To Your Health
October, 2010 (Vol. 04, Issue 10)
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The Do's and Don'ts of Proper Squat Performance (in order of importance)

The squat is a key exercise to tone and tighten your backside, but there's a right way and a wrong way to do them. Here are the "Do's" and "Don'ts" of proper squat performance; constantly refer to them until you've got the proper squat movement down. In the beginning, it might be easier to focus on a few of these recommendations each workout until you've memorized them all - covering it all in one day might be too much for you to handle.

proper squat - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Do:

  • Stand with feet a few inches wider than shoulder width
  • Point your toes away from center at 45 degrees
  • Keep your toes raised and weight on heels
  • Keep your lower shins straight up and down
  • Begin by rocking buttocks back
  • Slowly lower into the squat and stay flexed
  • Keep your chest and eyes up
  • Keep the buttocks flexed during the entire movement

Don't:

  • Stand with your feet too close to one another
  • Stand with toes pointed straight
  • Allow your toes to touch the floor completely
  • Let your knees extend past your toes
  • Keep your buttocks tucked under you
  • Simply drop down to a low position
  • Look down to the ground or straight ahead
  • Move through the exercise relaxed

Sample Cardio (Treadmill) Programs to Tone and Tighten Your Buttocks

treadmill running - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Cardio Program #1

  1. Walk for five minutes at 3.0
  2. Do 50 deep step-ups
  3. Walk for five minutes at 4.0 (incline optional)
  4. Do 50 deep knee squats
  5. Jog for five minutes at 5.0
  6. Do two minutes of camel walks
  7. Walk for five minutes at 4.0

Cardio Program #2

  1. Walk for five minutes at 3.0
  2. Do 50 deep step-ups
  3. Lunge on the treadmill for five minutes at 2.5
  4. Do 50 deep knee squats
  5. Jog for five minutes at 5.0
  6. Do five minutes of camel walks; then walk for five minutes on full incline at 3.0
  7. Walk for five minutes at 4.0

David Ryan, BS, DC, a former two-sport professional athlete with more than 20 years in the health care field, is on the editorial review board of Muscle & Fitness magazine and is a chief feature writer for BodyBuilding.com. He has been the medical director and co-chairman of the Arnold [Schwarzenegger] Sports Festival since 1997.