As I was sitting there yesterday watching my 2-year old nephew, I noticed something as he was busy squatting down and moving rocks from one place to the next (a game he thinks is incredibly fun).
Here’s what I noticed:
He had PERFECT squat form.
No tight hips, no weak spots, strong lumbar, great foot position, etc. It was flawless. And it was flawless every single time he squatted down.
Here’s a great picture that I found for what I am talking about:
As we get older, start sitting more, moving less… We lose mobility and that “effortless” factor when we squat. Personally, my hips are incredibly tight making it very difficult to squat low like our picture above.
Yet, the squat is one of the most important (if not the most important) exercises that you can do. Whether this be bodyweight squats, barbell squats, front squats, goblet squats, etc.
I firmly believe that you should be squatting at some capacity at least 2-3 times per week. And here’s 7 crucial reasons why:
1. Builds muscle throughout your entire body
Although they mainly target your legs (quads, hamstrings, flutes, calves, …), when done properly, squatting will release two very powerful muscle building hormones that will ultimately allow you to build more metabolic muscle throughout your body.
When you squat, the body produces great amounts of Testosterone and Growth Hormone leading to more lean muscle and less fat.
And the best way to continue producing more Testosterone and Growth Hormone in your squatting sessions, is by getting STRONGER on your squats!
2. Jump higher, run faster, perform better
Have you ever heard the saying… “Train like an athlete, LOOK like an athlete.” The squat is an athletic movement that allows you to add more power, speed, strength, explosiveness, and more.
In short, it helps you be more athletic no matter what age. And the more athletic you are, the more metabolic muscle you will have and the less fat you will have.
3. Squats build healthy knees and back
Contrary to what you might think, the squat can help eliminate knee and back pain by strengthening the muscles around those two areas.
Usually when people complain that squats hurt their knees or back, it’s because their form is off causing them to put more pressure on areas that cause the pain.
When you squat with the right form, you will instead eliminate knee and back pain for good!
4. Squats improve flexibility
I’d love to be able to squat as low as my 2-year old nephew… Unfortunately, due to the amount of sitting I do for work (like many of you) my hips are very tight.
Squatting forces your body to become more flexible, especially when you are working on improving your squat. The more flexible you are able to get, the stronger your squat will be.
Here’s How You Can Double Your Squat In 6-Weeks <= Better flexibility, more strength, faster results!
5. Squats get you lean and ripped
From an exercise stand-point, nothing beats the squat when trying to get lean and ripped. If you really want to take getting lean and ripped to a new level, try squatting and sprinting!
6. Squats build your abs
Better than any traditional ab exercise, the squat (especially front squats) build your ab muscles incredibly well. They may not be as sore compared to regular ab exercises, but WOW! do they do they trick.
7. Improved posture
Squatting recruits many different muscles, strengthening your upper and lower back leading to better posture. Front squats specifically, really help you avoid that “hunched back” while sitting at the computer.
Getting a stronger squat is one of the best ways to start building an incredibly lean, strong, powerful, and more athletic physique. Below is a link on how you can get started:
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