Squat Motivation Thread

[infinitenexus]

I worked on it for a few minutes yesterday evening.  My balance was off, I had my body as far forward as possible, with my armpits practically resting on my kneecaps, but I still seemed to be leaning back.  So I need to work on that.  And when I got up, my ankles/lower calves aaaaaaached.

[PaleoPhil]

This Neandertaler reconstruction demonstrates the squat-sitting method with the arms inside the legs, which is useful when you want to use your arms for something like in the reconstruction and like this kid here that I posted earlier: , though I personally generally prefer to put my arms outside the legs when I'm using them like this girl: , though she isn't using her arms. Like her, I also find it to be a comfortable sitting pose.

[achillezzz]

I cant squat like that but I can dunk.. go figure lol..

[achillezzz]

I tried to sit like that and I can but with my hands and spine leaning ALL WAY FORWARD to get more balance and I can sit like that for 30sec and then I fall back please guide me what to do next this thread moitvated me to learn sitting like that.

If I hold an object in front of me aproximately 2kg weight I can sit like that untill my shoulder get tired of holding that object its like 4 5 miniutes.. so my problem is balance and strength any ideas?

Also the thing that gets me pissed is that I cant stright my back while sitting like that all upper body leaning forwardddd like crazyy

I have alot of time to practise all day long help me

[B.Money]

it may take longer than today to regain the flexibility and balance to sit in that position, just keep practicing, bounce around a little while you are in the position and shift weight from one foot to the other to add weight emphasis.

Some people hold onto a stationary vertical object and squat down to keep their torso up and get into a good position.

[PaleoPhil]

Achillezzz, if your legs are long and your torso short, you may have to put your arms around or inside your legs instead of on top of them to balance. Like B Money indicated, you could also have tight muscles that might become more flexible with time. It can take time to develop the ability to squat if you haven't done it regularly throughout your life like many Asians and Africans and some Middle Easterners do. And like he said, you could try using a support, such as holding on to a door knob or leaning against a wall or post to keep your balance or balancing on your toes instead of your heels.

[achillezzz]

I concentrate all the weight on my heels what do you mean balance with toes?
When I squat on my toes I feel my knees joints and yes I have long legs short torso

[PaleoPhil]

By balancing on your toes, if you have good enough balance, I meant like this:


Western squat is another option:


However, toe and Western squat sitting positions are more difficult to hold for lengthy periods than a full squat sit, but maybe you'll be able to advance beyond them with time if you can improve flexibility and find a comfortable position for your arms other than over the knees, which tends to be awkward for folks with very long legs.

---*---

Don't Just Sit There!
How bathroom posture affects your health.
Posted Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, at 10:17 AM ET
http://www.slate.com/id/2264657/

Research found "that squatting streamlines defecation and reduces hemorrhoid risk"....

"It seems doubtful, though, that squatting, even if it helps hemorrhoids, will become the next back-to-nature craze—the new barefoot running shoe or caveman diet."

[kurite]

Sorry to bring up old threads but I have an update. I have been seeing my trainer who has the most extensive training I have ever seen. Anyway I told him about how I wasn't able to do an asian squat and his response is no problem lay down. He cracked my back, stretched my hip and bam! Perfect squat with no problems. I asked how to keep it this way and he told me I can't (and most other people) can't do it due to weakness in the back and hips. He told me he would show me some exercises and stretches to fix it. Ill try and stay updated on this for anyone whos interested.

[PaleoPhil]

Interesting, thanks Kurite.

My flexibility and balance continues to gradually improve over the long run, though it takes a step back when I cheat, which tends to happen at work, with the temptation of the cafeteria. The good side of the caf is it helps me keep my weight up and there are some raw foods.

[achillezzz]

Interesting, thanks Kurite.

My flexibility and balance continues to gradually improve over the long run, though it takes a step back when I cheat, which tends to happen at work, with the temptation of the cafeteria. The good side of the caf is it helps me keep my weight up and there are some raw foods.

Long run? LOL...

I already do weighted squats with weight on my back when few months ago I couldnt even do without weight..
go get that money now go and work on it all day stretch tight places and just squat..

