Having a good set of legs can do wonders for you especially if they're strong and limber. The big thing is, if you don't maintain solid flexibility and realistic strength in your legs, it won't be long before they become a pain in the ass. You can lift a ton of weight, do the splits, run for miles and do hundreds of squats but if you have trouble getting up or getting into a deep squat and holding it, what was the real point of all those other things?
As we get older, it is important we respect and adapt to how our bodies begin to change and learn the true value of being able to do things that may seem so simple and easy to one person but to someone 50 and over, it is a blessing and a godsend that we are able to keep things in check and still have abilities that the average person doesn't. We as a people take for granted many times that in our youth, we feel invincible and can take on the world but before we know it, we are in walkers, getting hip replacements, knee problems, joint deterioration and feeling like broken down old dogs. It's nothing to scoff at.
Holding a squat as low as ass to grass nearly may be not all that much to the untrained eye but in reality, there's more going on than most would believe. It opens up the hips, can relieve pressure on the low back and strengthens the joints around the knees and ankles. A lot of people have trouble not only getting into a deep squat but even if they did, they don't have the strength or the flexibility/coordination to stand back up with ease. If you look at many people in Asia & Africa, you'll notice they will work, play or even just sit in a deep squat for long periods of time and very few get injured.
From a western point of view, the deep squat has been a feared exercise because you see people like lifters, farmers, baseball players and laborers develop bad knees and hip and joint problems as they get older because they've held or done so much squatting over their lifetime that it's become problematic and having hips and knees replaced more often than practically anywhere else. The realism behind that is that when certain tasks become repetitive over a period of time, yes it can happen but there's more to it than just repetitive movements or being in awkward positions.
When you really train the very depths of the deep squat, depending on your condition and health, there are incredible benefits that are way overlooked. I've trained my legs over many years and rarely if ever got injured since my big injury at 20, sure I've been sore many times but never had severe joint problems. I attribute the way I can hold a deep squat for a solid period of time was because of my training from Hindu Squats, Step Ups, Isometrics and the dynamic flexibility leg exercises I've done over the years. Someone once asked me to hold the deepest squat I could for 10 minutes because they didn't believe it was possible, I did it with ease. Once you understand how the deep squat is worked, it becomes almost meditative by just breathing and sinking into it with no tension.
A squat is more than just a squat, it's a natural aspect of the human condition and it's not about how long you can hold it or if you squat so low that your ass is touching the ground, it's about using it to maintain your health and overall well being, it's like physical medicine for the muscles, joints, organs and your raspatory system. Some people can't do it because of severe problems hey have developed which is sad and it's heartbreaking that has happened but for those who still have a chance, make it work for you and do it for your health and overall fitness.
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