July Squat Challenge

JULY SQUAT CHALLENGE

Squats are soo good for you!! Squats are not an exercise which should be ignored. In fact, squats are one of the best functional exercises out there, promoting balance, mobility, fat burning, and body-wide muscle development. A complete workout in a simple movement. Plus, functional exercises are the ones that help you perform real-life activities, and squats are one of the natural movements people have been doing since they could walk upright.

Squats are the perfect exercise to shape your buttocks and legs as well. They also help with abdominals and lower back muscles. So if you want to be fit and lean, squats are the way to go! Doing squats helps increase your muscle mass (the more muscle you develop, the more fat you burn), which can help the body burn 50-70 more calories a day. So gaining 10 pounds of muscle through functional exercises like squats will help the body burn 500-700 additional calories.  Because you are building muscle, make sure you consume protein before and after your workout.

Work in sets of 15-20 repetitions working your way up to the total of the day. Be sure to mix the squats in with a regular workout routine and a healthy diet, especially if you are trying to lose weight during the process and be sure to rest on rest days. 

SQUAT FORM

Assume the stance you wish to do your squats in (wide or narrow or combined).
• Keep your back straight and your knees centered over your feet.
• Go down as if you wanted to touch your heels with your glutes, pushing your glutes out.
• Bend down with the knees, hips and ankles until your thighs are at a 90 degree angle to your calves. If your knees go further than your feet, you are doing it wrong and might hurt yourself.
• Keep your back straight but leaning forward while your head is aligned with your back and you look straight forward (not up or down to the floor).
• Breathe in as you lower your body and out as you return to a standing position.
• Do not rush it. It is better to do it properly than fast.

Even though squatting is usually more narrow, for the purpose of muscle strengthening, a wide squat—with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart—is ideal. Not only will this stance work the same muscles as a narrower one, it will work the glutes and the quadriceps without putting undue stress on the knees.

Try your squat with wide and narrow stance and feel which muscles you are working the most with each variation. You can choose the one that feels best for you or do a combination of both. If you feel too much pressure on your back or knees, modify form.

Happy Squatting! 

xo,

Rachel