Unlocking the Power of Squats: A Guide to Mobility for All Ages
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Squatting is not exclusive to gym-goers; it's a natural movement integrated into daily life across various cultures. Many individuals perform squats while eating, waiting, or even in traditional restrooms that feature squat pans, especially in certain Asian countries. This method is often less expensive to construct and promotes hygiene due to limited body contact with the toilet.
Regardless of the reasons people squat, mastering the Asian squat should be a baseline goal for everyone. Successfully executing this squat indicates good mobility in the ankles and hips, and usually, it means you can return to a standing position with minimal assistance. This reflects adequate strength in the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, which is crucial for preventing injuries. According to the World Health Organization, falls rank as the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths globally. Therefore, being able to perform a deep squat is essential as we age.
The foundation for maintaining this ability into older age lies in actively mobilizing and strengthening your joints and muscles while you are still young. This preparation allows you to utilize squatting whenever necessary.
Here’s how to improve your squat technique.
What a Squat Attempt Looks Like
When people attempt to squat, not everyone can achieve the depth or comfort required for a proper deep squat. Even if one manages to get into the position, they might not feel stable or know how to proceed. I’ve faced similar challenges, often feeling overwhelmed and considering giving up, which is an all-too-easy solution.
To grasp the difficulties associated with deep squats, let’s dissect the various squat positions.
Tight Hips
For many, the inability to reach a deep squat may stem from tight hips, which can lead to poor posture such as hunching over. Insufficient stance width could be one reason, but if you’ve adjusted your stance and still struggle, tight hips may be the culprit, limiting your range of motion. This tightness can lead to compensatory movements elsewhere, negatively affecting your squatting technique.
Tight Ankles
If you can achieve a deep squat yet find your heels lifting off the ground, tight ankles could be restricting your motion. I’ve personally experienced this during volleyball training when ankle guards were mandated, which inadvertently restricted mobility. Though they protected our ankles, they ultimately hindered our ability to generate the force necessary for running and jumping.
Fortunately, there are effective methods to enhance mobility in your hips and ankles.
Hip Mobility
Improving hip mobility can be challenging due to our sedentary lifestyles. A straightforward technique is to use a lacrosse ball to perform soft tissue stretches, which can alleviate tightness and enhance hip mobility.
Next, try the 90-90 hip stretch to encourage both internal and external rotation. Once you feel comfortable, consider using Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) training. While lifting your front ankle, apply pressure with your hand for 5-10 seconds before releasing and sinking deeper into the stretch.
Additionally, hinge at your hips and aim to keep your chest aligned with your knees, contracting for five seconds before exhaling and deepening the stretch.
Repeat these exercises five times on each side. These activities can be easily incorporated into your warm-up or even done while watching television.
Incorporating split squats into your lower body workouts can also enhance knee strength and hip mobility while strengthening your quadriceps.
Ankle Mobility
Another barrier to achieving a deep squat is limited ankle mobility, often resulting from tightness in the calf and ankle areas.
To stretch your calves, position yourself in a plank and place one leg's weight over the other while striving to straighten the leg on the ground. Adjust your knee slightly to alleviate tension in the soleus, a key muscle in the calf.
Next, kneel and place a small weight on your other knee, applying pressure to your ankle as you push your knee forward, maximizing your ankle's range of motion. A weight of 2-3 kg is sufficient here.
Incorporate PNF techniques again by lifting your foot and relaxing while ensuring the heel remains grounded. You can also include movements like the Heel Elevated Goblet Squat in your workouts to improve ankle flexibility over time.
Closing Thoughts
Enhancing mobility is often more difficult than maintaining it. It’s beneficial to focus on mobility when you're younger rather than waiting until later in life. You don’t need extensive time or access to a gym to perform these exercises; they can be done during breaks or even while watching your favorite shows.
So don’t delay in starting your journey to better hip and ankle mobility—begin today during your free time.
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