BODYWEIGHT SQUAT EXERCISE - PERFECT FOR STAYING FIT DURING COVID
Bodyweight Squat Exercise - Perfect Way to Stay Fit and Lean During The Covid Isolation Period
The bodyweight squat is a lower body strengthening exercise that can be performed virtually anywhere with no equipment and limited space. It's a highly functional movement working all the major muscles of the legs.
Bodyweight Squats Guide
The squat is fundamental body movement that strengthens and tones the lower body. This functional exercise can be performed virtually anywhere with no equipment and little space, and because it's such a basic movement the benefits will carry over into everyday life.
It's important for beginners to learn the bodyweight squat before progressing to weighted squats. This will teach you the correct technique with a safe load. Aim for at least 100-200 successive bodyweight squats before progressing to weighted versions when you return to the gym.
The benefits of the squat:
- Build muscle: Squats hit your legs hard, requiring multiple muscles to work in unison and stimulates growth. Squats work your quadriceps primarily, but also your hamstrings and calves.
- Increased strength: Squatting will strengthen your legs and the tendons in your knees like no other exercise.
- Improved hip mobility: The exercise builds and maintains mobility in the hip joint.
- Fat burning / general health: Bodyweight squats allow you to perform many controlled reps in succession, elevating the heart rate and burning fat.
How to Perform the Bodyweight Squat
To counter balance your weight hold your arms out in front of you at shoulder height.
Keep your back as straight as possible throughout the lift to avoid strain or injury.
Advanced Squats
Bodyweight squats are a beginners movement that many people quickly out grow, especially if training for muscle mass and strength rather than endurance or weight loss. If you're ready to progress from the bodyweight version it's time to add some increased resistance.
There are many ways to add resistance to a squat. The obvious choice is to increase weight, which can be achieved using a barbell, holding dumbbells or kettlebells, but since you may not have such equipment at home, try wearing a weighted vest or use any other weighted objects you might have at home, like heavy books or a one gallon water bottle.
Alternatively, resistance bands can be a cheap, effective and ultra-portable method of adding progressive resistance to the squat movement. Simply wrap a heavy-duty band round each foot and over the shoulders to secure in place.
As with all strength exercises you should strive to make incremental and continuous gains. Make small additions to the added resistance to safely progress so that you stay lean and fit while the gyms remain closed.
Happy Squating!
- Set your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Pull in your lower abs, and keep your eyes forward.
- Slowly bend at the knees and drop your hips to lower your body. Keep your heels flat on the floor.
- At the bottom of the exercise pause for a moment and strongly push back up to the starting position, mirroring the descent.
- Repeat for desired number of reps.
To counter balance your weight hold your arms out in front of you at shoulder height.
Keep your back as straight as possible throughout the lift to avoid strain or injury.
Advanced Squats
Bodyweight squats are a beginners movement that many people quickly out grow, especially if training for muscle mass and strength rather than endurance or weight loss. If you're ready to progress from the bodyweight version it's time to add some increased resistance.
There are many ways to add resistance to a squat. The obvious choice is to increase weight, which can be achieved using a barbell, holding dumbbells or kettlebells, but since you may not have such equipment at home, try wearing a weighted vest or use any other weighted objects you might have at home, like heavy books or a one gallon water bottle.
Alternatively, resistance bands can be a cheap, effective and ultra-portable method of adding progressive resistance to the squat movement. Simply wrap a heavy-duty band round each foot and over the shoulders to secure in place.
As with all strength exercises you should strive to make incremental and continuous gains. Make small additions to the added resistance to safely progress so that you stay lean and fit while the gyms remain closed.
Happy Squating!
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