You see squats on instagram and facebook all the time. They can be quite scary if you’re a novice and even for long time gym goers they can be a challenge!
But the truth is, we ALL squat every single day. Yep, even those of us who don’t go to the gym! From going to the toilet to picking up something off the ground, you are performing a squat movement. Every. Single. Day.
That’s what makes squats a functional exercise. A movement we perform in every day life. By squatting in the gym and adding resistance you are far less likely to get a silly injury doing an everyday task at home and it makes those everyday tasks become easier!
Here’s some other key benefits of squats:
Compound Exercise
Squats are a compound exercise which means they use several muscles groups at the same time. Training with compound movements mean you get the benefit of hitting all those muscles at once rather than in several individual (isolation) exercises.
Burn Fat
Because squats use lots of muscles and are physically demanding you’ll burn a considerable amount of calories!
Injury Prevention
When performed correctly, squats improve your flexibility and strengthen your ankles and hips which help prevent injury. Winning!
Build Core Strength
Squatting requires you to engage your stomach muscles and lower back. Increasing the time under tension through weight and repetitions as you gain squat strength will also ensure your core will become stronger as well.
So, what are you waiting for?! Squats are calling!
