While most of us are in a love-hate relationship with squatting, we can’t deny the fact that squatting is extremely beneficial to our overall fitness.
Squatting is easy; the exercise doesn’t require any equipment and is one that we do every day without even realizing it. No matter how old you are or what type of fitness regime you are on, squatting should always be on your exercise agenda.
The common notion is that squats simply work on our legs, however, squatting goes beyond just making us look good. Squatting benefits the whole body when it comes to losing weight, running faster, and enhancing mobility.
Benefits of Squatting
Still not convinced on why you should squat more? Here are a few more benefits that come with this powerful exercise.
1. Build Muscle in Your Entire Body
Not only does squatting strengthen your legs, the exercise promotes muscle building in the whole body, as well. When performed the right way, squatting releases testosterone and muscle growth hormones which are responsible for muscle building and increasing muscle mass.
Apart from the legs, these hormones are especially useful when you target other parts of the body, as they work to promote strong muscles.
2. Burn Fat
The best part about squats it that they leave you burning calories even after you have completed the exercise. Since squatting promotes muscle, it is one of the most efficient ways to burn fat.
For every pound of muscle you gain, your body burns an additional 50–70 calories per day. Therefore, gaining 10 pounds of muscle will burn 500–700 more calories per day than before.
3. Improve Blood Circulation
Exercise is extremely effective for proper circulation. Squatting regularly gets your blood pumping and stimulates the glands as you exercise, thereby, enhancing blood circulation throughout the body.
4. Enhance Core Strength
Our core muscles link our upper and lower body. Squats keep our core muscles engaged throughout the exercise due to the constant lifting and lowering of our body. The more we squat, the stronger we make our core muscles.
A strong core comes with improved overall athletic ability, reduced feelings of fatigue and weakness, and makes our daily activities a lot easier to do.
5. Boost Flexibility
By squatting regularly, you improve your range of motion and strengthen your muscles in the lower body. Your ankles, hips, and glutes will be stronger and you will notice your body become more flexible in the process.
Flexibility is important as the more flexible we are, the less prone to injury we become. As we age, our muscles tend to lose their elasticity and expose us to harmful falls and slips that could lead to a broken hip or other serious injuries.
Maintaining our flexibility is important to keep our muscles strong and prolong our mobility, especially as we age.
7. Promote Healthy Bowel Movements
Another impressive benefit of squatting is that the exercise promotes removal of waste from the body. Squats help to improve circulation of the fluids in the body, which leads to the tissues and other organs being supplied with essential nutrients and removal of excess waste.
Squatting also facilitates the movement of feces through the colon to promote regular bowel movements.
8. Tone Your Abs, Legs, and Glutes
Looking to tone your lower body? Look no further than squats, as it is one of the most effective exercises to tone your abs, legs, and glutes.
When performed properly, squats work on multiple muscle groups in the body. Your glutes, core, and legs are put to work and build muscle in the process, thereby promoting strength and tightness in this region.
Get Ready to Squat
If you’re not sure how to squat, ask a professional trainer or expert to help you perform this exercise correctly. Performing squatting exercises regularly will not only improve your overall fitness but will also give you a boost of self-confidence.
Quick FAQs
1. How far down should you go when you squat?
With your legs positioned at hip-width distance apart, bend your knees and lower down until you reach a 90-degree angle.
2. How many calories do you burn while squatting?
According to What’s Cooking America, by multiplying .096 by your weight in pounds you can find out how many calories you burn in one minute. Therefore, an individual who weighs 150 pounds would burn 14.4 calories per minute (.096 x 150).
3. How many muscles do you use when you squat?
The main muscles used when performing a squat are the quadriceps and hamstrings.
The content of this Website is for is for informational purposes only, is general in nature and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and does not constitute professional advice. The information on this Website should not be considered as complete and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment. You should consult with your physician before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program and/or any of the beauty treatments.
References:
18 Impressive Reasons You Should Start Doing Squats. (2018, February 26). Retrieved from http://www.naturallivingideas.com/18-impressive-reasons-you-should-start-doing-squats/
How to Do Squats: 8 Reasons to Do Squat Exercises. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://fitness.mercola.com/how-to-do-squats.aspx
