weight loss

You’ve seen me do the perfect squat in the video below (scroll down) and now I want to see you do it. Post a picture of yourself like I’m demonstrating on the left on my Facebook page or via Twitter  (PositivePortion #perfectsquat) and you could win a free copy of The Positive Portions Food & Fitness Journal.

The person who sends me a picture from (1) either the farthest away from my hometown of Redondo Beach, CA or (2) the most creative or odd place will win (don’t hold back).

Not only you be having fun, but you’ll also be spreading the word about how a simple exercise, done properly, can build overall strength and prevent painful, debilitating and expensive knee and back problems.

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Fitness trainer Erik Taylor is a lifelong athlete with several national running championships under his belt.

When I signed up with fitness trainer Erik Taylor, I knew I’d be in good shape (so to speak). Erik has spent over a decade training everybody from professional athletes to those just getting started, to people like me who want to take their fitness to the next level.

Erik taught me a new technique that revolutionized an exercise that’s been a staple in my workouts for years: the squat. After only a few reps, my legs were burning, my quads were fatigued, and I was sore the next day.

Scroll down to the video below to see a demonstration and read the Q&A to find out why Erik’s squat technique can help build strength and keep your legs and knees injury-free.

 Q&A with Erik Taylor

Erik, when most people do squats, what are they doing wrong?

The squat is a poorly understood exercise and most people—including trainers—have never learned how to do it properly.  The most common technique has people sitting down, like when you go to sit down in a chair, but then stopping when their hips are parallel to the ground.

What’s wrong with that?

Stopping at parallel prevents the hamstrings—the muscles in the back of the thighs—from engaging, which means those muscles aren’t building strength. This leads to an imbalance where people have strong muscles in the front of the legs and weak muscles in the back of the legs.

What are the risks of having weak hamstrings?

Your hamstrings protect your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which stabilizes your knees. Weak hamstrings translate into injury-prone knees.

How is your squat technique different from the common method?

I teach a full squat, which has your hips go below your knees. This builds strength and structural integrity in the entire leg, which I believe are the two most important aspects of working out—they’re your foundation and will help prevent injury. The squat is like water to your body—it works the body exactly as our skeletal biomechanics are designed.

I’ve always heard that you’re not supposed to go past a ninety-degree angle because it’s hard on the knees. Is that just a fitness urban legend?

It’s a myth; I’m not sure where that idea came from.  Any squat that doesn’t go below 90 degrees will stress the quadriceps and knees, but won’t stress the glutes, adductors, and hamstrings.  Bottom line is less than a 90-degree squat is a less effective squat. 

What if you do have knee problems? Can you still do the type of squat you teach?

If you do have knee problems, a proper squat will only help.  Squats strengthen the muscles around the knee.  This will help your knee stabilization through movements and sports activities.  But of course, if you’re injured in any way, you need to get the green light from your doctor before starting out.

What advice would you give someone just starting out on a path to fitness?

First I recommend you get clear on your goals: Do you want to lose weight, increase athletic performance, or improve general fitness? Once you get clear on what you want to achieve, you can formulate a plan.

Second, I recommend working one-on-one with someone who can help you reach those goals. Interview personal trainers, Pilates, boot camp, or yoga instructors.

Third, you want someone qualified and experienced. Don’t be afraid to ask for credentials.  You want someone to push you to your limit, but not put you at risk of injury.

And last, make sure they understand a full squat—it’s one of the most important exercises you can do.

Erik Taylor is certified Redondo Beach fitness trainer who conducts one-on-one and group training. He can be reached at www.eriktaylorfitness.com, on Facebook or via email at [email protected]

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