THE SQUAT EXERCISE engages all the major muscle groups, improves fitness, and helps build strength. It can increase blood flow to the pelvic region, boost libido, make orgasms more intense, and enhance athleticism in the bed or on any playing field.
There is a lot of debate around the best way to do a squat. I can only speak from experience on what I believe to be the safest way to get the maximum benefit from this compound movement.
The lower you squat, the more your spine becomes a limiting factor that often leaves you limping out of the gym. Better to be safe than sorry and do a quarter squat to keep your spine safe and build strength where you need it.
I'm in the category of 80% of people who have suffered lower back pain at some point in their lives. It is only second to the common cold for work absenteeism.
The lower you squat, the more challenging it is to maintain core control. Therefore, you are more likely to compromise your trunk positioning. Unless you can isolate the movement into the hip and lower limb, you will cause compression on your lumbar spine and can end up with blown discs.
To minimise risk, it would be best to do a quarter squat or stop at 90 degrees at the hip and knee. It does not result in only partial benefit; it minimises the risk of injury and enables you to keep going for longer, therefore achieving more significant strength gains.
Only a tiny proportion of people who exercise can execute the full squat safely and effectively. Most people give up because of back tension – not because their legs tire.
KEY POINTS
1. Squatting strengthens the core.
Apart from the leg muscles, the core must work hard to keep excellent posture during the squat movement. You can expect to make faster improvements, perform better at other exercises, and lower the chance of injury and postural difficulties if you have a strong core.
2. Because the squat is a compound exercise, it engages several muscle groups. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip adductors and abductors, the core and abdominals, and several other smaller muscle groups are used to complete the squat exercise.
3. Strength in the leg muscle groups means that the joints in and around your legs are safer when performing everyday tasks like stair climbing, walking, running, sitting, and standing.
4. Squats build lower-body strength and size. While isolation exercises on machines are fantastic for targeting muscles and increasing size, the squat's ability to demand participation from so many muscle groups leads to faster total muscular growth in less time and, again, in functional strength.
During mid-life, your tendons, muscles, and ligaments become less elastic. The squat is an excellent exercise, strengthening the tendons, bones, and ligaments that surround the leg muscles while you exercise and increasing your muscle mass. Also, squats burn calories and are arguably the single best strength exercise you can do anywhere, reducing the likelihood of knee and ankle injuries.
Studies
81 ELDERLY PEOPLE were monitored for four years in one research study. Twenty-six people (32% of the participants) had passed by the end of the study. The mass of an individual's thigh muscle was found to be inversely linked to cardiovascular fatalities and all-cause mortality, according to the researchers. A healthy heart and a lower risk of death are linked to increased leg muscle mass. (Fukasawa H, et al. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jan;71(1):64-69).
LEG STRENGTH IS the most crucial element in determining how well you function and how long you will live, according to a study that looked at muscle mass, leg strength, and fat mass in 1,280 men and women aged 55 and up. (Bourhard DR, et al. J Aging Health, 2011 March;23(2):313-328).
Finally, have you ever wondered why your libido soars after a workout? There's a scientific justification behind it. The hormones in your body that make you feel good are generally at their optimum after working out. Studies have also shown that exercise results in a natural boost in testosterone within an hour. Go squat.
