One of my pet peeves in the fitness space is too many choices. The number of choices and options there are can be overwhelming to consider when trying to work towards your goals, be it weight loss, muscle gain, improved energy, ROM, or even something more specific.

That’s why I love squats. Everybody benefits from them pretty much regardless of their goal, anyone can learn them, they’re scalable, effective, tested and proven on millions of humans. Here are 10 reasons why you should prioritize them:

1. Mobility: Fullest ROM of any exercise in the ankles, knees, and hips. Mobility is use it or lose it. Consistent squatting (of any/all kinds) is the best I know how you can keep using it.
2. Variety: Front, Back, Overhead, Box, Thrusters, Squat Jumps, Single Leg, Goblet, Kettlebell, Banded, so many options! This allows for targeting muscle groups and wink links, and never getting bored.
3. General Leg Strength: helps with… all other leg exercises, which are the human body’s power center, and applicable to all sports.
4. Inherently safe when done correctly, even with big weights. Balanced forces at all joints and clear definitions for what constitutes good technique.
5. Running/Climbing Transference: Improves running, especially acceleration and climbing hills
6. Predictable Growth: There are lots of squat program that work, and people are constantly proving how effective squats are at building strength, and that anyone can do it
7. HGH/T Stimulating: Most direct way to gain muscle mass: produces significant hormonal stimulus (probably the most of any single movement), which also increases your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which helps if you have a weight loss goal.
8. Skilled Lifting Transference: Did you know with good technique you can Clean 80% of your Back Squat, and Snatch 80% of your Clean? Strength developed through squatting translates directly to the olympic lifts, which are the pinnacle of skilled power movements
9. Develops Grit: AMRAP Back Squats, for example, will enable some of your lifetime best physical efforts across all movement types. You will create memories that make you go, “wow, I can hardly believe I did that.” With the proper guidance and education, it can all be done in a safe, scalable way that makes you feel empowered.
10. Transferable Study: It is rare in life that we have such clarity with the method and tools to develop our physical abilities to their potential. Because squatting has been so thoroughly studied, the methods and progress rates well-defined, how to troubleshoot various common scenarios, etc.. You can apply to skills you learn in developing them to other areas of your education, career, and life.

Coach Mauricio