How to squat correctly for performance, strength and fat loss
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May 21, 2013
How to properly squat (below parallel)
[info] Transcription [/info]
I just wanted to make a quick video showing you the proper way to squat. All of these years of making videos, I realized I did not have a video on how to squat properly and apparently from comments I’ve gotten on my videos, people do not know how to squat. I wanted to make this video to show you how to squat properly. If you are new here, don’t forget to subscribe to the videos and also click the links down below, we got some awesome free e-books for you – Paleo challenges, 77 day challenges, free meditations, and all kinds of awesome stuff. Check that out down below.
Squats. A lot of people think to squat you’re supposed to stay above parallel because apparently you’re going to hurt yourself you’ll hurt your knees. But what people don’t realize if you don’t go below parallel and you’re staying up here, the brunt of the force is coming down on your knees.
The proper way to squat is to get as low as you can. You want to get the hips below the knees. I realize that some people cannot do that because they have certain issues, core issues, hip issues, ankle issues, knee issues, all kinds of stuff, but you’re able to get there as long as you put in the work and you put in the time to correct the stuff.
So you’re going to start feet hip width, your feet can either be straight or a little fanned out. Then you’re going to start by pushing your hips back first and then sitting down. Just pretend you’re sitting on a couch or chair or taking a dump. Always put your hips back and pretend there is something back there so we can sit down with chest up and your weight’s more on your heels than on your toes, and then come back straight up. We do not want to just squat straight down where our knees come out because that is very, very bad for our knees. So you always want to push your hips back, keep your chest up, come down and then come back up. Down, up.
People that think you can’t go below parallel, that’s just wrong. All of the pressure is on my knees right now and I can feel it. It’s obviously quad as well but the pressure is going through my knees. If I squat down, I can hold this for a long time. Ten minutes is the most I’ve done it. When you’re down in this position, think of how babies have this ability to get down here and stay in this position. So if you have a baby or toddler, watch how they squat down and how they stand up.
This is the proper position, we’re down here and my knees aren’t taking all the pressure. When you squat down here your ankles take the pressure, your knees take the pressure, hips take the pressure, low back takes the pressure, and your core is more engaged. Then you stand up. That’s the safest way to squat. We need to get down into that position so we can squat better. Plus, when you get down below parallel, you engage more muscle so when I’m down here and I come up, my butt is going to be more engaged and my hamstrings are going to be more engaged. If you only go to here, only your quads are going to be engaged. You get some recruitment from the backside, but not as much as you should be if you go all the way down.
That’s pretty much it; I just want to show you the basics on how to squat properly. If you can’t get down, just work on it. If you cannot get down that far just start with a chair and that will teach you how to push your hips back as well. Push your hips back all the way down like a box squat and then stand straight up.
This video is video one on the squat. I’ll be making more videos showing you how to correct your form depending on what issues you have whether it’s hip, knee, ankle or just core strength. So I’ll be making that next. Don’t forget to subscribe and check out the links below for some awesome free e-books and extra stuff. I’ll see you later!
Until next time… Stay Strong. Stay Positive. Be the Improvement Warrior.
Help with your squat video #1
[info] Transcription [/info]
Welcome! This is another video for you helping you to correct your squat. The first video I did was showing you how to do a deep squat properly, this one’s going to give you a couple techniques to help you get those hips down, “ass to the grass” kind of squat.
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For those of you that are not close to getting parallel. I showed this in the first video. Just doing a box squat on a chair. So you’re here, feet wide, push the hips back and sit down all the way and then sit back up. Not just barely down, sit all the way back in the chair, relax the hips and fire up. This is going to teach you how to push your hips back and then sit down. If you remember in the first one, we don’t want to come forward with the knees coming forward, that’s bad for your knees. We want to push the hips back and then sit down and then fire back up.
2nd progression:
For an air squat you come down, hips are below the knees, knees not over the toes, chest is up, and core is engaged. That’s the best way to squat “ass to the grass” right there. But, some people cannot do that.
Some people have issues with their ankles so one progression that I have people do for that is to put their feet up on a board. This elevates them and they can typically get down a little lower. But sometimes, it’s just as simple as taking off your shoes because some people have a really high sole so if you’re working out with a high sole, I recommend just taking your shoes off and that might even help your squat right there. But if it doesn’t, get your heels elevated on a board and then squat down. You get a couple different board sizes, 1 inch and 2 inch. As you get better and you work that squat pattern, work that range of motion, that flexibility and mobility, you general website can keep getting down and down.
Those are just a couple of different things that you can do. If you have any questions, leave a comment down below or email me at jasonyun@improvementwarriorfitness.com. Otherwise, I’ll see you next video. Don’t forget to subscribe and check out LBN Online Fitness for all of your at home fitness workout needs. Until then…Stay Strong. Stay Positive. Be the Improvement Warrior.
