the times Saturday April 9 2022
Body + Soul 7
ble for memory and learning, he adds.
“But squats seem specifically good at in-
creasing blood flow to the cerebellum in
the back of the brain responsible for im-
portant processes such as breathing when
we sleep. If you do a squat routine three
times a week it can encourage the growth
of new brain cells more effectively than
something like walking,” Bailey says.
A beginner can quickly become strong
enough to incorporate a range of squats
into their routine. “Sitting in and out of a
chair is a great starting point,” Hewitt says.
“Then try a squat with your back to a wall,
before doing a free-standing squat.”
Blagrove suggests moving on to a basic
“zombie” squat — arms and hands out-
stretched — before trying a goblet squat
with a light dumbbell or kettlebell. “The
aim is to drop the hips straight downwards,
not push them backwards, and to keep the
torso relatively upright,” he says.
When you are proficient at squats on
two feet, you can challenge yourself
further with the single-leg variety. “Start
with modified single-leg squats by holding
on to a chair or using a TRX suspension
training device for support,” Wong says.
“Single-leg squats require extra ankle
stability and are exceptionally valuable in
the prevention of damage from falling.”
Paul Hobrough, a sports physiotherapist
and the author of Running Free of Injuries,
describes the single-leg squat as “the best
exercise you can do to injury-proof your
legs”, and a study at Texas State University
published in the Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research showed the single-
leg Bulgarian split squat (performed with
the back foot on a bench) works the
glutes and hamstring muscles up to 30 per
cent harder than a classic deadlift exercise
with weights.
“There are so many different types of
squat and each brings advantages to differ-
ent muscles,” Wong says. “Mix them up
and do a combination of squat exercises as
a workout three times a week or, as a mini-
mum, do some squats each morning and
evening. Just get them done.”that support the lower back. And, contrary
to what some people believe, Worthington
is keen to stress that squatting doesn’t put
undue stress on the knees.
“When you squat with good form —
moving simultaneously through all three
of the hip, knee and ankle joints and keep-
ing the centre of gravity between the feet
— then the majority of load should be
carried by the hip joint,” he says. “This has
significantly more muscle surrounding it
than the knee joint and is designed to bear
more load.” In fact, Blagrove says, squats
can be good for the knees. “Squatting will
actually improve mobility and strengthen
muscles around the knee,” he says. “Squats
will also improve the health of connective
tissue such as tendons, ligaments and
cartilage in the knee joint.”
And there’s more. Emerging research
shows there are even greater benefits from
regular squatting than muscle-strength
gains. Research from the University of
South Wales in Cardiff suggests squats
might boost your brain power.
For a study that is being submitted to the
journal Nature Communications, Damian
Bailey, a professor of physiology and bio-
chemistry and director of the neurovascu-
lar research programme, and his team
measured blood flow to the brain in a
group of untrained participants as they
performed squats. Bailey detected a
dramatic spike in blood flow, enough to
stimulate brain power, when they complet-
ed three minutes of slow, controlled squats
in which they took five seconds to lower
and five seconds to stand, or ten seconds
for each squat-and-stand phase. What are
the reasons for this cognitive boost? As you
squat and your head moves up and down,
blood flow to the brain speeds and slows
dramatically. “These changes in the rate of
blood flow can produce brain benefits as
oxygen to brain tissue increases and
molecules that stimulate new neurons and
cells are released,” Bailey says.
Complex and intense exercises such as
squatting enhance blood flow to the
hippocampus, part of the brain responsi-
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Good for a full body workout
Start with your feet together, standing
upright. Take a large step sideways
as you raise your arms in front of you,
parallel to the floor (1). Bend from the
hips, pressing your weight into your
heels and keeping your back straight.
Bend as deep as you can by lowering
your bottom to the floor (2). Push up
and return your feet to the starting
position. Beginners should start with
20 squats every morning, and 20 every
evening. As you get stronger, progress
to weighted squats.Dalton Wong’s guide to squats
Weighted squat
Intermediate
Goblet squat
Advanced
Good for working the back and core as
well as the glutes
As you get fitter, add some weight to
increase calorie burning and strength
gains. The added weight means your
upper body has to work harder to stay
upright, strengthening the core.
Stand with feet at a comfortable width,
toes facing slightly out, holding
a dumbbell in each hand (1). Keep back
straight and head up and then squat
down very slowly (count to five) until
thighs are parallel to the floor (2). From
the bottom of the squat push slowly
back to the start position (count to five)
and repeat for three minutes, three
times a week. As you get fitter, squat
even slower — count ten seconds down
and ten seconds up.Good for targeting glutes
and hamstrings
As you get fitter, move on to this
squat progression holding a kettlebell
or single dumbbell in front of you at
shoulder height and against your chest
(1). With your feet just wider than
shoulder width apart, hold the kettlebell
in front of you at shoulder height and
against your chest. Squat slowly (count
to five) as low as you can, keeping your
chest up, pushing your hips back and
your back straight (2). Push yourself
back up slowly (count to five) using
your glutes and quads. Repeat for three
minutes, three times a week. As you
get fitter, squat even slower — count ten
seconds down and ten seconds up.GETTY IMAGES; AMIT LENNON FOR THE TIMESZombie squat
Beginner
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