So are squats really all that? Heck yeah! If you’re not incorporating at least body-weight squats into your workout routines, then you’re really missing out on a lot of benefits.
Some people even refer to squats as being the king of all exercises and there is good reason for that as squats use almost the entire body to complete the motion. When you properly complete a squat you work your hips, glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Squats also help to strengthen your core as well. Not only that, but these exercises will help you improve your balance, coordination, and your bone density as well. Plus, you can do these exercises anywhere so you have no excuses.
Below we’ll give you the step-by-step instructions on how to properly do a squat!
The Body-weight Squat
If you want to become a pro at doing the body-weight squat, just follow these simple steps below. After you’re established you can move up to a weighted squat when you’re ready for another challenge.
1. First, stand up straight placing your feet a little wider than your shoulders with your hips stacked over your knees and your knees over your ankles.
2. Next, keep your head straight and roll your shoulders down and away from your ears. Do not bend your back, keep it straight.
3. Now you will extend your arms straight out keeping them parallel to the ground. Your palms should be facing down.
4. Start the movement by first inhaling and unlocking the hips. Continue to bring the hips backwards until your knees start to bend.
5. As you lower your body weight, your buttocks will begin to stick out. As this happens, be sure to keep your chest, shoulders, and back straight. Your head and eyes should stay focused straight ahead.
6. To get the best results, take your squat as deep into the movement as possible. If your flexibility can handle it, your hips should sink below your knees.
7. To make sure your core muscles are worked, explode upwards, driving through your heels back to a standing position. Repeat this movement for several repetitions.
If you are just beginning, you should not add any additional weight and instead concentrate on learning how to master the form of a body-weight only squat first! Once you nail this down, you can move on to the next level which is more difficult. These will include squats with weights and so forth.
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