Master Your Squat… First

The Squat exercise is a foundation exercise for countless moves. Once you master proper form, adding in weight combo exercises, balance and agility challenges and even flexibility moves, will keep workout boredom away. Master your squat form first though to prevent injuries and increase exercise effectiveness.

Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart. Bending from your knees and hips, lower your body until your hips are just about level with your knees. To allow the sit-back angle, bring both arms forward to counter-balance your weight. Both feet should be flat on the floor. Both knees should be lined up over your ankles. Your hips should be back. Both shoulders should be down and back with your spine lined up (your spine should not be vertical, but should be in proper alignment.) Your chin should be slightly down toward your chest further insuring proper spinal alignment, which includes the cervical spine of your neck.

Master Your Squat

Fit Body:

Squats with Dumbbells

Squats are an essential exercise. You sit down and stand up many times during the day, so adding a squat exercise into your weight routine is functional. A functional exercise helps us gain strength to perform a daily activity. Here’s how to start: Begin holding one weight in each hand. Bending from your knees and hips, sit back and lower down about six inches. Pause for one second. Return to standing to complete one rep.

*Consult your doctor before performing exercise.

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.

Make the Squat Your Essential Exercise

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Single Leg Squat

Do a Single-Leg Squat exercise to improve your balance and strength. Stand on your right leg only. Bending from your knee and hips, sit back and lower your body down into a squat. Maintaining balance and proper alignment, reach forward with your left hand and touch the floor in front of you. Stand up straight to complete 1 rep. Do 10 times standing on your right leg. Next, stand on your left leg only. Bending from your knee and hips, lower down into a squat. At the same time, reach forward with your right hand and touch the floor in front of you. Do 10 reps.

*Consult a physician before performing exercise.

Balance + Strength= Fit Legs!

Get Fit Quick Tip:

Wall Squat!

Wall Squats or Wall Sits make a great go-to lower body exercise to be completed when traveling, at the office or at home. Simply find a space along the wall or door frame. Lean your body against the wall. Place your feet about 18 inches away from the wall. Keeping your torso straight, slide your body down the wall about 12 inches. Line your knees up over your ankles. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Slide up the wall and return to your starting position.

*Always consult your physician before performing exercise.

Squats on the go!