Why You Should Learn How to Squat
How a Life of Sitting Down Can Be Cured By Squatting
Like millions of people all over the world I've spent my life sitting in chairs and had no thought about what that was doing to my body. Numerous studies have shown that sitting for long periods is hazardous to your health and changes the body's cellular and metabolic health drastically.
The effects of sitting down aren't pleasant reading and include:
An increase in insulin resistance which can lead to type-2 diabetes
Caloric and metabolic activity slows dramatically
An increase in bad cholesterol (LDL)
All of these things go towards weight gain, lower life expectancy, cancer and lower energy levels.
The Human Body Isn't Designed to Sit for Long Periods of Time
Believe it or not the human body was created to move and relax naturally, and this includes the ability to squat.
Loss of Mobility Later in Life
It's not surprising that the older we get most of us will start to lose mobility because we're not moving our whole body the way it should be moved.
This is because we don't fully use our hip and lower back motion to its full potential. Which means we end up losing a lot of flexibility later in life.
If you've ever tried squatting, and doing it properly with your heels flat on the floor, chances are you probably can't do it.
As you age you'll find that your body changes and your mobility changes with it. Even if you think nothing of it today, later on, and further down the road you'll be wishing you had.
Hopefully this article will make you think (just like it's making me think) that with a bit of practice you can prevent any mobility problems later in life by learning how to squat properly.
Start With Baby Steps
I know that when I squat I still rest on the balls of my feet and find it really difficult to do a full squat using the flats of my feet.
Practice by resting on the balls of your feet to begin with and gradually train your body to rest on the flat part of your feet. This will give your body a workout like it's never had before, and will over time ensure that you have the full range of mobility right into old age.