In this article, I will tell you all about the perfect squat form, technique, tips and also share with you a video about how to do a perfect squat?
Squats are the mother of all exercises for lower body because they fire up and strengthen your hips, glutes, quads, hamstrings and the core. And as a basic functional movement they improve balance, coordination as well as boost bone density.
In order to learn how to do a perfect squat, remember and follow these instructions. Also watch the video at the end to learn how to squat perfectly.
# 1
Feet Position: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes a little pointing outward.
# 2
Shoulders, Back & Chest Position: Keep your back straight, not allowing it to round. Stand tall with chest high & shoulders pulled back away from the ears.
# 3
Good Balance: Maintain body balance by extending your arms straight in front, palms facing down so that they are parallel to the ground. Alternatively, draw in the elbows close to your body with palms facing each other and thumbs pointing upward.
# 4
Butt/Hips Position: Initiate the descending movement by hinging at hips & bringing them back slightly. Keep pushing butts/hips backward as the knees start to bend. The perfect technique is that you start with pushing your hips back, and not by bending your knees.
# 5
Knees Position: While you squat down, make sure that your knees are in line with your toes. To ensure this, the beginners should try to push their knees out slightly.
So you need to keep a watch on your knees! The moment they begin to come inside the toes (cave in), push them out slightly (but not wider than your feet).
And remember, in the same way drive your knees slightly out while ascending.
# 6
Chest, Shoulders, Back & Head Position During The Movement:
Throughout the movement, remember your chest stays high; shoulders remain upright & the back straight. Also make sure your neck & spine remains in neutral position, but maintaining the natural arch of your back. Keep your head facing forward and eyes looking straight in front.
# 7
Core Engagement: All through the movement, keep your core engaged by bracing it and keeping your body tight.
# 8
Squat Depth: The optimum squats depth is that your hips go down slightly lower than your knees (if you have enough flexibility to achieve this). The thumb rule is to go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
# 9
Driving Force: Don’t allow your body weight to shift toward the toes. It should be on the heels / balls of your feet.
And remember: As you ascend, drive through your heels keeping the balls of your feet flat on the floor.
Note: Because our bodies are different and many of us have some sort of mobility issue, our “perfect” squats will not look entirely the same. So, don’t think you are performing squats wrong, if they look different from the person doing next to you.
Watch this video to learn the tricks to fix the common mistakes that people usually do and learn the perfect way to do squats.
