Squatting is one of the most important exercises that can be done in a weightlifting program. It will build up your legs, hips, back, and abdominals. However, many people have bad form when they squat so they don’t get the full benefit out of it. Here are some tips to squat correctly.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder or hip-width apart, whichever feels more comfortable to you. Point your toes straight ahead, facing forward. If they are turned outwards it will cause pressure on the knees and won’t be very comfortable for them.
Make sure that you are able to see your toes when you look down at yourself. Keep your back straight, not very curved. Keep your shoulders rolled back and your chest out. This will keep you from slouching over when you are doing the exercise.
2. When you are ready to squat, take a deep breath in through your nose and hold it until you’re at the bottom of the squat. Then let it out slowly through your mouth. This will provide support to your back and abdominals as you are doing the squat.
3. Keep your heels on the ground during all parts of the movement, it is very important that they stay down so you get maximum benefits out of the exercise. If you do not allow them to stay on the floor then it can cause problems in the knees and back.
4. At the bottom of this exercise, where your legs are at a 90 degree or greater angle compared to your body, you need to make sure that you don’t let it rest there. You want to slightly push yourself up with your legs until you come back up all the way.
5. Try to keep your back straight at all times when you are doing this exercise. It might be hard at first but you will get used to it after a while. If you don’t then this can cause pressure in the lower back which isn’t good for it in the long run.
6. At the very top of this movement, make sure that you are squeezing your glutes to get the most out of it. So when you are getting ready to stand up, make sure that you are pushing through your glutes.
7. Don’t hold your breath for this exercise because it can cause dizziness and even fainting which isn’t good at all. Try breathing in through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.
8. People get the urge to lean forward when they are doing this exercise but you really want to keep yourself more upright than not so it is harder for you to balance yourself. If you feel like you don’t have a good center of gravity with how you’re doing the squat then try putting a weight bar across your shoulders.
9. Make sure that you are keeping your knees in line with your feet during the whole movement because this can cause damage to them if they are not aligned. If you have bad knees then try wearing some knee pads to support them during the exercise.
10. It is important that you do this exercise slowly but doing it slowly allows you to make sure that you are doing everything correctly.
In conclusion, squats can be a great exercise for you to do if you follow all of the tips above. But it is important to remember not to overdo them because those who do can run into some problems such as knee pain and pressure in the lower back. Remember that your goal should always be to get healthier every day and squats will help you with that goal.