Squats are one of the basic calisthenic exercises which can be done with a barbell (or added weight in any other form) for a greater effect. Now, what are some of these effects? While the majority of people are aware that this is a crucial exercise for one’s hamstrings and legs in general, not a lot of people are aware of just how much your core and hips are benefiting from squats. Also, keep in mind that muscle strength isn’t there just for show. You also need to think about the speed and performance enhancement that you get this way. All in all, here’s a list of some benefits of doing squats.
1. Strengthening various muscle groups
The first thing you need to understand is that squats are doing more than just strengthening your hamstrings. You also get to boost the strength and volume of your hip muscles, calves, and obliques. In other words, it’s a workout that gives you a significant boost to your entire lower body and parts of your core. Regardless if you just want to look better, strengthen your body, or make yourself more balanced, you’ll have a hard time finding a more efficient exercise. Keep in mind that it’s also incredibly exhausting (when done properly and with the right weight). Therefore, you need to be quite clever about the way you’ll fit it into your routine.
2. Performance boost
The next thing you need to think about is your overall strength, flexibility, and endurance. You see, it’s scientifically proven that lower body muscles have a direct impact on how quickly you can sprint. In other words, by strengthening these muscles (through squats), you’re giving yourself a direct boost in your athletic performance. There’s a reason why in virtually every sport, squats are always present in the training regimen. Athletes engaging in individual, group, and combat sports alike are doing squats in order to get better.
3. They’re convenient
A good thing about squats is that they’re incredibly convenient and available everywhere. You can do them even without any added weight. Sure, doing 20 squats is easy without a barbell, so, do 70 of them. Not so easy, right? Then again, for those who don’t have the patience for endless reps, a sturdy power rack is not expensive to get. This way, you can maximize the effect of your squats but also get other options. On a rack, you can do pull-ups, dips, or rest the barbell a bit lower so that it’s more convenient for your deadlifts or rows.
4. The aesthetics
If you’re already investing so much time into fitness and nutrition, the last thing you want is to have your skinny legs draw attention from your otherwise great physique. You need to have a balanced look and the matte of perception and proportion is just as important. The bigger your upper body is, the skinnier your legs will look. This is why it’s important that you never skip leg days. If you’re splitting your workouts by muscle groups, it’s the most effective to pair legs with shoulders. This way, you get the maximum effect on each exercise.
5. Tendons, bones, and ligaments
The next thing you need to pay attention to is the importance of your tendons, bones, and ligaments. All of these can be improved with squats. Seeing as how they’re around your leg muscles, they’ll benefit from this type of movement. Keep in mind that this may also lower the likelihood of a knee or ankle injury. One more thing worth mentioning is that the bone mineral density of your spine and lower body will increase as you do squats. Overall, this strengthens the entire region, makes you more resistant to injuries. The older you get, the more important this will become.
6. Great for weight loss
Increasing your muscle mass increases your metabolic calorie consumption, seeing as how muscles burn more calories than fat. In other words, your body composition is one of the biggest determiners of your metabolic rate. Seeing as how your leg muscles are some of the largest muscles of your entire body (other than back muscles). Therefore, making a transformation in this area is one of the most effective ways to kickstart this process. It is one of the best ways to increase your passive caloric consumption and look better in the process.
7. Better posture
Squats strengthen your spinal area which means that they have a drastically positive impact on your posture. If you’re just doing squats (without any added weight) you can use a couple of tricks to improve your posture and core stability. All you need to do is perform the squat with a wall behind you and, in time, your posture will visibly improve. Other than this, squats strengthen your hip muscles (something we’ve already mentioned), which already contributes quite a bit.
In conclusion
In the end, squats are necessary regardless if you are serious about any given sport or just want to look better. It’s a simple exercise that you can do either without any additional equipment or with some basic (inexpensive) equipment. Overall, it’s exactly what you need in your routine, regardless of your ambitions and fitness goals.