WEEKLY CHALLENGE: 

It looks like you’re dealing with some slowing energy thanks to life or the luteal phase prior to your period. That makes this a great time to improve your skill at squats and just do 3-4 workouts this week, including the featured routine. When we’re cruising along, we might not pay as close attention as when we need to slow down due to a yellow light looming in front of us. We see look around, we gauge distances between us and other cars, our foot moves from the gas to the brake, maybe we downshift…

So this week is less about DOING lots of squats and more about FiNE-TUNING your squatability. This week’s featured routine is called “Squat Prep,” and it takes you through some tips and tricks for improving your deeper squat including how to get into neutral pelvis and what your calves have to do with squatting.

I thought I was a good squatter prior to learning these things, and they’ve helped me and literally thousands of clients approach squatting without pain and frustration. I’ve had knee surgery many moons ago, and these techniques squatting deeper than I did in my twenties!

Evaluating Your Squat: Where are you on this scale? Leave a comment below!

• 5 – You can easily and repeatedly drop all the way down into a deep squat – hips close to or touching your heels – without any pain, difficulty or worry.
• 4 – You can easily and repeatedly do basic squats where your hips are nearly level with your knees, and you’re working on going lower.
• 3 – You can do quite a few basic, shallow squats comfortably and with decent form but you’re nervous to do a lot of them or go deeper due to knee, hip or spine concerns.
• 2 – You can squat once or twice if you have to, but you try to avoid squats because your knees, hips, or back muscles feel dodgy, and your form could use work.
• 1 – You avoid squats completely because you hate them and they hate you.

For all those who are on the squatting struggle bus, and for all those who could use a squatting tune-up, this week’s featured routine “Squat Prep” has all the little exercises and tips to help you begin to improve your squat in creative, gentle ways. We can ALL find room to improve in this area. I’ve been able to squat deeply for several years now, but I’m still working on my toe position and calf length to get even more comfortable in it.

Featured Routine: Squat Prep

Parallel “Squatability” Workouts:

Here are a few more routines you can sprinkle throughout your week to improve the range of motion, comfort level, confidence, and accessibility you feel in your squat.

Squat Challenge

Mermaid Mojo

Hipster Chair Moves

Green Gertie

Quotes Of The Week:

“Keep your squats low and your standards high.”

— Meme, Unknown

“Life has its ups and downs. We call those squats.”

— Meme, Unknown

“Squats are like life. It’s about standing up when something heavy tries to keep you down.”

— Meme, Unknown

Moving Thought: Squatting is thought by some to be one of the simplest way to work your abdominal muscles, lower body, whole core, and legs PLUS your pelvic floor BUTT (mispelling intended since squats work your glutes) many people do them wrong and approach them with poor strategies. If you squat poorly, you may not get the results you want, like a flatter tummy and perkier tush, so I filmed that video up above specifically to help you break down the basic squat and work toward better depth. Squats are functional for daily life. They’re important for building a truly strong belly and body, PLUS they’re a wonderful alternative to crunches {read why I hate those here}. Even if you have sore knees and bad flexibility, if you use this week’s featured video consistently, you’ll gradually improve your squat and eliminate discomfort.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHALLENGE:

1. Share what you think of the featured routine.
2. Share what workouts you’re doing and how they felt to your mind and body.
3. Respond with your thoughts on the “Word/Phrase of The Week.”
4. Ask for help with anything: workout ideas, mindset, motivation, alternates for the featured routine, anything!

Beth

P.S. Can you believe we recorded a whole entire podcast episode about squats? I know, such a shocker! Find Fit2B Radio on iTunes, or click this image to listen here on our website.