Six Reasons to Squat
Squatting is a foundational movement pattern that features in any balanced strength training program.
What’s more, squatting can be found in numerous activities outside the gym, making it an essential part of functional movement. From standing up out of a chair to sitting on a toilet to squatting down to reach into a low cabinet, we need to squat for so many reasons.
Today we’ll dive into six of those reasons, so you never want to miss a squat day in the gym again!
1) Lower Body Strength
From your glutes to your quads to your hamstrings to your calves, squats are a highly effective way to build lower body strength. These muscles support stability in your legs, making sure your knees, hips, and ankles stay healthy. Strong legs are vital for being able to walk long distances, bike ride, run, jump, and lift.
2) Functional Mobility
Doing full range of motion squats in your strength training is a great way to keep your joints mobile enough to support your daily activities. The phrase “use it or lose it” applies here. Taking your hips, knees, and ankles through squatting will ensure that you don’t lose this mobility. It’s not just about stretching your soft tissues either, and often mobility is lost because of a lack of strength and stability. Practicing squatting helps you maintain adequate strength to fully flex and extend through the movement, so you never feel limited in your ability to move through life.
3) A Solid Core
Forget sit-ups. Squatting is one of the most functional ways to strengthen your entire core. By holding weight on your back, you are required to create a strong brace of muscle to keep your spine stable. Your lower back, deep stabilizers, obliques, and abdominals all work hard during squats to keep your core solid and your back safe.
4) Strong Bones
Research has shown that resistance training can prevent osteoporosis. The compressive force of squats is highly beneficial and can improve bone density. Squatting throughout a lifetime supports healthy bones and can prevent fractures in the spine and hip, making it an important activity for all ages.
5) Healthy Hormones and Immune System
Squatting stimulates your body to produce human growth hormones to help your muscles grow and repair from training. This circulating hormone also stimulates bone strength, fat loss, cell repair, and mood, among other positive health effects. Resistance training is also proven to support a strong immune system, and squats are an integral part of any resistance training program!
6) A Nice Butt
We’re not joking … squatting is one of the most effective exercises for creating strong and shapely glutes. Of course, genetics, nutrition, goals, and lifestyle all come into play when discussing aesthetics, but anyone striving for a good looking bum can benefit from squats in their exercise program!
While we could probably list another 20 reasons to squat (anti-aging, increased metabolism, imbalances, posture, etc.), we hope that these six reasons have convinced you that squats are awesome!
Whether squatting with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, or your bodyweight, squats of some variation belong in almost every fitness program.
Would you like a workout that incorporates the best style of squats for you, your goals, and your current capabilities? Find an OPEX Gym near you and schedule an initial consultation today!