Can everybody squat?

For an exercising person, they know what a squat is. But what about a person who is new to their fitness journey and is just getting introduced to strength training and is trying to understand how squat as an exercise is going to benefit them ?

for that, let us understand the basics of the exercise called a squat.

A squat is a strength exercise that mainly works your legs and glutes. It mimics the natural movement of sitting down and standing up.

How to do a basic bodyweight squat:

1. Start position – Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.

2. Lowering – Bend your knees and push your hips back as if you’re sitting in a chair. Keep your chest up and back straight.

3. Depth – Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor (or as low as you can comfortably go).

4. Return – Push through your heels to stand back up, straightening your legs and squeezing your glutes at the top.

What would be the basic benefits of a squat? They wpuld definitely help for the below few basic requirements.

• Builds lower body strength

• Improves balance and mobility

• Helps with everyday movements (like sitting, standing, lifting)

But is squatting for everyone?

-Answer is Yes and NO.

Few criteria makes squat being an exercise which is pursued very later on when its contribution to strength gain is considered.

-In morbidly obese people

-In post surgical cases who have history of lower limb bone fractures or surgeries.

-in people with lack of trunk control.

-post abdominal surgery phase.

-two months post partum.

-people with a certain body type should combine squats with other lower limb exercises like deadlifts and leg presses (people with longer femus or ectomorphic body type)

-suppurated knee infections.

-recurrent patellar dislocation which is acute in nature.

-cases of hip replacement combined with severe osteoporosis.

-active swelling in the knee.

There are certain factors to be considered when invoking a squat in cases referred above. Squatting innately isn't a wrong movement but one needs to do it when the body cooperates in that particular weight bearing stance .

Squat is a movement that indirectly decides your longevity of life because it loads the muscles and bones to be active throughout life.

So if you are bored to squat or find it difficult, make it your quest to atleast do it to be able to sustain your own body weight in the future. The ease of squat decides how strong your legs are in general.