STOP Doing this Exercise

[@margaretmartinpt]

Most people are not aware that this form of the squat can cause problems. I explain why.

[@alozzola3270]

@Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist Hello and thank you for this, yet again, very informative video ! May I ask you what your opinion is on the so-called "super brain squat" please ? I sincerely hope you'll be able to read + anwswer me & I wish you a lovely weekend...

[@Igweka7695]

Thanks. You opened my eyes. Good job keep it up.

[@helencameron7721]

I knew I had arthritis on my right knee with no problems until I did this exercise at a Body Works class.

[@DessicatedCadaver]

There’s one squat variation that I’ve been doing for years and zero back pain so far - and it incorporates all the points you have made, except it pushes them even further: it’s called the Hackenschmidt Squat (named after George Hackenschmidt). Basically, it involves holding the weight bar with both hands close together *behind your back*, resting more or less on the small of your back. That really pulls your arms back and chest forward. I modified it slightly to do all my Hackenschmidt squats on my toes. I don’t do heavy, just 40lbs, but I do it continuously for 30 minutes (i.e. several hundred squats), twice a week. Hackenschmidt squats are “@$$ to grass”, i.e. all the way down. Such a long workout incorporates both weight and cardio, and I find it excellent conditioning. Been doing it for years, so far so good, zero injuries!

[@Isaiah-eg3wg]

I was a powerlifter in my youth. I’m 55 now and have excluded all squats except sissy squats that are not for any sissy… Saved my back and knees. Your thoughts? Recommendation for alternatives?

[@simonrankin9177]

This lady is a warm soul ,and has great manners , i could watch her all day..

[@katherinegan9196]

Margaret, I love the plants on your stairs. Such a thoughtful touch on your part. It matches your pleasant and professional personality. Thank you!

[@soheilas1936]

THANK YOU!! I explained to a trainer that this exercise was uncomfortable and the response was - well everyone gets used to it 😮. Your explanation & alternatives are exactly what I have been looking for. ❤

[@ashleylala4293]

Lady, if you want plants on your staircase, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. You are providing a service and people should be grateful.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Thank you

[@chentevidal]

Actually her plants are beautiful!!

[@leobreton3819]

The explanations is not for her defense it's for YOUR education.

[@dagaffer2269]

@@margaretmartinpt thank you for the great video. Please ignore ignorant comments. 🙏❤

[@lyndamedley4789]

Very good video thank you for your wise advise. I will try this

[@WendyWahman]

My favorite way to do squats and lunges is with my back against a big ball on the wall. I can hold weights, or not, and it helps me keep good posture and adds a little balance challenge. I was relieved you didn’t say get rid of squats entire,y. Thank you for so many great tutorials!

[@genemet8174]

Thanks so much, I am 74 and have been doing them the wrong way for over a year, I was wondering why my lower back has bothered me so much.

[@a191015]

Same here my back always hurt when I follow the other method

[@evelynwoolston7]

I have arthritis in my knees. I Iink my hands behind my head, lean back against them and tilt my head slightly upwards as if I was relaxing on a sun lounger. As I squat I squeeze my bottom muscles. It takes all the weight off my knees.

[@paulasimson4939]

I don't know how the KZbin gods knew I needed your channel, but I'm so glad it was recommended to me. Sensible, qualified advice.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Hi Paula. Happy to hear that we connected.

[@vicbaker8367]

Excellent tip. A physical therapist suggested keeping your hands in line, but I never heard why.

[@eugeniapwilk6471]

Dear lady, you are so nice and your videos are so clear and your way of speaking! You can't imagine what I would give to be able to consult you personally! Thank you very much for your contribution! affectionate greetings from México City.

[@judithannataylor]

Thanks Margaret. It's always helpful to know and understand why not to do something. You explain so clearly

[@margaretmartinpt]

You are so welcome

[@ebeep]

OMG, I just blew out my back last Tuesday mid-squat. It was the absolute worst back injury I have ever experienced. I sm still not recovered. I am terrified of squats now, but I will come back to this if/when I regain some bravery.

