Squats is a good exercise as it can benefit you in many ways. It helps to decrease the fat in the lower body and strengthen the core muscles. But you may have to do the squats properly. You may see many ways to perform the squats on the internet, in the gym and your trainer may also give a few suggestions. Is it making you confused? Then here are the five myths about squats. If you are following it then you can stop doing it and perform squats daily in the right way.
1. Knees must not move past the toes
The Knees can actually move past the toes if a person has a vertical torso. They will have an angle increase in their ankle and knee joints so they could not stop their knees from moving past the toes. This rule is not suitable for people with knee problems. So a person doing a squat is not always required to follow this.
2. Everybody can squat low
It is not true. Every person doing the squat cannot squat low. It comes with practice however for some people it may not come at all. It is all part of their genetics. The people with difficulties should not try to squat low as it can damage their muscles. So this is a myth. You can try to squat the way you find comfortable and you can squat low with practice.
3. Deep squats are not good for knees
Many people say the deep squats can create tension in the muscles. However, with practice, some people will be able to deep squat easily. The truth is that deep squats are not bad for the knees and studies suggests that there is no noticeable difference between partial, parallel, and deep squats. So there is no need to worry so much about it. Another study shared that the deeper the squat the less pressure there will be in the muscles.
4. Always squat below Parallel
Squatting to parallel is the best way to squat and also the safest way. It also enforces muscle activation. However, for some people, it is not possible to squat parallel. It is because of less flexibility in their muscles. If you are not able to squat parallel you can work on the flexibility.
5. Look up when you squat
“Keep your head up” is one of the common myths in squats. Many trainers train their clients to work on this because they want them to squat well. However, looking up when performing the squat is risky as neck disc can get damaged because of pressure. That is the reason this is a myth. You need not always look up if you are working on your squat. This also will come if you become skilled at doing squats.
Conclusion
These are the five myths many people believe and do their best to perfect when squatting. However, it is not possible for all people. You do not need to follow the crowd. You can do the squats well but do not try to follow all the myths above.
Also read: 20 Reasons Why You Should Never Skip A Day of Exercise