Activate the Deepest Muscle in your Body – Squat!
Squatting variations are a favorite among power lifters, bodybuilders and other athletes for one reason: they work. Not only are they effective for building a strong core and powerful legs, they also deliver numerous benefits including improved flexibility, and better digestion. Squatting will strengthen the lower back and aid blood circulation. When done correctly, squats activate the opening and closing of hip, knee and ankle joints, helping keep these areas strong and flexible.
The Tai Chi squat is a little different to the full squat you may do at the gym. Learning the Tai Chi squat can enhance the full squat and can be done without any equipment in the office, around home, at the work site or school. Overtime you will find opportunities to practise and apply this exercise throughout the day.
Before you get started it’s important to be familiar with the key areas of the body you need to target.
The key region is the area located inside the pelvis. This includes the adductor and iliopsoas muscle groups, the sacrum and lower vertebrae of the spine, and can be seen as the central hub linking the upper and lower body. Effective use of this hub has a huge affect on your general health, as many body systems pass through, or are linked to, the pelvic area.
Benefits of Learning the Tai Chi squat
Build stronger connections in your body
Opening the sacroiliac joint makes the connection between the legs and spine much stronger, increasing overall flexibility in the hips, and making your movements much smoother. And decreases back pains!
Activate the deepest muscles in your body
The springiness of the spine and legs is partially determined by the elasticity of the Psoas muscles. Many lower back problems are caused by stiffness, spasm or trauma in the Psoas muscles. Improving the tone and flexibility of these muscles can also help improve breathing as it connects with the diaphragm.
Improve your immune system
The inguinal groove (groin region) contains the largest collection of lymph nodes, which are critical for the effective function of the immune system. Unlike blood, which is pumped by the heart and vascular system, our lymph is moved by muscular contractions. The Tai Chi squat works on increasing this important circulation thereby strengthening our immune system.
Builds Muscle in Your Entire Body
Squats obviously help to build your leg muscles (including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), but they also target the core. When done properly they provide an excellent exercise to build power through the lower body and engage the core.
Functional Exercise Makes Real-Life Activities Easier
Functional exercises are those that help your body to perform real-life activities, as opposed to simply being able to operate pieces of gym equipment. Squats are one of the best functional exercises out there. When you perform squats, you build muscle and help your muscles work more efficiently, as well as promote mobility and balance.
Maintain Mobility and Balance
Strong legs are crucial for staying mobile as you get older, and squats are phenomenal for increasing leg strength. They also work out your core and stabilising muscles, which will help you to maintain balance. Studies show that we lose 1% of our balance each year after our 40th birthday. This doesn’t sound like much but consider the possibility of losing 10% of your balance by the time you turn 50.
Prevent Injuries
Many injuries involve weak stabiliser muscles, ligaments and connective tissues, which squats help strengthen. They also help prevent injury by improving your flexibility (squats improve the range of motion in your ankles and hips) and balance. Spending much time sitting down during the day its no surprise modern people are losing elasticity in the ligaments and connective tissues coupled with tightened muscles.
Get your digestion system cranking
Squats improve the pumping of body fluids, aiding in removal of waste and delivery of nutrition to all tissues, including organs and glands. They're also useful for improved bowel movement.
How to squat
1
Stand in a natural posture, feet shoulder width apart. Take a couple of deep breaths and let your body gently sink.
2
Keep the knees slightly bent - once in position the knees will not move forward, back, out or in. They remain in line over the arches of the feet.
3
This ensures you remain connected to the inguinal groove, pelvis, sacrum and lower spine - bending or moving the knees makes the exercise an external movement disconnecting from the inner ligaments and places your body weight directly over the front of your kneecap.
4
Spine remains straight -don’t arch the back forward or back.
5
All motion originates in the pelvis rising and sinking.
6
When sinking allow your weight to sink down through your heels. Keep the back of the knee joint open.
7
When lifting push off your heels transferring your weight toward the balls of your feet. Focus on moving your weight towards the base of the balls of your feet - Avoid going too far forward and uprooting your posture and losing balance. This process helps to stimulate the key kidney acupuncture point, which helps to bring energy up your body. Great for increasing the flow of blood and energy back up the body.
8
Lift the crown of your head so that you elongate your spine and release any tension in the lower back, mid spine and neck.
