December 5, 2024

Make the Squat Your Essential Exercise

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Make the squat your essential exercise!

A squat is a functional exercise. A functional exercise is a movement required often during your activities of daily living. How many times do you sit down and sit up during your day? Lots! Make the squat movement pattern your essential exercise. That means your main focus during a workout is to master, progress and challenge your squat exercise. Doing so will make this motion during your day much easier!

Here’s how to begin:

Hold a weight in each hand. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bending from your knees and hips, sit back and lower your body down about ten inches. Pause for one second to reduce momentum, then stand up to complete one rep. Do eight to twelve reps in a slow and controlled pattern. Keep your spine aligned and belly button in.

 

*Consult your physician before performing exercise.

Combo Exercises

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Combine moves for function!

Combine traditional strength training exercises to improve function. For example, perform a Squat immediately into a Bicep Curl, following the strength pattern needed to pick something up off the floor and carry. Perform a Squat with Shoulder Press, which mimics the pattern of picking an item up off of the floor and placing on a shelf overhead. Look at the movement patterns you’re required to perform during the day and then train for those patterns in the gym.

 

*Consult your physician before beginning exercise.