Have you ever seen a child squatting down checking out rocks, ants, or some other little critter crawling around on the ground and felt amazed by the ease and flexibility in their little body?

And then, when it’s time to get up, they pop right up with no effort at all.

Do your knees hurt just thinking about squatting like that?

Squatting is one of those abilities we’re born able to do easily and lose as we get older because we squat less and sit in chairs more.

There’s a good chance you’ve even heard that squatting is terrible for the knees.

Now, if your body has adapted to chair sitting, the last thing you want to do is drop down into a deep squat your joints aren’t ready for—that would be a terrible idea.

However, when you accommodate the current state of your muscles and joints, the squat can be super beneficial.

Squatting requires a fuller range of motion in the knees, hips, and ankles than sitting in a chair does.

And it’s the use of this wider range of motion that keeps joints lubricated and helps prevent arthritis.

Squatting also creates width in the bottom of your pelvis; which is fantastic for your pelvic floor.

Now, I know you might be thinking, “That’s all well and good Sydney, but I haven’t squatted since I was three years old and there’s no way I’m about to try it now.”

If this is you, I hear you and I have great news.

You don't have to be able to do a full squat to enjoy all the benefits of one.

In this video, I’ll show you how to take the squat and flip it to take pressure off the knees, create width in the bottom of your pelvis and give you more control in the position.

I’d love to hear how this one feels in your body. Tell me in the comments below.

Happy squatting,
Sydney

P.S. It can be hard to feel what's happening in your lower back and tailbone with this exercise, so use a mirror when you try it. It helps a ton!