When you hold a position for any given period of time, you get an intimate understanding of the necessary functions your body must go through in order to retain said position. It helps bring awareness to your internal workings that might go overlooked during movement as opposed to stillness. Now that you have a clear understanding that fitness is made for work, and the work incorporates the physical, mental and emotional (even spiritual) aspects of your self-regenerating-organic-machine, it’s time to start moving! It’s time to learn how to squat properly.
The squat is awesome… blah blah blah. Talk to any CrossFitter (and believe me, we can’t shut up about CrossFit, all you have to do is ask us) and they’ll be happy to tell you about how awesome the squat is for the next 40 minutes while you attempt to escape the conversation. I dare you to try it.
While CrossFitters may geek out on how amay-may the squat is, there are a few things that are commonly forgotten when they go all nerdtastic on it. Firstly, the best way to learn how to squat is always going to be stillness; just like you learned last week. Secondly, until you’ve really fine tuned the biomechanics of squatting without weight (which can take years), there’s really no reason to rush into heavy weight or high repetitions. Third, the ability to squat low, sit on the floor, cross your legs, then uncross them, plant your feet flat on the floor and squat back to a standing position ALL WITHOUT USING YOUR ARMS, USING MOMENTUM, OR LOSING YOUR BALANCE IN ANY WAY is the greatest predictor of maintaining functional capacity as you age.
Pause for a moment and picture that in your head.
- Low squat
- Full cross legged sit
- Uncross’em
- Plant feet flat
- Squat back up
- Without ever using your hands, using ANY momentum, or losing your balance.
Try it, see how good you do.
That’s really what the squat is. It’s your tool to maintaining full hip motion, good core control, healthy knees, balance, agility, coordination, and flexibility as you age. While it can be used to create high levels of work by repping it out a billion times or by adding 400lbs on your back while you do it, you’re likely to just be missing the mark about the movement…. just slightly.
Sure you look cool, but you’re missing that mark a tad.
Look at functional moves as tools for expansion, not egotistical satisfaction. I could go on and on about how to squat properly (I too, heart CrossFit) and post bazillions of photoshopped pictures with correct angles and positions and tactics for mobility and methods for this and that… but the internet already has great tutorials on squatting! Look no further than this post. Many great squat tutorial have been sussed out and planted right here for your learning convenience. So as you take your cues on squatting from the many great coaches whose videos I’ve compiled in this post, always remember that stillness is the best teacher.
Your Homework:
Learn to squat properly in movement; or revisit and continue mastering the squat.
Thousands of trainers and coaches have said much more on these movements than I can say in this blog without boring you to tears. So, I will let them speak for themselves. Use their wisdom to learn and grow for yourself. Take what works and discard the rest.
Squat Videos
And continue to:
1. Play; both inside the gym and outside.
2. Learn new skills or continue to master known ones (or both!)
3. Grow tall at least once a day for 5 consecutive minutes.
4. Perform core workouts daily.
5. Get breath!
6. Wake up!
7. Perform the 10 minute Squat test regularly!
8. Visit stillness in movements to master them.
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