5 Squatting Mistakes to Avoid
Did you know that squats are one of the best lower body exercises? It is one of the best exercise therapies regardless of your fitness and core physio goals. Squats can improve your movement patterns, burn a lot of calories, and build your upper body strength. Here are some common squatting mistakes to avoid while doing squats at home.
Knees Going Far Ahead
Your knees should go in the same direction as your toes to maintain the knee joint health. Anything else can result in poor mobility due to issues in your lower body. Try sitting back more into the squat position when it happens. Avoid squatting on plates or heel boards that push the knees forward while squatting.
Doing Shallow Squats
For maximum thigh development, you need to squat as low as you can till your thighs are 90-degree knee bend. To receive the full benefits of the squats, you need to squat below the level where your thighs will be parallel to the ground. The deeper you squat, the more your glutes and hamstrings have to work. When you do shallow squats, you are reducing the benefits of leg development.
Rounding Your Lower Back
A rounded back during exercise can cause serious injury. Ask your trainer and they will help you with suggestions for best positioning and not to round it up. The reason is that you can place undue stress on the intervertebral discs that otherwise act as shock absorbers for your spine.
Looking Up Too High
When you look up, you are actually curving the cervical position of the spine which can be another risk factor for disc injury. Look straight in front of you to maintain the perfect position for squatting.
Exhaling Too Soon
The rule is to inhale when you squat down and exhale while you come up to your original position. When you hold your breath, it will increase the intra-abdominal pressure that actually makes you stronger as go up. So hold your breath for the time you are in the squatting position and exhale as you come up. Limiting our breath from escaping is essential in order to maintain our spinal stability.
If you are looking for an in-home core physio exercise therapy to help you gain the benefits for your lower and upper body through squats. You may contact InHome Physical Therapist for more information.
