It is important for you to know the right methods and tips to execute squats correctly because doing it the wrong way is simply not something you can take lightly.
If you are doing the squats the wrong way, it can lead many severe injuries and long-term health issues. For instance, If you have been doing squats keeping your knees slightly bent inwards, raising your heels while getting up, and not keeping your back straight, you will be making your knees miserable in due time.
Doing squats in the wrong way can cause severe back pains too. Squats are the best way to reduce extra weight and tone the muscles in your body especially the lower body muscles. Squats make a good cardio exercise as well, but it is very important that you do it correctly for the maximum benefits. So here are some personal training tips for you on how to correctly execute squats.
1. Hinge your hips
One common mistake people make is that they let their knees protrude far from the level of their toes, their toes and their knees not being in an alignment as they should. To eliminate this, you would need to develop some flexibility in your hip, be more balanced and try to hinge the hips. Once you hinge your hips, your butt would automatically move backward in the right position as you go down in your squat. You will able to achieve perfect alignment of your knees and toes now. The pressure will not be exerted on your toes and knees anymore, only your tough heels would be bearing the pressure when you are in the correct posture.
2. Look straight
If you look at the floor during squats, you are really messing up with your neck and spinal cord. If you are also carrying weight in that posture, you are putting yourself in danger. What you can do is to make a mark on the wall at the right and keep your focus on it during the exercise.
3. Keep Shoulders and chest out
Keeping your spine in a perfect alignment is the secret behind the correct squats. If you keep your shoulders and chest out, your spine automatically gets in a perfect alignment but if you are keeping your shoulders loose/drooping and chest clinched you will hurt yourself, especially if you are carrying weight as well.
4. Don’t arch too much
It is only ideal that you keep your lower back from a flat to a slightly arched position. If you bend your lower back too much you will be disturbing the natural alignment of the spine. This can result in very painful spine injuries as too much pressure is exerted on the soft cushion gel-like substance that exists between each vertebra for protection. It may cause vertebral disc dislocation/disc herniation.
5. Keep your toes pointed out
Achieving perfect balance is very important in squats. You need to keep your knees very slightly bent and your toes pointed outwards. Don’t let your knees din too much during squats when you are carrying the weight. If that’s happening, reduce the weight you are lifting until you become good at stabilizing your body. As much is the gap between your feet, more pressure is exerted on all the front and back muscles of your legs.
6. The right breathing mechanism
The right breathing mechanism plays an important role in building your stamina for the exercise. Squats is a very strenuous type of exercise and if you are not breathing properly, it can adversely affect you in the long run. When you are sitting down, take a deep breath and stand up exhaling the breath quickly. Breath in the same pattern throughout your exercise. It will help you a lot in preserving your energy and keeping you from light-headedness, nausea, and from getting fatigued too soon.
Learn more!
In the video below are explained the principles behind a correct Squats exercise. Apply them today!