[Josh]

My flexibility and balance continues to gradually improve over the long run, though it takes a step back when I cheat

Do you cheat on cooked meats Phil? Is this what decreases flexibility? Tx

[achillezzz]

LOLL

[PaleoPhil]

My flexibility and balance continues to gradually improve over the long run, though it takes a step back when I cheat

Do you cheat on cooked meats Phil? Is this what decreases flexibility? Tx

Cooked meats/fish, potatoes, rice, coffee at the caf. Sometimes when I'm still hungry after eating my raw food I get the least-bad cooked choices (for me) they have at the caf, like salmon with rice, though usually I'll get raw fruits and salad with a hard boiled egg or two.

Achillezzz, what is funny and what does "get that money now" refer to?

[Josh]

Oh right. I have an intuition that cooked meat can make you tight. I have been eating more cooked than raw for a while, and feel very tight.

I actually went for a swim in a lake, and felt my back stretching out. I think it's actually the muscle fascia not just the muscles.

[PaleoPhil]

I don't know for sure whether cooked meat alone does it to me that much, because I didn't pay that much detailed attention, the effect is subtle, and there is a delay between the time I eat the food and the mild decrease in flexibility. I wouldn't be surprised if it does, though.

[Josh]

Switching to a meat based diet in general has always seemed to make me more tight, and I think it might be part of the reason people get cramps.

In Daoist Tai-Chi, they may recommend the opposite to loosen up tendons...low red meat diet with lots of whole grains.

Perhaps when we eat meat, the tendons become thicker and need to loosen up again. It feels like it.

I'm quite happy to be strong and a bit less flexible, but the fascia tightening thing is probably not great and I'll be interested to see what happens when I get on fully raw.

[PaleoPhil]

In Daoist Tai-Chi, they may recommend the opposite to loosen up tendons...low red meat diet with lots of whole grains.

That's ironic. Precisely the opposite got rid of my chronic cramps and improved my flexibility. Lots of raw red meat and no grains.

[Josh]

Well it's nuanced...there's more than one thing going on. I think the Daoist thing can 'work' though..as in your body can have weaker tendons and muscles which makes you more supple.

[PaleoPhil]

Actually, it was again the opposite in my case. Years of eating wheat and other grains had weakened my tendons and muscles to the point where I had some connective tissue disorders (and at least one I probably had since birth) and the symptoms were getting gradually worse. When I cut out whole wheat and other whole grains and started eating more red meat and other "Paleo" foods, the symptoms stopped worsening and my connective tissues and muscles even strengthened some at the same time that my flexibility in my left arm and shoulder that had been tight improved and my cramps gradually diminished.

It's not surprising, because wheat has been strongly linked to connective tissue disorders. Sandy Simmons' Connective Tissue Disorder site (http://www.ctds.info/) is an excellent resource with articles and links to studies that link connective tissue disorders to wheat and other modern foods. Modern strains of wheat are the last food on earth I would recommend to anyone. Raw Paleo has been far superior to wheat and other grains in my case and in the cases of many other people I know of. I'm a little surprised that someone would mention a recommendation of whole grains in this forum given that so many of us do better on raw Paleo.

I'm intrigued by Daoism and Tai-Chi, so it's sad to hear that someone in Daoist Tai-Chi is advocating whole grains and discouraging intake of healthy food like quality red meat.

[Josh]

I'm not recommending it, but the more knowledge we have about how things work good or bad the better.

In my opinion it can work at what it sets out to do for some people. I think you agree we shouldn't make blanket statements about what works for people.

Anyway, I'm not recommending it to anyone, but in practise although they allow whole grains, the diet is mostly based around rice and vegetables and is low protein. This may be shit in all kinds of ways, but I think it can make people more flexible in some cases. I hear what you're saying that something similar didn't work for you. It may depend which factor in flexibility is predominant.

Of course for us switching to this diet to improve flexibility if it worked would be ridiculous, like switching to a mars bar diet to improve sprinting. It might work, but it will trash the body.

[achillezzz]

thats the moto for this thread.

[PaleoPhil]

Excellent motto achillezzz, thanks.

Glad you're not recommending it, Josh.