1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes facing straight forwards. (It’s okay to angle the toes slightly outwards at first, if needed.) Slightly arch your lower back. Raise your arms to shoulder height, palms facing the ceiling.
No matter your fitness aspirations, every person can benefit from an improved squat technique – it’s the most important of all lower-body exercises. Deep squat will build core and hip strength, improve hip and ankle mobility, and prevent pain or injury in your spine and knees. Squat daily!
TARGET AREAS
• hips • core • ankles • thighs
BENEFITS
• Improves hip power, strength, and endurance • Builds functional core strength • Strengthens spine and prevents lower-back pain
1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes facing straight forwards. (It’s okay to angle the toes slightly outwards at first, if needed.) Slightly arch your lower back. Raise your arms to shoulder height, palms facing the ceiling.
2 Keeping your chest upright, slowly lower your hips down and back into a squat until the hips are just below the knees. Press down firmly through your heels, the balls of your feet, and your toes. Drive knees outwards to engage glutes. Keep arms extended in front of you to maintain balance. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lift the chest and get taller, and exhaling as you sit deeper.
YOU SHOULD FEEL
• Engagement of glutes, hips, and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
• Weight shifted forwards in knees; if you do, shift weight back into hips
• Tension in knees; if you do, push hips further back, and squeeze glutes and inner thighs
PRO TIP
Once you are in the squat, lightly press your hands into the inner thighs to lift the torso away from the thighs and push the knees outwards. This helps strengthen the core more.
NOT THERE YET?
