Your Cart is Empty
Squat exercises are an important part of any fitness routine. They target the lower body and help strengthen the legs, hips, and glutes. Squats also help increase flexibility by stretching out the muscles around the hips and core. Although squats can be challenging, they are a great way to improve overall strength and balance.
Shop The Collection: BarbellsFlexibility is an important element of fitness that helps with mobility and injury prevention. By doing regularly scheduled squat exercises, you can increase your range of motion and make it easier to perform daily activities. In this article, we will discuss different types of squats and how to use them to increase your flexibility.
Shop The Gear: CAP Barbell Olympic Chrome Bar, 6-ft, $149.99 CAD
There are many different types of squats, each focusing on different muscle groups and movements. The most common type of squat is the body-weight squat. This is done by standing with feet shoulder-width apart and then lowering the body down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. To make this exercise more challenging, you can add weights or resistance bands.
Shop The Collection: KettlebellsAnother popular type of squat is the narrow stance squat. This is done by placing your feet close together and then lowering the body down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. This version of the squat targets the inner thighs and glutes in addition to the larger muscle groups.
Shop The Gear: MAGMA 13-35 LB Cast Iron Kettlebell Set, $137.99 CAD
A variation of the narrow stance squat is the sumo squat. This squat is done by spreading your feet wide apart and then lowering the body down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. This squat puts greater emphasis on the inner thighs and glutes.
The fourth type of squat is the single-leg squat. This is done by standing on one leg and then lowering the body down until the thigh of the standing leg is parallel to the floor. This squat works the stabilizing muscles of the hip and leg and requires extra balance and coordination.
Squat exercises have many benefits, including increased muscular strength and improved balance. Additionally, squat exercises can help to increase flexibility, as they stretch out the muscles around the hips and core. Regularly performing squats can also help to reduce the risk of injury by strengthening the muscles around the joint.
Squat exercises are also beneficial because they can be modified to meet the needs of any fitness level. Beginners can start with body-weight squats and progress to more advanced versions as their strength and flexibility increases. Squats can also be performed using weights or resistance bands to increase the difficulty of the movement.
When performing any type of squat exercise, it is important to maintain proper form. This includes keeping the back straight and the knees tracking over the toes. Additionally, it is important to keep the weight in the heels and drive through the heels when coming up from the squat. It is also important to ensure that the knees do not extend past the toes during the movement.
For all varieties of squat exercises, it is important to start slow and increase the speed and intensity as your flexibility improves. When increasing the speed, be sure to keep the form controlled and focus on maintaining the correct form throughout the entire movement. Additionally, it is important to practice good breathing technique by exhaling on the way up and inhaling on the way down.
Squat exercises are an essential part of any fitness routine. They target the lower body and help to strengthen the legs, hips, and glutes. Squats also help to increase flexibility by stretching out the muscles around the hips and core. There are many variations of squats, so it is important to find the one that best suits your needs. With regular practice, squats can help to improve overall strength, balance, and flexibility.
