For many of us, this quarantine life has been filled with some obstacles pertaining to our regular exercise routine.
I’ve been a “cardio girl” my entire life. I used to competitively figure skate, dance and then later in life engaged in spinning and long-distance running.
I have to say that “core strengthening and weight training” were more challenging for me. During this quarantine, I have become more focused on strengthening the rest of my body.
Squats have become MY THING! I do this one exercise everyday lately about 50 times a day.
WHY Squats?
SQUATS:
- Build your quadriceps, hamstrings/inner thighs and calves which comprise your leg muscles.
- Improve muscle mass and tones your whole body while burning calories more efficiently!
- Primarily engage your glutes and back muscles as well as your ankles, hip and knee joints.
- Strengthen and improve mobility while working the ligaments and connective tissue.
- Prevent injuries
- Improve balance
- Burn fat
- Build bones and improves joint health
- Help with having more regular bowel movements
- Maintain good posture
- Help fight against Diabetes, Obesity and Heart Disease by building muscle which are critical in glucose regulation and lipid metabolism
How I do them?
1) Bend your knees, hip and ankles outward but don’t extend the knees past the toes ( 90 degrees ). Legs should not be wider than shoulder width apart
2) Maintain a straight vertical line and keep thighs parallel to the floor. Feet remain flat on the floor.
3) Keep chest UP, tighten your abs and Push your butt back.
4) I keep my arms in front of me and use 5 lb weights to burn more calories.
5) Try and get lower and hold for 5-10 seconds.
6) Use support like a chair or stool if you are unable to balance.
7) Inhale going down and Exhale coming up.
Repeat 10-15 times but rest for 10-20 seconds in between cycles
This is a great move for cross training when I prepare for the half marathon. Doing squats has improved my running performance over the years.
Squatting helps you become more confident in your ability to produce power when exercising while making your core STRONGER!