Squats are the exercise that most people love to hate. And it’s true: No matter which variation you perform, squats are really challenging. “Feel the burn” rarely feels like a more literal term than when we’re holding a squat.
But this challenge is also the source of many rewards. Even if you hate squats, there are a lot of good reasons why it’s worth learning to love them. Here are six of them.
1. Squats strengthen your lower body.
One of the obvious benefits of squats is that they’re an incredibly effective exercise for cultivating lower body strength. The move strengthens and tones the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. If you want definition in your lower body, squats are one of the best moves to add to your exercise routine. Furthermore, strengthening these muscles can improve mobility and balance, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
2. Squats strengthen the rest of your body.
If you’ve ever performed a squat, then I’m sure the first entry on this list didn’t surprise you. Of course squats strengthen the lower body. But it might impress you to learn that squats can actually improve muscle tone in the rest of your body, too. For starters, squats engage the entire torso, which strengthens the core (including lower- and mid-back muscles and abdominal muscles). Not only that, but when performed correctly, squats can release testosterone and human growth hormone and create an anabolic environment in the body. These processes support the development of muscle mass throughout the body.
3. Squats boost sports performance.
No matter what type of athlete you are or what sports you participate in, squats will boost your performance. Regularly incorporating squats into a workout routine has been shown to improve athletes’ vertical jump height, increase sprint times, and boost explosive power overall. Even endurance athletes can benefit from squatting: The move has been shown to improve running economy and biking efficiency.
4. Squats increase bone and joint health.
One study found that weighted squats can increase bone mineral density in the spine and neck. Additionally, strength training moves such as squatting have been shown to strengthen your joints along with your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This can help you maintain mobility of the joints and prevent joint issues as you age.
5. Squats support good posture.
Squats utilize muscles in the upper back, engage the core, and draw on muscles in both the front and back of the body. This adds up to strengthening the muscles that are required for healthy posture. Squats can also mitigate the posture-damaging effects of sitting at a desk all day by improving hip health.
6. Squats make day-to-day activities easier.
The squat is known as a functional exercise, which means it mimics movements that we’re likely to perform in our daily life. (For example, consider squatting to pick up a dropped item from the floor or to reach an item on the bottom shelf in the grocery store.) Regularly practicing squats can improve our strength and balance, thereby making these daily movements easier and safer.
Here’s another great reason to do squats: They’re totally free. They require zero special equipment (assuming you’re performing a bodyweight variation), and you can do them pretty much anywhere. In short, squats are a free, accessible exercise that can strengthen your entire body, improve your athletic performance, increase your bone and joint health, better your posture, and generally make your life easier. How could anyone say no to that?