[@ItratAbbas-rj2gl]

Get well soon 😊

[@TrueBlade-1889]

And it never will. Herniated discs are like gum disease and Cannabis psychosis. ... You can only ever "manage" it from now on. There is NO putting that genie back in the bottle.

[@dagaffer2269]

You are 💯 right. When I used to do them it made my knee pain worse. So I switched to hindu squats and that has helped me no end.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Happy to hear that your knees are better

[@Hannah-pc7hg]

Thank you for adressing the little details that passes most of us by 🥰

[@margaretmartinpt]

You are so welcome!

[@TheCherrybaker]

Thank you for this , teaching a good squat done correctly is so so important . Squatting is functional , yes you don’t need arms out in front but you can squat without the arms out in front . You can’t get in and out of a car or on and off the toilet ! Correct lifting technique . Teach options for arms but do not stop squatting !

[@GosWardHen98]

It's been a whole year since my Partial-Nephrectamy & the 1 thing I've Been able to do since the beginning of month 3 is Squats, slow & steady at first & now a regular in my fitness routines. I restarted my fitness with your videos last February for getting back into routine with slow measured stretches you have videos & now regularly return to check out your advice. That's a good point Margaret with the hands & arms, because I was a bit unbalanced at first my core muscles weren't working too well for quite a while so, after finding my best stance to get moving again I starred by pushing against the chair seat so it was safe & easy to do the squats from my chair. Now I'm using the chest method with 5kg weights at 3 reps of 30. Great info for the Squats.

[@jameslangschied7900]

Those of us who are older need to be very mindful and careful about exercises that YOUNGER people are doing. A rigid, older body is more prone to injury doing some exercises, especially if those exercises are done incorrectly. At 70 and 80 or more, knees, muscles, tendons, bones and heart function need to be treated with a focused, correct mindset. Thanks Margaret for these tips.

[@emilemontiere6128]

Wow i love squats but guilty of holding my arms out. These alternatives make good sense. Many thanks Margaret for this sound advice.

[@clementlaurent4104]

Hello Margaret, thank you for your confirmation of what my body was telling me. I began with hand forward but gradually I adopted the 1rst and 2nd alternative but I was not sure it was the right moves. Thank you so much

[@leciablackmon3817]

Thanks for your channel. I have arthritis in my back and spine and this great info. No more hand out in front for me. I am very active and want to continue to be.🙂

[@Maggie-kc7yp]

This information on squats is so valuable, thank you. BTW, great color blue for you, really brings out the blue in your eyes. Hair is great, too. have been following you for years and you look better and better. How many of us can say that as we age?

[@ελευθερία-ε2ο]

Title is a bit misleading, but thank you for the advice. Makes sense.

[@robertmann6807]

Many thanks Margaret! Love your teaching style and presentation; and of course the quality of your information!

[@gregripp]

Thank you for recommending correct posture while exercising. I see so many people at the gym with their heads down and other strange postures and bad exercises that everyone should be aware of and not do.

[@qlnbd]

Interesting. I have had back problems so I thought I would give your alternatives a try. Hands on hips and head worked well but hands on chest seemed to increase pressure on my knees, especially my left knee that still suffers the effects of an old sports injury. Thank you.

[@legalbeagle5712]

Try squeezing butter

[@carolluther1625]

Love your demonstration of good form/technique. Your plants are lovely and a nice backdrop! Thanks!

[@garyhuntsr71698]

❤ I have been practicing your directions for years, and I'm so grateful but I am finally attested correct... thank you so much😂🎉

[@annied4970]

I am so glad I watched this. I was doing this and I noticed my back was constantly hurting even though I was making sure I was doing it “right” … and I always wondered if it was good for my knees😳🙄

[@margaretmartinpt]

Glad it helped!

[@annied4970]

@@margaretmartinpt Definitely! Thank you for your wisdom and your time.

