How to improve your squat form if you have a tight body
There are many reasons why you might want to improve your squat form. You might want to improve the way that you move in a sport that you like or improve your performance in your strength and conditioning sessions. Whatever it may be there are a tone of benefits from improving your squat form. You will start to move better and feel looser from the stretch routine that you have set. It will also make your back pain go away and it will help your body as you get older. As you may know from reading past articles, when you get past 40 your body start to get tighter.
Improve flexibility and mobility
The first aspect you need to focus on is your flexibility of your body. Not just your lower body but your whole body. From your upper back and chest right down to your quadriceps and glutes. The reason you have to stretch your upper body is because your lower body will pull on the upper muscles if the lower muscle are too tight. Causing your back to arch. This will not allow you to distribute your weight properly when squatting if your back in arching.
Start a stretch routine that you can do everyday. This can be a yoga flow for 15 minute that stretches all the vital muscle groups. Or if you want to start a little easier you may want to warm your body up and perform some stating stretches for 10-15 minutes a day. This will help you start to make your body more mobile a flexible. Due to your increased flexibility in the coming month you will be able to see great improvements in your squat form.
Be consistent with your training
The next tool to bettering the form or your squat is to practice your squat in different ways starting with the basics. If you need a little extra help with your heels use an elevated surface to help you get lower. You can do this by placing a book or a weight plate under your heel whilst squatting. The more that you squat the more your body will start to respond to the movement. Slowly but surly you will see improvements. Keep increasing your ability every week by changing the variables of your position. You can start you put your hands above your head when squatting and start to take the elevation on your heels away. This will show you that you are on the right path and soon you will be adding weight and performing your squat perfectly
Strength through range
To be able to be flexible and be strong you have to be able to push or pull through a movement when at the longest point of muscle tension. This will help your flexibility whilst you start to get a stronger. Use the range of motion you have at the moment and start to build it and make it longer until you find your area that you body and your coach is happy with. Then you can start to add more weight to your sessions and start to build muscle that is strong and flexible. There is no use having muscle that is strong but not flexible. Therefore, when you are doing your repetitions during your sessions make sure to use the full ROM (range of motion) of your muscle.
Looking for help from a personal trainer
If you are looking for a personal trainer based in Sunningdale for more help with your squat form. We are hear to help. We are usually mobile personal trainers. However, during the cover 19 situation we are offering online programming and FaceTime/skype sessions. The FaceTime sessions are working great with clients who are working on specific goals. So that we can correct your form as we guide you through the workout.
Stay safe and healthy during this time.