2023-12-11 23:38:18
Squats are part of almost every training routine. A popular exercise considered a must and that captures the attention of both advanced athletes and amateurs. Also known as squats, it is a natural human movement characteristic of childhood, although in adults, performing it provides a lot of benefits.
“The squat is a basic exercise recommended for people of all ages, athletes and amateurs who seek to strengthen the muscles of the legs to improve sports performance or to rehabilitate or reduce the risk of injury because this movement does not involve impact. In any case, according to the physical condition of each person, the degree of intensity of the exercise varies,” says Maia Rastalsky, sports physical trainer. Among the biggest advantages of the trainer, it is that it is relatively easy to do and in most cases does not require any type of equipment.
The squat is one of the most beneficial exercises to work this muscle.
Far from being a trend, squats are a classic that allow you to comprehensively work on body strength and resistance, flexibility and also help increase muscle mass and prevent injuries. “It has to do with a functional movement that is part of daily life when walking, sitting and standing, going up and down stairs,” says Juan Pablo Solé, national professor of Physical Education at the Hirsch Center specialized in gerontology and rehabilitation. Its origins in the world of fitness date back to 1900, promoted by the German power lifter Henry Steinborn. Today, this movement is installed in all training plans, even as a complement to different sports such as running or soccer.
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The ABCs of squats
Performing a squat does not require great knowledge but it is important to adopt the correct technique to avoid a bad movement and possible complications. The step by step is as follows.
First you have to “stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward. The arms should be placed straight in front,” details Juan Pablo Bacchi, personal trainer and creator and organizer of the Killer Race obstacle course.
Second, “you have to slowly lower yourself to a comfortable leg flexion point, avoiding it being too deep or abrupt,” continues the coach. Lastly, he warns that both on the way down and on the way up, the legs should not come together, the heels should not lift off the ground and “the tips of the knees cannot pass the tips of the feet.”
Just by squeezing, contracting and relaxing the glutes are activated and trained strongly.
Photo:
Photos: Mauricio León. TIME. Production: Bodytech. Model: instagram @anavero80
For his part, Rastalsky provides a few more details: “The trunk has to go down straight and should not lean forward or backward; In addition, your eyes should be focused on the front, you should not bend your neck.” On the other hand, breathing also holds some secrets: “Before flexing your legs you have to take a deep inhalation and contract your abdominal muscles because it is an area of the body that promotes stability,” adds Rastalsky.
“Before flexing your legs you have to take a deep inhalation and contract your abdominal muscles.
As for support, “you should push with the entire sole of your foot and distribute the weight around the entire body to prevent a single muscle from working excessively and becoming tense,” adds the trainer. In any case, Solé recommends, at least in the beginning, doing it with the supervision of a professional until you get the hang of it and gain confidence and skill.
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Alternatives
Once the initial technique is mastered, “other variants can be implemented to add greater difficulty to the exercise,” says Rastalsky. In this regard, Solé mentions that someone who is just starting out in physical activity “the ideal thing to start with is to make it simple, with your own weight and increase its intensity progressively; For example, at first they can be done just twice a week, alone or as part of a training routine.” According to the personal objectives and physical capacity of each person, this exercise can be adapted and done in different ways. Some of its variants are listed below.
1) With a chair
The chair should be placed on a sturdy surface and sit with your feet hip-width apart.
The first step is to locate a sturdy, stable chair on a smooth surface and sit with your feet hip-width apart. The hands, so that they do not hang and create instability, can be supported on the armrests of the chair or on the quadriceps. Those who want to add a bit of difficulty can cross them over their chest. Afterwards, you have to get up slowly until your legs are straight; the movement is repeated.
Advanced people can do this one-leg squat: “When going down and up, one leg is held in the air,” Rastalsky explains.
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2) With elastic band
The squat with an elastic band proposes adding a certain amount of weight and complexity to this exercise. To do it, you only need to place the elastic just a few centimeters above the knees and execute the conventional squat movement.
In this way “a training known as concentric and eccentric is generated, which is very beneficial for the muscle since by opening and closing the legs with the band, a relaxation and contraction effect is produced that increases muscle strength and tension in the area that is being exercised,” comments Alejandra Hintze, sports doctor and member of the board of directors of the Argentine Association of Sports Doctors.
3) Isometrics
Isometric squats seek to maintain the posture, without moving, for a few seconds or minutes. The goal, says Rastalsky, is to improve joint stability and work on strength and performance statically without performing any type of movement.
In this work, “although the muscles are under tension, they do not change their length and the joints and tendons are relaxed. “In this way they will be protected from possible injuries resulting from poor movement,” adds the coach and indicates that these squats can be done with your back leaning against a wall or suspended in the air.
Lastly, and thanks to the fact that they do not involve impact, “isometric exercises minimize the risk of suffering an injury or enhance existing ones,” explains Rastalsky. And due to the magnitude of its advantages, experts recommend this exercise to people who are contraindicated in impact or to those who are rehabilitating from an injury.
THE NATION / GDA
ARGENTINA
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