mobility
Deep Squat Hold
Warmup, no need to log this.
Works in
home, gym, calisthenics
Equipment
none
Primary muscles
hips, ankles
Why do it
I use this to warm up the legs and open the hips before squatting, and as rehab and mobility work for stiff hips and ankles. Sitting in the bottom of a deep squat and breathing there restores range most people have lost from sitting all day. Keep the heels down and gently press the knees out.
How to do it
Sink into the bottom of a deep squat with the feet flat and the chest as upright as possible. Use the elbows to gently press the knees out and sink the hips lower. Hold the position and breathe, keeping the heels grounded.
What the science says
A network meta-analysis of 270 trials found isometric holds like the wall sit were the single most effective way to lower resting blood pressure (Edwards et al., 2023, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
Fun fact
Resting in a deep squat is not really an Asian thing, it is a human thing. Small children everywhere drop into it naturally, and people sat this way for daily tasks long before chairs trained it out of us.