5-MINUTE TR AINER
T B O DY C H E C K
Sit b back, k but b d don’t relax. l A b As b babies, we masterr h squat before b f e the we llearn to stand d or walk; lk; d l we mustt as adults, rrediscover d our squatt p l This h primall potential. m tt movementt pattern is a b base ffor many activities,, llike k taking k d a seat and llifting f h b . heavy objects. h squat will ll give e “The yyou the h strength h to llift f correctly l by b using g yyour llower b d instead d body of your b k sayss back,” L h l the h vice e Lisa Wheeler, p d president off fi fitness pro-g l . gramming at DailyBurn. c l one off com. “It’s also h most time-effective ff e the m f shaping h moves for yourr e l b d , entire lower body, e ll your b k especially backd Since it engagess side.” ll the h major muscle l all g h llower b d groups off the body att once, you can squatt yyour way to being b a b better runner, tenniss pl d . player, or dancer. ((But no guarantees iff yyou have two left feet.))
W Written by y
K Kimberly Dawn Neumann Photograph g by
Henry Leutwyler r
3
How to do it S START T with h your ffeett l wider d than h a llittle h d h apart, toess hip-width sstraight h ahead. h d. KEEP your chest h llifted f d d your h d clasped l d and hands iin ffront off you.. DRIVE your h k, hips b back, b d h k bending at the knees d ankles kl and d press-and iing your k l h ly knees slightly open o … open, as you… S t a squatt position, t SIT into g d n going as deep as you can wh l still ll k while keeping your h l and d toes on the he heels g d chest h d ground, up, and sh ld b k. shoulders back. S k parallel ll l STRIVE to b break e eventually ((meaning yyour llegs will ll b be b bent sl h l more than h a 90-slightly d ). degree angle). P SS into your ffeett PRESS a d straighten h l s and your legs tto return to the h standing d g u h position.. upright R A 10 0 to 20 times.. REPEAT C l h Complete three sets,, th k. three times a week.
Muscles trained QUADRICEPS,, Q HAMSTRINGS,, GLUTEALS G S
position. (This p will p put even more emphasis p s on your glutes.) g ) 3 Keep your knees ees in line e with yyour toes. Also,, don’t lett your knees cave y e in. Press ess them em outward so theyy stay aligned g d with your feet ass y you down. y squat q 4 Do allow your torso to y o tilt naturallyy as you y squat. q . (Just don’tt ( collapse p your y r chest or round c es o ou d your shoulders y forward.) If yyou’re e too erect, yyour hips p cannott release properly p p y and you’ll put y p t too oo much uc strain s a on your knees.. y TIP
Advance itt 1
Try a g goblet bl squat. Hold ld d dumbd ba 10- to 15-pound b ll vertically ll with hb h bell both h d llightly h l pressed d hands t , againstt your sternum, m h maintaining contact with yyour sternum. This h willll h l counterbalance b l help your w h and d allow ll ffor a weight d deeper range off motion..
2
AUGUST 2016
124 4
REALSIMPLE.COM M
Having trouble mastering g the e squat? It could q d be a an a anklee mobilityy issue. Try putting ga folded o ded towel o el under u de each eac heel. ee .
S T Y L I N G BY A LY S S A D I N E E N ; H A I R A N D M A K E U P BY S U S A N D O N O G H U E FO R E N N I S I N C . I L L U S T R AT I O N BY B R O W N B I R D D E S I G N
4
What it is
THE GUIDE health
Execute ecu e the e move as if you y u were g going g to o sit s in a chair c a placed behind p d you. This will y help p ensure thatt you are driving g your hips y p back.. 1 Go as deep as yyou can com-fortably. y If you y u have knee issues,, don’t go g deeperr than a 90-degree g e angle, g with your thighs g par-allel a e to o the e floor. oo . 2 Keep your heels “glued” to g the floor as you y u squat, and think q about driving g them e into o the e ground as you g u straighten yourr g legs g to return to o the starting g
