When’s the last time you sat in a deep squat? Or, more specifically: how long can you stay there?
In theory, squatting should be easy. All it takes is sitting down and resting on your haunches. It’s so easy, in fact, that we discover it very early as babies. Spend any time around small children, and you’ll notice that they come into this position frequently.
But try it now, and chances are you’ll quickly feel the tension or tightness in your ankles, hips, and calves.
Why does it feel so difficult to sit in a deep squat, and how can we practice them more to gain the long-term health benefits?
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Why can babies deep squat but adults can’t?
The idea that adults can’t hold a deep squat is a bit of a myth. Some people will naturally be more comfortable in a deep squat than others, for a variety of different reasons, including anatomy and any underlying health conditions. There is no one-size-fits-all.
Babies do have an easier time doing it than most adults, partly because they have a much lower centre of gravity, and their large heads and shorter limbs help with weight distribution.
But there are plenty of cultures where people never stop sitting on their haunches. In China and Japan, people comfortably rest in a deep squat well into old age.
The main reason some of us lose our ability to hold a deep squat is lack of practice. As babies, we spend lots of time on the floor, with sitting on our haunches a very natural resting place in between crawling, rolling, and playing. But as we grow up, we stop engaging with these kinds of movements, leading us to lose mobility and joint strength.
Here’s a great Strong Like Mum routine for improving mobility:
Why you should learn how to hold a deep squat
Sitting on your haunches (for any period of time) is a great exercise for improving quad, glute, calf and core strength. It also builds joint mobility in the ankles, knees, and hips, and is good for managing and improving balance.
There’s also flexion in the spine, and the lower back is lengthened, easing tension and tightness.
How to perfect the deep squat
One of the most important things to remember in a deep squat is to keep your feet flat. Don’t grip the ground with your toes, either.
If you feel tightness, tension, or pain in your ankles when trying to deep squat, you might be struggling with ankle mobility. In this case, you can reduce this tension by lifting your heels using a weight, block, or even a thick book.
Make sure your torso doesn’t collapse inwards. You want to ‘sit up’ in the squat, rather than letting your spine arch in. This is where your core strength and balance come into the equation.
Make sure your legs are shoulder-width or slightly further apart, and avoid letting your knees come in to a narrow squat.
It’s worth mentioning that everyone squats slightly differently, depending on their anatomy. But keeping focus on these areas will make sure that you’re getting the most out of every deep squat.
The secret longevity of deep squat sitting
When we sit in a deep squat, we can counteract the negative effects of sitting in a chair. Part of the reason it’s so difficult for lots of us to sit like this is because of all the time we spend sitting in chairs, which allow our ankles to relax as our bodies are supported. This means that when we put lots of pressure on the muscles, they aren’t able to be as flexible or strong.
It comes with stretching out your calves, strengthening your core in order to hold that balance and stability, strengthening the lower body muscles like your glutes and your quads to hold that position, and creating that mobility in the hips and the ankles.
For more evidence-based workouts, routines, and advice for anyone navigating motherhood, subscribe to Strong Like Mum on YouTube.
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