Squats, a fundamental exercise for the lower body, are an essential part of any fitness routine. Despite being a basic movement, the effectiveness of squats is often underestimated.
Beginners can start with bodyweight squats, while more experienced individuals can progress to weighted squats or advanced variations such as lunges and Bulgarian squats. Consistent practice can lead to multiple fitness benefits.
For those who are sedentary or lack regular exercise, squats can offer a range of benefits. Maintaining a routine of squats every other day, performing 5 sets of 20 repetitions each, can provide significant benefits.
6 Underestimated Benefits of Squats:
1. Squats can activate the lower body muscle groups, improving issues like muscle fatigue and lower back pain associated with prolonged sitting. They also strengthen the knee and hip joints, enhancing flexibility and overall health.
2. Squats can prevent muscle loss, particularly in the legs, the largest muscle group in the body. By stimulating muscle growth, squats can help elevate the gluteal shape, sculpt a firmer buttocks, and make the legs appear firm and lean, effectively improving body proportions.
3. Squats provide a stimulus to the bones, effectively promoting bone growth and increasing bone density. Well-developed muscles can also protect the bones and shield the body from external forces.
4. Squat training can enhance cardiovascular and respiratory function, while improving lower body explosiveness and stability. This can lead to better athletic performance and a reduced risk of injury in daily life, such as less likelihood of falling while walking or having more strength when climbing stairs.
5. Squats can increase the basal metabolic rate, causing you to burn more calories than others. Keep in mind that for every additional kilogram of muscle, the body can burn an extra 70-100 calories per day, which can improve fat burning efficiency and help you lose weight faster.
6. Squat training can stimulate the body to produce more testosterone and growth hormones, thereby enhancing male performance in certain aspects and increasing masculine charm.
While there are many benefits to squats, incorrect form can lead to injuries rather than gains. Therefore, it is crucial for those training with squats to master the proper form to exercise efficiently.
When performing squats, pay attention to these points:
1. Keep your eyes forward, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and arms extended to maintain body balance.
2. Do not let the knees cave in during the squat; instead, they should track outwards, in line with the toes.
3. When the hips descend to the level of the knees, pause briefly before slowly returning to the standing position.
4. Repeat the movement 15 times and perform multiple sets.
