Check Your Moves! It’s Monday and we are checking our move(ments) with the SQUAT.
Hi, I am Dani Jones. I am a Kinesiologist (kinesiology - the study of body movement) who teaches college anatomy courses. Here on this nook of the tech world, I love talking about exercise and the body.
Squats can be a staple in your workout routine that can help build strength, power, and aid in athletic performance.
There are some key areas of which you’ll want to pay attention to:
Gaze & Chin - how your chin is positioned will determine where you are looking (unless you move your eyeballs)
Your Spine - there are three different locations that we focus on: cervical (neck), thoracic (the rib cage region), and lumbar (lower back). Excessive curves/rounding can place extra strain on your vertebral column (spine) and its surrounding muscles.
Your Core - the core is more than just your abdominal muscles. You want your muscles to work together, not some working and others fighting the movement.
Your Ribs & Hips - this will help your “core engagement.” By having your ribs and hips “pointing” to each other, you’ll be having them stacked. This creates a tunnel-like region that is ready for added weight or movement itself.
Your Feet - you want to have pressure throughout both of your feet, not just the heels or the balls of your feet, but the whole thing!
Just take a peak at the photos here to see how form can be altered in the slightest ways. A few quick changes in body position while keeping awareness of how your body feels and BAM you are ready to squat your heart out.
Most importantly, don’t forget to only do what your body is capable of doing. Your range of motion (the degrees of which your joints are able to move) is particular to YOU and ONLY YOU. Therefore, what Karen or Sally can do has nothing to do with what you can do.
Did you find this helpful? Drop a comment below and tell me what’s your favorite kind of squat!
Want a video to walk you through the squat mechanics? Head here to my YouTube video!
In love & exercise,
Dani Jones
Comments