It might not take a bank-busting full body physical to determine how healthy you are.
Experts say a simple workout move could reveal your strength and endurance.
Dr Edward Laskowski, who is a specialist in sports medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says that squats are a great indicator of athleticism and they can ‘help boost your performance in a variety of sports’.
The strength-building exercise focuses on working the leg muscles, with the focus being on the quadriceps and hamstrings.
To perform the move, New York-based personal trainer Natalya Alexeyenko told DailyMail.com that you should start out by ‘setting your stance’, with your feet shoulder-width apart, and toes slightly turned out.
Next up, it is important to engage your core, while maintaining a neutral spine without bending or rounding.
Then, Ms Alexeyenko says the trick is to ‘lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as deep as your mobility allows, ensuring your knees track over your toes’.
In terms of weight distribution, she advises keeping the weight in your quads and hips rather than shifting onto your toes or knees.
To complete a full squat, you then ‘descend slowly and push through your heels to return to the starting position, avoiding momentum’.
Dr Edward Laskowski, who is a specialist in sports medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota , says that squats are a great indicator of athleticism
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To complement the movement, she suggests inhaling as you lower and exhaling as you push back up.
Meanwhile, the arms should be extended ‘straight overhead’ throughout. If the arms remain aligned with your torso, she says it is a sign that your shoulder mobility is likely adequate.
‘If not, tight chest muscles could be internally rotating the shoulders, limiting their range of motion,’ she adds.
The Mayo Clinic says for most people, one set of 12 to 15 repetitions is adequate.
But based on age, Ms Alexeyenko gives a target number for squat counts, beginning with 20 to 30-year-old men and women.
She says men of this age should set a goal of 50 squats in 60 seconds, while women should work towards 45 to show a top fitness level.
While it seems like a high number, Ms Alexeyenko says ‘strength and endurance are typically at their peak in this age range and it should be attainable’.
As age increases, the target goal declines.
In the 31 to 40-year-old age bracket, the number drops by 10 for both men and women.
At this age, Ms Alexeyenko says instead of endurance, the ‘focus shifts to maintaining strength and mobility while preventing injury’.
Fast-forward 10 years to the 41 to 50-year-old camp, the fitness expert says women should be able to do 25 squats, while the count stands at 30 for men.
There is now evidence that just 20 minutes of physical activity per day slashes the risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease
Performing the move as you age, she says, will help to support joint health and boost functional strength.
For 51 to 60 year olds, the count for men decreases to 25 and 20 for women, while for those aged over 61, she says 5 to 15 squats will help to ‘maintain mobility and reduce the risk of falls’.
While Ms Alexeyenko says squats are an excellent way to assess the body’s joint mobility and core stability.
She says there are some key points to keep in mind.
In terms of depth and joint mobility, she reveals: ‘The depth of your squat largely depends on the mobility of your hip and ankle joints.
‘If the lower back feels tight, it can pull the hips upward, limiting depth and proper alignment.’
Meanwhile, when it comes to core stability, she warms that if your pelvis tilts downward at the lowest point of the squat, it may indicate weak core muscles that need strengthening for better stabilization.
