Fitness trends swing like a pendulum. For years, health professionals spoke of the perils of deep squats
because any movement in which the knees travel over the toes can lead
to injury. Accordingly, trainers and coaches and athletes moved away
from the traditional squat in favor of the box squat.
However, in the past couple years squats have returned to prominence. Many doctors, therapists, trainers and coaches are promoting it to everyone again. For example, New York Times columnist Gretchen Reynolds believes squats are great, even for older lifters.
Sturdy leg muscles, particularly those at the front and back of the
thighs,
stabilize the knee, says Joseph Hart, an assistant professor of kinesiology
and certified athletic trainer at the University of Virginia, who often works
with patients with knee pain.
An easy exercise to target those muscles is the squat. Although many of us
have heard that squats harm knees, the exercise is actually “quite good for
the knees, if you do the squats correctly,” Dr. Hart says. Simply stand with
your legs shoulder-width apart and bend your legs until your thighs are
almost, but not completely, parallel to the ground. Keep your upper body
straight. Don’t bend forward, he says, since that movement can strain the
knees. Try to complete 20 squats, using no weight at first.
All of my athletes squat, but it takes some of them several weeks before they perform the exercise correctly. For those who lack the strength or mobility to squat correctly, I follow a progression that systematically increases the range of motion and reinforces good technique.
If you struggle to reach full range of motion, try performing this series as a warm-up before beginning your lower body workout:
1. 5 bodyweight squats, holding onto a door knob, pole or power rack. Lean back!
2. 5 bodyweight squats, holding onto a door know/pole/rack. Pause at the bottom of each rep, then release your hands and stand up. Be sure your weight remains on the heels and do not allow your chest to rock forward when you release your hands.
3. 5 bodyweight box squats, beginning in a seated position on a bench or box
4. 5 bodyweight box squats
5. 5 bodyweight squats, hands outstretched in front of you.
By the twentieth rep, you're ready for a safe and effective full squat.
stabilize the knee, says Joseph Hart, an assistant professor of kinesiology
and certified athletic trainer at the University of Virginia, who often works
with patients with knee pain.
An easy exercise to target those muscles is the squat. Although many of us
have heard that squats harm knees, the exercise is actually “quite good for
the knees, if you do the squats correctly,” Dr. Hart says. Simply stand with
your legs shoulder-width apart and bend your legs until your thighs are
almost, but not completely, parallel to the ground. Keep your upper body
straight. Don’t bend forward, he says, since that movement can strain the
knees. Try to complete 20 squats, using no weight at first.
All of my athletes squat, but it takes some of them several weeks before they perform the exercise correctly. For those who lack the strength or mobility to squat correctly, I follow a progression that systematically increases the range of motion and reinforces good technique.
If you struggle to reach full range of motion, try performing this series as a warm-up before beginning your lower body workout:
1. 5 bodyweight squats, holding onto a door knob, pole or power rack. Lean back!
2. 5 bodyweight squats, holding onto a door know/pole/rack. Pause at the bottom of each rep, then release your hands and stand up. Be sure your weight remains on the heels and do not allow your chest to rock forward when you release your hands.
3. 5 bodyweight box squats, beginning in a seated position on a bench or box
4. 5 bodyweight box squats
5. 5 bodyweight squats, hands outstretched in front of you.
By the twentieth rep, you're ready for a safe and effective full squat.
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