[@matthewbeumer3168]

I teach an older client base and shall no longer do this with them . Thank you Matt the pilates teacher.

[@suzyq6767]

Excellent! I'll change the way I do squats tomorrow morning. Thank you.

[@Hannah-pc7hg]

I came back to this video to tell everyone that this change alone did wonders for my posture, just in a couple of months. Huge difference. It really works. 😃 I was going to come back and share it, but forgot about it, since I had a lot of other things on my mind. So I come back to share it now. Thank you again Margaret 🥰

[@youcube78]

I have hemorrhoid's. Squat make them worse, more stress on pelvic floor, am happy I left this negative exercise.

[@margyb7469]

Thankyou. I did find that having my arms out did push me forward. I will now try your methods.

[@niguel4438]

New subscriber with sciatica. My Ostiopath criticised my squats for exactly the same reasons. Thanks.

[@brianmorris2643]

Not 100% sure, but I think squats fired up sciatica..I believe I was doing them with proper form.

[@maritzaghitza6373]

Valuable information. Much gratitude for sharing.

[@annaargyriou861]

Thanks for squats demonstration! Excellent information.

[@kathleenrosemarygarrett9564]

Thank you. Didn't know this. Lovely plants 🌿

[@margaretmartinpt]

Thank you

[@senianns9522]

It certainly is a functional exercise here in Thailand, especially when you are travelling 'upcountry'! No sitting toilets abound! Squatters only and then there's the water splash to finish off! Yep! Still happens!

[@maryd2409]

Thank you Margaret ! Excellent information - much appreciated !😊

[@svnrm2004]

Thank you so much Margaret. 👍I always had reservation for the usual squats. 🙂

[@marynguyen6417]

I am glad that I have done it right intuitively. Thank you!

[@jorgerivas1424]

My chiropractor highly recommends this exercise. Thanks! I'll try it every morning.

[@nursesona7227]

How do you like to be addressed? Appreciate your warm and natural instructional style.

[@kiransharma7848]

Thank you so much for educating us here regarding squats.❣🌺❤🙏

[@gregoryselner7261]

Thank You for sharing this information with us. I’m always looking for a better way to exercise.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Happy to help

[@JJ-jz3uw]

Hmm - when you are squatting with a weight just in front of the body (or above the body and keeping your arms vertical), the weight itself helps you to maintain your balance. When there is no extra weight, the arms extended outwards (straight or bent, depending on the need) work as a counterweight and do the same. Your core muscels should be able to keep the (lower) back straightend and thus protect the spine. As an amateur I don't see a major problem with this if the movement is otherwise executed correctly. (However, doing this holding e.g. a kettlebell and keeping the arms extended outwards in front of you doesn't sound like a good idea thinking about the spine health.)

[@Ariele.Foster]

Yep. This video is unnecessarily kinesiophobic. She lost me when she pulled up a study from 1976. PTs (I'm one) should be encouraging resilience in an increasingly wide set of movements and positions, not limiting people's capacity or making them movement perfectionists. We get injured in the positions we don't train in. (Also: yes, the stock video within this one of the person using her arm strength to lift a kettle bell out in front of her was defeating the point of the kettlebells. You are supposed to lift the kettlebell from the power of extending your knees and hips). So much unnecessarily wrong, unevidenced and picky information is in this video.

[@BobsCountry]

Very helpful tip, I just got started on an exercise regimen, and this is good info to know! I subbed!

[@GoldKingsMan]

Ya I did this on CrossFit, not extended out but hands clasped and front of chest.

[@paradiseawaits821]

Thank you so much, I will never do the "air squat" again!! No wonder that squat never seemed to work for me. My balance always seemed off somewhat and I could never keep my back straight, it always seems to curve on me. I tried the 3 you demonstrated and I love them all. The 3rd one is my favorite.

[@bobdickson188]

An air squat is simply a squat without weights so, regardless of how you hold your arms, her versions are all air squats. She's right about not holding your arms out in front of you though. I hold mine behind my back, with hands clasped in my lordosis.

