Are you about ready to give up on squats all together since you’re not seeing the results you want? Squatting is an amazing exercise for you if you have adequate range of motion of the ankle, knee, and hip. But there’s a pretty good chance you’re missing out on the benefits of this exercise or causing yourself pain and injury if you’re just too tight to gain the proper form to produce effective results.
Have you ever been screened to see what kind of squatting you should be doing? If not I highly recommend a movement screen for all exercisers. At Personal Training In Marin screening is just one aspect of our assessment process. You want to move better than you have before? Get screened and you will learn A LOT about your body and how you perform.
A screen for your squat should be done with your bodyweight. External loading (weight on your back or even a front squat comes later) is not how you assess your squatting movement pattern. If you can’t effectively handle your bodyweight with good mobility and stability you WILL hurt yourself in a weighted back squat. That’s why I recommend you work with a professional to establish solid movement patterns that will serve you best.
Your coach will help you move forward with appropriate progressions based on your capabilities. Keeping your heels down, chest up, weight shifted towards your heels, and symmetrical eccentric (downward) motion is what helps to make a useful squat. For some squatting may not be an appropriate exercise but you would be surprised how much you can do without hurting yourself even with knee, hip, and ankle limitations when you work with the right professional. There are certainly many tweaks and adjustments that can be made to benefit you.
How To Ensure Proper Form All The Time
If you’re concerned that form is getting in your way in other exercises, as well, there are some things you can do easily to correct that. Here are just a few:
1. Work active stretching into your workout routine – While most people do “warm up” before they exercise, they don’t necessarily spend the time they need to properly activate and stretch the muscle groups they’re focusing on. Make active stretching more of a priority in your training. It’s even a good idea to keep stretching and moving in your routine on days when you don’t plan on working out.
2. Hydrate – It’s important to lubricate the muscles with proper hydration. Many people are dehydrated and don’t even know it. If you’re not drinking plenty of water your body doesn’t even know what it’s missing! Your function, adjustment to all exercise and movement, and recovery is highly influenced by how much water you have in your cells. Drink!
3. Get professional assistance – It’s one thing to read about an exercise and try to perform it. It’s another thing entirely to ensure that you’re holding proper form when you can’t see yourself working out! If you really don’t know what you’re looking for in good movement you need to ask for help. If you have any questions about form, reps, training days, etc. consult the pros at your fitness center or gym. They can help you make sure you’re performing all your exercises properly and safely. If not, they can help you make the necessary corrections while maximizing your workout time. If you’re interested in improving all aspects of your health and fitness I recommend: FREE Fitness Coaching
About the Author
Marin health and fitness expert, John Spongberg is the founder of Personal Training in Marin as well as an accomplished author, speaker and life coach. He is dedicated to helping people reach their optimum level of fitness, health and body satisfaction through a unique, comprehensive whole-person approach, customized to each client.
Mr. Spongberg creates a successful experience for individuals who are ready to take the next step to, once and for all, achieve the extraordinary health, vitality and body they’ve long been dreaming of. Your satisfaction is personally guaranteed 100% or your money back!
If you’re ready, you can reach Mr. Spongberg at (415) 322-7033 or visit his website at www.PersonalTrainingInMarin.com where you can download your free copy of his special health and fitness report, The Truth About Losing Weight
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