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Beginner’s Squats (In Response to the ‘Squat Challenge’ Meme)

Kelly Coffey
2 Comments

You’ve probably see it on Facebook: the ‘Squat Challenge.’ It looks logical enough – start with 5 and work up to 50,000 a day. Since these ‘challenges’ offer no instructions to the beginner and don’t allow for proper recovery periods, they’re putting squat novices at a tremendous disadvantage 1.

Thanks to the modifications below, if you can both sit down on a chair and get out of it without assistance, you can do a squat. 2.

Here is your beginner’s guide to the single best lower-body exercise in existence. I suggest getting comfortable and confident with one before moving on to the next. With each, you should feel heat and fatigue building in your thighs 3 as you work. 4 50 squats, accomplished in small, manageable sets, is a good first goal. You’ll  probably be sore the next day or two. Once the soreness wears off, do it again. No soreness? Push a little further next time.

Assisted (Easy-ish)

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Stand up tall and straight a foot or two from a sturdy wall, back facing the wall. Fit an exercise ball 5 into the small of your back and inch your body back until the ball is held firmly in place. Lean on the ball. Walk your feet forward 6-10 inches. 6 Set them parallel to each other, hip-width apart. Keep your back parallel to the wall and your shoulders back. Bend your knees and roll the ball down the wall. Bend your knees in the same direction your toes are pointing. 7 Go easy. Start with four or five inches. Push through your heels to stand. Work up 8 to greater depths.

Ultimate goal: Get your thigh bones parallel to the floor.

 

Chair (Moderate)

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Stand in front of a chair, backs of the knees/calves touching the edge of the seat. Set feet hip-width apart, parallel to each other. As you bend your knees, sit your butt back 9, keep your heart high as you reach your arms straight out in front of you. Push back to standing through your heels.

Ultimate goal: Get thigh bones parallel to the floor and/or hover your butt just above the seat.

 

Free-standing   (Difficult)

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Perfect form, but for the socks.

Stand with feet just further than hip-width apart, with toes angled out slightly. Stand tall, and bend your legs, moving your hips and shoulders together as one unit down toward the floor. 10 When you push back to standing, again move shoulders and hips up as one unit.

Ultimate goal: Get your butt below the level of your knees 11

If you’re going to incorporate just one strength-training exercise into your life, squats are arguably the best choice. Properly-executed squats increase muscle mass, resulting in a higher resting metabolism rate and greater strength. A regular squat practice also significantly improves balance and endurance. Do it, Baby.

Notes:

  1. Setting them up for failure, discouragement and, often, injury. FYI, all these ‘Challenge’ memes are marketing ploys. They don’t care if you blow your knee out. They just care that you Share the image with your friends so they get more hits on their page. Sorry, Snookums.
  2. This is another one of those times I’m assuming you have a brain in your head. If you have a pre-existing injury, are over 50, are obese, have a history of injuring yourself every time you try something new, or suspect that you will injure yourself if you follow the advice of some lunatic personal trainer on the internet, get your doctor’s blessing before getting out of bed in the morning, never mind before beginning a squat program – that goes without saying
  3. and maybe your glutes
  4. If you feel acute pain, stop. If your instinct would have been to continue, once you’ve stopped, read this.
  5. 55cm.
  6. The ball will, by virtue of your feet moving forward, roll up a bit on your back. This is good.
  7. This rule applies for all squats.
  8. Down?
  9. As though you were going to sit in the chair
  10. Fight the urge to lean forward, which would cause the shoulders to descend faster than the hips
  11. Think squatting to pee outside, Ladies.
Showing 2 comments
  • Emily
    Reply

    I just got back to squats after a long (too long) hiatus. Boy, do they burn, but it’s a good burn 🙂

    • Coffey
      Reply

      Wait’ll you see, Emily – all the residual post-baby stuff will improve with a regular squat practice. Welcome back!

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