[@paradiseawaits821]

@@bobdickson188 I get it, thanks

[@holasoyjose9683]

thank you....I was doing exactly that exercises and now I know why I shouldn't. Even the study you showed was very clarifying. It is interesting for you to know that the reason to do that exercises in this position was to balance the body and be able to go down to the lowest level in order to work the full motion range of the knees, having a very stiff hip

[@TheRobynbrown]

You are spot on - I had a personal training that made me do lots of squats like this - and guess where I ended up - yep a bulging disc!

[@tinali5309]

Good morning Margaret, thank you so much for reminding me. I have to do it everyday in a proper way!

[@paulbonham7803]

I have been doing air squats with my hands over my chest, and I go all the way to the floor. I haven’t had any problems doing these. I am a little hesitant to use weight because I am a 61-year-old male. I usually do two sets of 11. I haven’t had any issues whatsoever.thank you for the good information.

[@cremebrulee4759]

Thank you. This makes so much sense.

[@louiseboyd8896]

Thank you for the validation....I have instinctively done squats with hands on the hips....never air squats....

[@Hippy2021]

Beautiful presentation. I squat daily for years. I am 70, no experiencing with any back pain or knees issues yet. I also do squat sitting on my feet during the day and crawling on floor in the house. These exercise help me to endure my daily hour walking and weekly hiking. Thank you. Will make done changes in my new squatting

[@M_SC]

Wow you are doing well. My back started hurting when I was 20. And my Knees by 25. I wasn’t overweight. Now I am.

[@ytr8989]

That’s how I do body squat so good to see I’m doing them right. When I was young I did a lot of weight training. However, recently squats have bothered my knees.

[@juleshall1495]

Excellent video - Thank You

[@sophieg8522]

Margaret, there are studies showing the red and near-infrared red lught therapy is beneficial for people with osteoporosis. Have you heard or read about this? What are your thoughts?

[@dharkling890]

Thank you for your videos. I really need to do squats and get my butt in shape lol. Now I know I won't hurt myself doing it. I like the way you teach. I'm a new sub.

[@ruth5498]

Great tips. I was not at all aware of this! Thank you so much, Margret!

[@KreatedbyKrause]

Interesting. I do squats but never with my arms straight out. I usually cross my arms across my chest.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Now you know! Thanks for following me.

[@cublau]

Very good advice! Never thought about it. But it is logic and the alternatives feel much better. Thanks a lot!

[@Mekta60]

Thanks Margaret for your helpful lesson .

[@christinegerard4974]

Thank you . Smart and precious…

[@hiranyamandalaschoolofyoga6478]

Hello, Margaret. I really appreciate your explanation, and the presentation is very professional. 🙏

[@annetnamuli6040]

Thanks so much mrs Margret , ihave been used to that.God bless you 🙏🙏

[@margaretmartinpt]

Thank you

[@diauser3327]

first time on your channel, thanks for the tips and awesome explanation, as me with severe knee pain, could never understand why ppl doing such hard squats, now got answers,

[@beoz658]

At the end you said stop doing air squats. But you showed 3 ways to do air squats are those 3 ok and safe and do you recommend those 3?

[@benthelearner6104]

That makes perfect sense that we never put or arms in that position... It makes me also think about people running backward... When will you need to do that?

[@pramujisinggihriyanto6901]

Thanks Lady for the excellent advice... To aviod harms n have useful posture memory of muscles.

[@survivalhealthandhealingtv5651]

I LIKE THE "CORNER OF THE BED SQUATS" BEST...B/C I CAN DO MORE AND CHANGE MY FEET POSITION TO GET OTHER AREAS THAT THE FORWARD-ONLY SQUATS DON'T...CAN YOU COME UP WITH A BEDROOM WORKOUT THAT WOULD BE FUN AND EASY? I LOVE YOUR STYLE OF TEACHING AND YOUR GREAT SMILE!

[@annhamman5096]

Thank you, Margaret!

