Often people who are over 50 years old, aware of the benefits of exercise on health, want to do it without running additional risks.
Without a doubt, the most commonly performed exercise, across all ages and genders, is the squat.
How convenient is it to do them?
Squatting is essential to do many of the activities of our daily life, so we must prepare our muscles to do it correctly, avoiding inadequate efforts that hurt the parts of the body involved in this action. When cleaning the house or gardening, getting in and out of chairs requires leg and core strength. To build lower body strength and flexibility, there is probably no better resistance exercise than squats. The benefits are not limited to the lower body. Squats are an exercise for the whole body since to do them requires stability and core strength, so the back and abdomen are also trained.
Some people worry that squats can hurt their knees and hips. If exercise is done correctly it can actually help protect and facilitate the function of these and other joints.
Squatting is simple, you don’t need to go to a gym. Anywhere with a few meters of free space is enough, be it the living room, the office, a staircase, a park or even in the closet. The only equipment needed is your body weight.
For first-timers, one of the safest and easiest ways to get started is with what is commonly called a box squat, so called because it is done with an exercise box found in gyms. But it can also be done at home, in which case a firm chair, stool or bench will be used.
If you have disabilities in the lower part of the body or previous injuries, it is convenient to have the recommendation of the doctor or health professional who will give instructions on how and how much to do. The exercise should be personalized, for example, doing a squat with your back against the wall, or doing it without going down to a right angle. To progress in physical conditioning you must be patient and persevering. It is very important to pay attention to the proper technique.
In summary, squats are fundamental exercises, perhaps the most basic and necessary to improve sports performance in any physical and sports activity. It also allows us to reduce the risk of injury, which makes it easier for us to do physical activity for life.