The very best exercise to have in your fitness routine is the squat 

Working practically (well almost) every muscle in your body the squat helps to build muscle and lose weight.  Few exercises work as many muscles in the body as this multipurpose activity which tones, tightens, lifts and burns calories.  Squats strengthen both the front and the back of the legs, as well as the butt muscles, the lower back and the abdominals.

Squatting for the real world

The squat when done properly is simple to perform, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.  The beauty of the squat is that as a functional exercise, it really helps to make real life activities easier as opposed to just being able to operate a piece of gym equipment.  Mobility and balance are two areas that we need to work on as we get older, and body weight exercise is great for the prevention of osteoporosis.  Strong legs are crucial for staying mobile and squats are excellent for strengthening legs, working your core, stabilising muscles that help to maintain balance and helping you to move efficiently in the real world. Carrying out squats will help to improve the communication between your brain and muscle groups which ultimately will help to prevent falls which can result in bone fractures, and in some cases can prove to be fatal.  Squats help to improve the range of motion in your ankles and hips which may help us avoid hip replacements in the future, and if done properly they will improve knee stability and strengthen connective tissue.

Squats for weight loss

To burn fat you need to activate as much of your body as possible and squats will improve your figure, strengthen your muscles and add definition and boost your overall fitness, while burning fat.  As you gain muscle from squatting so you burn calories, for every additional pound of muscle you gain your body will burn between 50-70 extra calories a day.  Squats will quickly give a slimming effect as your butt is lifted, your back is strengthened and your core will be better able to support your body, thus improving your posture and giving you a tighter flatter abdomen.  

Squatting benefits the whole body

As well as the outward benefits of squatting, the inward benefits are just as good, squats improve the pumping of body fluids, aiding the removal of waste materials and delivering nutrients to the tissues, organs and glands.  This helps to stimulate the colon assisting regular bowel movements.  Exercise has a positive effect on skin as more blood reaches the skin’s surface and revs up the collagen producing cells, resulting in clearer, fresher younger looking skin.

How to squat correctly

Make sure you are warm and wearing comfortable clothes that give!

Chair Squat

If you are unfit or new to exercise start off by using a solid desk or dinning chair.
Stand the chair behind you and place your feet slightly farther than your shoulder width apart.  Bring your arms out in front of you and slowly squat back as if you were going to sit down on the chair.  Touch the chair briefly and stand back up, lowering your hands to your sides.  Gradually build up the amount you can do aiming for 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions.

The Squat

Stand with your feet just slightly wider than shoulder width apart, keep your back in a neutral position and keep your knees centred over your toes.  Tighten and pull in your abdominal muscles.  Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles lowering until you reach a 90° angle which should be parallel to the floor, and then return to the starting position.  You need to aim to go this low to really get the benefits of a squat and you should feel every muscle in your leg working.  Inhale when you go down and exhale when you come up, tilt your pelvis back and keep your arms out in front of you for balance.  Your weight should be on your heels with your knees pointing the same way as the toes.

Start slowly and build up in repetitions of 10 until you are doing 100 squats each day.  Add squats into your daily routine practice getting up from a sofa or chair without using your hands, leave the train or bus without holding on, using your legs and core to stabilise yourself.  Slip in some squats while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or running your bath.  If you just do the occasional squat throughout the day you will be surprised how quickly they add up, aim to be doing at least 100 each day, split up however you wish.

 
When you feel confident you can rev up your routine by adding small hand weights to gain upper body strength and definition.

Remember to always ask your doctor before starting any new exercise routine