What is the best individual strength building? exercise many of us could be doing the right thing right now, but almost certainly not? Consult enough exercise scientists and the latest exercise research, and the answer is probably a resounding one: squats.
“For lower-body strength and flexibility, there’s probably no better exercise,” said Bryan Christensen, a professor of biomechanics at North Dakota State University in Fargo, who studies resistance exercise.
The benefits are not limited to the lower body. “It’s really a full-body workout,” said Silvio Rene Lorenzetti, director of the Performance Sports division at the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport in Magglingen. “It requires core stability and trains the back.”
Some people worry that squats could compromise their knees and hips, but the exercise can actually help protect and enhance the function of these and other joints, said Sasa Duric, an exercise scientist at the American Middle East University in Kuwait, who has studied squats. The movement “helps maintain flexibility, stability and function” in the hips, knees and ankles, he said.
But perhaps most fundamentally, squats are key to living and aging well. “When we clean the house or plant a vegetable garden, we need to squat down,” Dr. Duric said. Ditto for getting in and out of chairs and getting down to toddler level for face-to-face play.
In essence, according to scientific summary 2014squats are “one of the most primary and critical foundational movements needed to improve athletic performance, reduce risk of injury, and support lifelong physical activity.”
The correct way to do a squat
Squatting is simple, portable and powerful. “You don’t need a gym,” said Dr. Christensen. Anywhere with a few feet of open space will work, whether it’s a living room, office, stairway, park, or closet. And the only equipment needed is your body weight.
If you’re new to squats, one of the safest and easiest ways to get started, Dr. Duric said, is with what’s commonly called a box squat, so called because it’s commonly done with an exercise box found in the gyms. But you can also do it at home, in which case he will use a chair, stool, bench or nightstand.
If you have lower-body disabilities or previous injuries, talk to your doctor first about whether squatting is recommended for you. “Be patient and pay attention to proper technique,” Dr. Duric said. “Don’t rush the squat.”
