique.
Need a good warm up? Do 3 rounds of 25 Star Jumps, 10 perfect squats and 15 Sit ups
Once you master the basics of squatting, it’s time to add some weight.
GO SQUAT
Now you’ve learned the how and when of squatting, get out there and use it. Squatting isn’t easy, but the benefits pay off in the long run and you will live a stronger life.
If you are looking to mix things up check out this video with all the different types of squats we use at CrossFit Border.