[@sb2333]

I saw your video just in time before I plan to add squats to my exercise routine. A big THANK YOU!

[@margaretmartinpt]

You're so welcome!

[@oranna42]

Thanks Margaret, this is great info, do you have any suggestions for doing squats in a way that does not make your knees ache?

[@margaretmartinpt]

Take a look at these videos on squats. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWPNk6eFhsSVmq8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKfTdGyHoLmWabs

[@oranna42]

@@margaretmartinpt Thank you!

[@cesalt2408]

I'm learning so much from you, and your books just arrived in the mail today. Wonderful!

[@margaretmartinpt]

Glad you like them!

[@hereholdthiswillya]

Thank you for giving us pro pointers for getting the best from the time we invest in our physical fitness. The plants look lovely by the way. I once had stairs to a rarely used attic. I used them as a bookcase. It was lovely to me.

[@Featherfuss]

Thank you, I have always suspected this.

[@azdhan]

Great video! Many thanks for sharing. Curious, what are your views on backwards/retro walking?

[@cynthiabeede7889]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I appreciate your much needed advice ❤

[@margaretmartinpt]

My pleasure

[@anamohd7916]

I’m glad I read this the squats. Tq for the guideline for other exercise.

[@susibul5320]

Great advice, thank you Margaret.

[@margaretmartinpt]

You are so welcome!

[@gemmadidit4118]

Actually, when I'm needing a little momentum to get up from a chair I DO put my arms out. It's easier than just leaning forward. I just put more emphasis on my glutes to to push through. Never had any problems with it.

[@kimwestwood8840]

Thank you for sharing nice lady

[@kseniak3963]

Thank you very much for advsing against this kind of squat. I will definitely modify my squat.

[@Johnny-wo7rc]

Squat is one of the best compound exercise when done correctly.

[@tonycollazorappo]

I was always trained to do it with your hands against your chest. Like you said, I would think that if your arms were out in front of you would be awkward and it would hurt my lower back. Thank you for this information.

[@topotone]

Great Margaret! Someone had just told me to do those air squats to help my knee. Have some sort of injury in there that prevents me from squatting low into a deep bend. I'll have to try your suggestions, along with your other advise on knee probs. Really appreciate your vids...we ❤ you

[@margaretmartinpt]

Glad it was helpful.

[@niahoward1920]

Consider doing knee strengthening exercises from a seated position. They are much safer, and they will strengthen your knees.

[@harveydoherty6995]

@@niahoward1920 squats are safe, But most people don't warm up enough, w partial squats first. They hurry into a full squat! When the exercise should be comfortable.. And. Squatting must be done your whole life for every human being to be healthy!!

[@tonyledrew9560]

Great advice !! I have herniated disc lumbar any suggestions for me?

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

Cheers Maggie, I'll stop with the arms out number when doing my warm up for leg days.

[@HP-oq9gz]

Thank you for such a helpful and well explained video.

[@margaretmartinpt]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marynoonan6111]

I’ve been told by two gynaecologist to NOT do this exercise - ever. Ive had several Gyne opps (hysterectomy and prolapses etc) and Im just NOT to do them.

[@studfinderball]

I do squats from my chin up bar standing on a 16" tall non skid stool. That way I can use the bar to pull myself up from the squat position and hanging onto the bar I don't over squat and stress my knees on the way down.

[@kathylotter1966]

I just found you and I'm thrilled to be here!! 2 things... First....where did you get your weight vest? And....do you have any workouts using resistance bands or the resistance concepts. Thank you 😊

[@davidvincent8929]

THANK YOU, MARGARET MARTIN

[@a191015]

Your method my lower back doesn’t hurt my back thanks

[@TruthSeeker12345]

Many thanks for the advice...

[@Nitronerd]

I appreciate and practice your squat alternatives. Thank you.

[@monicaj3023]

is it normal to feel tender knee pain after doing squats? Should I wear a support knee brace to avoid this ? Thank you

[@sohailyousuf5479]

Thanks respected Margaret