3 steps to properly execute squats

A squat is a highly functional exercise, because it is part of your daily life, being similar to standing up or sitting down on a chair, or bending down to pick up something heavy from the floor. In training, a squat is used as a push pattern, which will be necessary to jump, run, and change direction.

In order to properly execute a squat, the first step is to take into account our initial posture: your feet must be positioned completely on the ground, and the position of your feet will depend on each person’s anatomy. You must imagine that you are sitting on a low-chair and, when you’re unable to move further downwards, you should return to your initial upright position.

Generally speaking, a correctly executed squat is defined when:

• You have executed the movement fluidly.
• Your legs are aligned during the movement (in other words, knees are neither brought together, nor separated disproportionately)
• At the maximum depth, your hips are at the same level as your knees or lower.
• At the maximum depth, your torso is parallel to the direction of your tibia.
• Your chest must always face frontwards, never downwards.

As to your breathing, one of the instructions to follow during this movement is to inhale and to gradually release air in a controlled manner as you descend, as if you were blowing out candles. If the movement that you are executing involves a heavy load, a piece of advice is to take a breath, hold your breath as you go down, and release it as you return upwards. However, nothing is set in stone; there are many techniques and opinions regarding breathing.

Would you like to know if you’re executing your full squat properly?

It’s simple! Access Move Check, stand in front of your computer, follow the instructions, and the system will show your results, specifying what items were executed correctly and which items need improvement.