The Squat--The Perfect Anti-Aging Exercise

The Squat--what can't it do? One of the reasons I wanted to do CrossFit was to learn how to squat properly. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had a hard time learning to squat because my glute muscles (my rear-end) did not fire properly. This was because I hadn't used them for many years. Years of sedentary living--from chair to car to couch to bed, had given me dormant glutes. Even when I was running regularly, I didn't really have to fire my glute muscles very much.

I have done a lot of reading on lifts that help fitness and function as you age, and squats and deadlifts are always the top two. Heavy lifting can help increase bone density, and squatting helps increase joint function--specifically the knees and the hips which are two areas that older folks typically have trouble with. Many people think that lifting over a certain age is dangerous, and that it can hurt your joints, but I can attest to the fact that if done properly, weight lifting can free you to live a longer, healthier, and much more active life. Don't let the naysayers or the internet experts tell you otherwise--you can lift heavy weights as you age.

It has long been recognized that the 'third world squat' is a movement that comes naturally to humans, but after we age out of toddlerhood, we just don't do it anymore. I'm here to encourage you to try the squat for yourself and reap the benefits!