How to squat correctly.
The basic squat is one of the most fundamental of all human movements. Every time we sit down and stand up we perform a squat. Watch a young child squat and compare it with most adults attempting the same manoeuvre and you can clearly see the effects of age and lifestyle. So the squat can be a great diagnostic tool for pinpointing deficiencies in movement mechanics. Yet not many people in the gym are performing this essential exercise.
The essential points to look for when performing a squat are:
Legs set a little more than hip width apart.
Feet screwed into the ground and pointing forwards or just very slightly outwards (the straighter they are the more torque you can generate).
Squeeze the gluteals and engage the abs to put the pelvis in a good position.
Engage the hamstrings and push the buttocks slightly back before descending into the squat.
Shins remain close to vertical as you descend.
Knees externally rotate and stay behind the toes as you come down. They do not come forward very much and should not collapse inwards.
Lumbar spine should not curve excessively as you descend.
If your lower back begins to curve as you get lower into the squat, this indicates a lack of mobility in hips or ankles most probably. If you can descend into a very deep narrow squat with feet together without falling over then it’s probably not ankle range you’re lacking, but more likely hip range caused by excessive sitting most likely.
There are various ways of dealing with both these issues. Myofascial release, compression, stretching, including banded stretching and various other exercises to improve joint mobility and strengthen various involved muscles, are just some of the methods. It is well worth spending time focusing on this as it will make you a much better athlete/ human being.
If you would like to know more, please contact David on 07504439555 or by email at davidperry57@sky.com
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