Ah, the squat.
But is this exercise all it’s cracked up to be?
Short answer: yes.
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A.Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, with toes turned slightly outward and arms at sides.
Brace abdominal muscles toengage coreand keep chest upright.
While lowering into the squat, simultaneously raise arms in front of body until they reach chest height.
Here, pros break down those key perks of the lower-body exercise.
“You are meant to squat in everyday life and activities,” says Reuss.
We cant totally blame it on aging its lack of movement."
“It works major muscle groups: your quads,glutes, hamstrings, andcore,” she explains.
Try one of these modification and progression ideas to make the exercise work in your favor.
Common Bodyweight Squat Mistakes
Subtle changes in your lower body positioning can make or break your form.
When lowering into the squat, double-check to push your hips back and sit into mid-foot and heels.
And don’t be afraidto squat below parallelor let your knees go over your toes, says Reuss.
And don’t forget about your core!
Continue bracing your abs throughout the movement to keep your back flat and preventlower-back discomfort or even injury.
(Yes,the mind-muscle connection is real.)
Better yet, incorporate the move intoa four- or five-exercise circuitfor a full-body, time-efficient workout, she adds.
