Benefits of Squats
There are a ton of benefits of squats. In this article, we will discuss the most common benefits you are sure to experience if you start training the squat seriously.
First, let’s answer some common questions about squat training.
What happens if I do squats everyday?
It depends! You can safely try bodyweight squats everyday. If you do ten bodyweight squats everyday, you will get some good practice with the movement and improve your strength and mobility to a certain degree.
However, improving your muscle size and strength significantly requires doing squats with a barbell or other resistance. If you perform barbell squats or another loaded squat like the goblet squat, you should squat two to three times per week for the best results. Training heavy squats every day could be too much strain on your body.
Can squats reduce belly fat?
Squats can reduce belly fat by increasing muscle and your metabolism. Squats change your body composition by helping you burn more calories throughout the day, even at rest.
If you do squats for long enough, you will probably gain muscle and reduce belly fat.
Squats can also help you reduce organ visceral fat, the unhealthy fat that surrounds your organs. So yes, squats can reduce belly fat.
How many squats is good a day?
You can try between ten and thirty squats per day to improve strength and mobility. However, once you get past a beginner’s strength level, you should add weight and reduce your squat training to two or three times per week. This allows you to overload your muscles while still giving them adequate recovery.
Do squats make your butt bigger?
Squats can make your butt bigger. The squat exercise trains your glutes and can make them bigger. However, you probably won’t end up with a huge butt unless you eat a lot more calories than your body needs to maintain your weight.
Otherwise, squats will make your butt leaner and more shapely.
Now that we have answered a few questions, let’s get to the benefits of squats.
Squats Improve Leg Strength
Squats build amazing leg strength. In fact, this exercise builds strong legs better than any other exercise. This simple exercise allows you to overload your muscles over time to build strong, shapely legs.
Whether you want to improve your aesthetics or you run races or play soccer, improved leg strength will help you out.
Squats Improve Power
Squats also improve muscle power. Whether you just need enough power to get off the couch or you want to be great at American football, you need more powerful legs and glutes.
Squats build lower body power that is applicable to your favorite sport and everyday life.
Squats Strengthen your Bones
By loading your skeleton, squats strengthen your bones and help you prevent osteoporosis at any point in your life.
Weighted squats can help you build bone strength in your spine, pelvis and leg bones. Squats can also help you maintain your reservoir of bone mass.
No matter your age, you need to squat so that you can build and maintain your bone mass.
Squats Improve Mobility
Actually, squats improve mobility of your hips, knees and ankles. People who work a desk job, desperately need to improve their mobility. Improving mobility in these joints can prevent pain and injury and help you just move better.
Squats Improve Vertical Jump
By improving lower body power and leg strength, squats can help you jump higher. This will help you in basketball, volleyball, gymnastics and any other sport.
Squats are Good for your Knees
Did you know that squats are also good for your knees? Each time you squat, you send lubricating fluid to your knees for improved knee health. People who squat heavy weight actually have thicker and stronger knee cartilage than those who do not do squats at all.
Squats Improve Work Capacity
Squats improve your work capacity. When you perform 3 sets of 10 barbell squats, you will huff and puff at the end of the set. Doing this type of squat training can improve your cardio capacity and heart health too.
Squats Boost Metabolism
Squats build muscle all over your biggest, most powerful muscle groups. This exercise also helps you release more testosterone and growth hormone. By boosting your muscle mass and hormone levels, this exercise helps you burn more calories even at rest.
This means you can lose some body fat or even eat a few more calories without gaining weight.
Squats Build Shape
One of the most underrated benefits of the squat is its ability to build a great shape. Women can expect leaner and more shapely legs and a more hourglass lower body. Men can expect to build bigger, stronger legs and glutes and a more proportionate lower body.
Squats Build Confidence
Squats build amazing confidence. In the beginning, performing this exercise with a weighted barbell can seem scary. However, once you get the hang of it, you will feel ready to take on more weight and feel confident with new challenges.
Squats Increase Hormone Levels
Squats can increase testosterone and growth hormone levels. Whether you are male or female, increasing these hormone levels can improve energy, athletic performance and quality of life. And no, women won’t develop freakishly high testosterone levels that will make them look like a man.
Instead, weight training can optimize your hormone levels and improve your health whether you are male or female.
Squats Improve your Sex Life
Squats can also improve your sex life. For one, squats improve blood flow to your pelvis. Additionally, this exercise improves mobility, strength and endurance for better sexual performance. And finally, squats help improve pelvic floor strength and endurance for better orgasms.
Final Thoughts
Squats are an amazing exercise that provides you with so many benefits. If you have not started squatting yet, take this as your excuse to finally start.
