The squat is one of the best exercises ever. It is a fundamental movement, from the moment you swing your legs off the bed you must squat to stand up. When performed correctly the squat activates muscles throughout the entire body. This includes the calves, quads and hamstrings, glutes and hip flexors, abs and back muscles.

By spending considerable time sitting on a chair our bodies lose vital strength and flexibility to be able to perform the squat properly. Predominantly our hip flexors become tight from constant shortening, our glutes become weak from lack of activation, our lower back becomes rounded from hunching over and we lose ankle dorsi-flexion mobility. For those unfamiliar with what ankle dorsi-flexion is, it is the movement of lifting your toes up towards your knee. People who have excellent dorsi-flexion are able to let their knee travel far in front of their toes during the squat movement, which is desirable to reduce rounding of the back.

Where the Power Strap assisted squat is helpful

By using our Power Straps you can perform an assisted squat. This enables you to take some of your bodyweight in your arms and back. This can also be done using the Dynamic Bands to increase difficulty. Which makes the exercise easier, but it allows you to get the correct range of motion.

To perform the squat properly, you should have a straight back and chest up. Due to the issues mention above, most people end up with a rounded back and their chest facing the floor. This is a strategy used to stop yourself from falling backwards. This is usually due to the issues mentioned above, weak and inactive muscles, tight opposing muscles and lack of mobility especially in the ankle.

By using the Power Straps you can perform the assisted squat and ‘sit back’ into the exercise and stop yourself from falling backwards. This enables you to reach a deep range of motion, whilst maintaining a straight back. This also allows you to focus on the right muscles, which should be working in the first place.

This exercise should be used in combination with additional strength and mobility exercises. The ultimate goal after a few years of development is to be able to perform the squat perfectly without the Power Strap assistance. You can also move onto more difficult exercises such as the Pistol Squat.