The squat is the most important exercise you’ll ever do.
You squatted before you could walk. And the squats you did before your first birthday were probably better than the ones you do now. The squat is a natural exercise that we UNLEARN over time, thanks to our cultural tendency to sit on chairs all day.
It’s also the exercise that will keep you out of the home. The ability to sit and stand under your own power will allow independence when you’re old. It’s the best thing you can do for total-body bone density. It’s the most effective exercise for beating diabetes, or just picking up a grocery bag. It can fix your back, your butt and your attitude. Squatting might not cure world hunger, but in developing countries without couches, people squat for hours every day.
Here’s how to do it the RIGHT way:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Unlock your knees.
- Push your butt back until your weight is on your heels.
- Sink down as if you’re trying to find a chair behind you.
- When your hips are below your knees, stand back up. Keep the pressure on your heels, not your toes.
- Keep your chest up! Your hips should do most of the work.
- Push your knees out on the way up.
Take the next steps to get that squat right!