How your squat can test your fitness.
Squat Check
What does your squat say about your fitness? One simple move can help you weed out your weak spots—plus, the best moves and stretches to help your body achieve balance.
“Watching to see what your body does when you do a squat can give you clues about what you need to work on,” says Lisa Martin, a 24 Hour Fitness master trainer in Kaneohe, Hawaii. “When your body is strong and in good shape, your form will be near-perfect. When the body deviates from good form, it’s a sign that there’s a weakness.”
With your feet shoulder-distance apart, toes pointing straight forward, and arms raised above your head, bend at the hips and knees and lower yourself straight down. Repeat three times facing forward, and three times facing sideways. Here’s what to watch for—and what to work on depending on what you see in your squat.
From the front
1. What to watch for: Your feet and/or knees turn out
What it could mean: Your IT band is tight and your outer glutes—the ones closer to your hips—are weak.
How to stretch: Lie on the floor on your left side and place a foam roller under your body, just above your left knee. Roll up and down slowly along your outer thigh for a minute, pausing at tender spots, then switch sides.
How to strengthen: One-legged squats. Balancing on your left leg, raise your right foot 6 inches off the floor and sit back, bending your left knee, then straightening it. Do 8-12 reps and switch sides; repeat two to three times. To make it tougher, stand on a balance board and/or hold dumbbells.
2. What to watch for: Your knees move inward
What it could mean: Your inner thighs are tight and your outer thighs and glutes are weak.
How to stretch: Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet touching each other. Hold the tops of your feet as you press your elbows into your knees, pushing them toward the floor. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch on your exhales.
How to strengthen: Loop resistance tubing around your ankles and slide it above your knees. With your knees slightly bent abs tight, sidestep 10 times to your right and then 10 times back to your left.
3. What to watch for: Your heels lift up
What it could mean: Your calves are tight
How to stretch: Stand on a step or a bench and balancing on your left leg, keep the ball of your right foot on the step and drop your heel off the side until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold for 30 seconds, and switch sides.
From the side
1. What to watch for: Your torso, arms, and/or head lean forward, and your shoulders shrug
What it could mean: Your upper traps—the muscles at the base of your neck and above your shoulder blades—are tight and your lower traps (just below your upper traps) are weak.
How to stretch: Standing or sitting upright, drop your right ear toward your right shoulder. Slowly circle your head toward the floor, chin toward your chest, and finish when your left ear is near your left shoulder. Repeat, moving in the opposite direction.
How to strengthen: Hold resistance tubing in your hands, arms stretched straight out in front of you, and open your arms to either side. Keep your hands chest high, just below the shoulders while keeping the shoulders depressed throughout the move. Repeat eight to 12 times, opening and closing your arms at the same speed.
2. What to watch for: Your low back arches
What it could mean: Your hip flexors are tight and your core is weak.
How to stretch: Lunge with your right foot forward and drop your left knee to the ground. With your hands on your hips, tilt your pelvis up until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Repeat on the other side.
How to strengthen: Hold the plank pose, which simultaneously strengthens your abs and stretches your hip flexors. Get into a modified pushup position, with your forearms resting on the floor, elbows under your shoulders, knees on the floor. On an exhale, straighten your knees so your body is in a straight line. Hold for 30 seconds; little by little, increase the time you spend in this position without resting, up to 2 minutes.
3. What to watch for: Your low back rounds
What it could mean: Your hamstrings are tight and your glutes are weak.
How to stretch: Sit with your legs straight out in front of you and your arms raised above your head. Keeping your back flat, reach your arms toward your toes until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Hold for 30 seconds, breathing slowly and deepening the stretch on your exhales.
How to strengthen: Lie face down on an exercise ball with hips and torso supported on the ball and hands on the floor. Bend your knees, then squeeze your glutes to send your feet up toward the ceiling. Do two to three sets of eight to 12 reps.
While the squat test will help you evaluate your fitness and discover your body’s weak spots, having a trained eye watch you in action can prove to be even more valuable since they know what to look for and the best ways to improve. The good news: A squat assessment is part of the fitness orientation, which is available for free to 24 Hour Fitness members.
