If you’ve ever traveled to Asian countries, you must have seen people sitting on their feet and resting their hands on their knees. Well, that’s the signature Asian squat!
Google out some pictures of the Asian squat and you’ll see Asian people sitting on their feet in the most random places. Well, they say, “there is no place for squatting and it is ok to rest whenever and wherever you want!”
This might seem like a normal sitting position to most of you but you won’t believe that it holds a lot of benefits as well!
This article includes a comprehensive overview of this magnificent Asian pose exploring its benefits, how-to practice, and equivalent alternatives. So, keep reading!
What is the Asian Squat?
People in Asian nations perform a deep squat which is referred to as the Asian squat. It is a multi-segmental position that requires the perfect mobility of the superior hip, knees, and ankles. The hip lies between the ankles, the torso stays upright, and the heels are flat on the ground.
You can see Asian people squatting while doing a plethora of everyday activities including eating, reading, smoking, doing the laundry, talking on the phone, etc.
Asian squat is popular among Asians for both functional and cultural reasons. People from Asian nations are taught to sit in that position when they need to rest or as an alternative to standing or sitting in a chair.
Additionally, instead of toilet seats, their public restrooms feature pans that require people to squat. According to them, doing a deep squat is more hygienic than letting your thigh touch the toilet seat!
Asian Squat Benefits
Asian squat offers a wide range of benefits. Some of the most eminent ones are listed below.
- It works well to combat problems associated with sitting
- Squatting strengthens your legs and improves posture
- It is likely to improve the flexibility and mobility of your ankles
- Squatting allows better positioning of Olympic athletes during their lifting exercises
- Pregnant women who squat are likely to experience lesser pain during the whole process
- Squatting reduces pressure on the joints and bones
- It alleviates tight calves and lower back pain
- Studies link it with improved digestion and better bowel movements
The last benefit has been researched by many scientists and finds some good supporting evidence. This is why the many States of America and European countries are ditching traditional toilet seats and adopting the ancestral squatting style. To serve the purpose, the squatty potty has been brought into the market and is highly rated among many people.
For those brave travelers out there who wish to tour Asia and the Far East, the Asian Squat also offers a bonus. Since using the restroom in these nations frequently necessitates a powerful squat, it’s always comforting to know you won’t be left trying to balance when nature calls!
What is the Asian Squat good for?
Considering the benefits mentioned above, it won’t be wrong to say that the Asian squat is good for a lot of purposes.
It improves the mobility and flexibility of your body along with strengthening your lower section.
If you are into a gym and weight lifting or if you are a professional weight lifting athlete, Asian squats reduce the percentage of lower back injuries for you. It shifts the weight on your legs rather than your back so that the likelihood of an injury is low.
In addition, it is good for keeping your core muscles engaged providing you with more balance and an upright posture. The muscles of your calves, hamstrings, glutes, and quads are likely to stay activated if you practice Asian squat often.
Asian squat is also good for improving your body awareness and provides you with better control over it.
If you are expecting a child, Asian squat will help you through labor and delivery. Practicing the squat is good for teaching your pelvis to open and assisting the descent of the baby.
Finally, the Asian squat is good for better bowel movements. It is because the practice opens up the colon more allowing easier and faster removal of wastes.
What is the Asian Squat Pose?
If you want to avail yourself of all these benefits, you have to practice the Asian squat often. To serve the purpose well, it is necessary to learn about the right Asian squat pose.
Here is what it is.
- Select a position that is just broader than shoulder width and spread your toes a little.
- As you drop yourself to the ground, simultaneously crack your hips and knees.
- To avoid swaying forward or backward, consider keeping your weight over the midline of the foot.
- Squat as low as you can while attempting to maintain a somewhat erect posture with your heels on the ground.
- The elbows must be resting on your knees.
- Hold this posture for a few minutes while attempting to feel your muscles relax.
Now that’s the signature Asian squat!
Asian Squat vs. Slav Squat
The “Slav” and “Asian” squats are essentially similar. It is just that the former refers to a deeper squat and carries cultural connotations from Eastern European nations.
In comparison to the Asian squat, which is frequently smaller, the Slav squat has a larger base and the feet are typically set shoulder width apart or further apart.
The phrase Slav squat got popular several years ago when a Romanian teenager created the Facebook page named “Squatting Slavs in Tracksuits.”
Slavs are the people who speak Slavic languages in central and Eastern Europe. Numerous members of this group are part of the Gopnik culture, a Russian subculture that is frequently made up of people from lower social classes. These people frequently squat while conducting a variety of activities, like waiting for the bus, smoking with friends, etc.
So, the Asian squat and the Slav squat are fundamentally equivalent. They merely serve as regional proxies.
Is the Asian Squat Genetic?
Many people claim that Slavic and Asian people are genetically predisposed to squatting. Well, that’s not the case.
There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to perform a deep squat just because you’re Asian or Slavic!
The more preferred explanation is that their practice makes complete squats considerably simpler for them than for many Americans and Europeans.
Although elements like bone length and shape are influenced by genetics, lifestyle habits are considerably more likely to play a role in one’s potential to do a deep Asian squat.
Asians and Slavs begin crouching for toilet use as early as childhood. Asian children quickly pick up the practice after observing adults around them squatting for various reasons.
In doing so, they maintain their torso balance and ankle flexibility, both of which are necessary for squatting.
If you have Asian ancestry but work all day at a computer, you could notice that your hips and ankles are restricted, making it difficult for you to perform any kind of deep squat. On the other hand, if you’re an American or European and are working to make them more flexible with a wider range of motion, you can master the Asian squat art.
Longer legs may make it biomechanically more difficult to squat deeply, but remember flexible bones and muscles and range of motion in the hips and ankles will always be the determining considerations for a deep squat.
Why can’t I squat with my feet flat?
When an individual can’t squat low enough or doesn’t have the strength to hold it for a long time, the Asian squat might be challenging for them.
If this applies to you, you most certainly struggle with one of the following problems;
1. The ratios of your limb lengths might not be appropriate for a squat.
If you were born with specific limb-length proportions, it will be difficult for you to squat deeply. The length of your bones between particular joints determines how your body is divided into segments.
Your leg, for instance, is divided into the lower leg and the upper leg. The tibia, which lies between your ankle and knee, makes up the lower leg. The fibula, or the distance between your knee and hip, makes up the upper leg.
The difficulty of an Asian squat depends on how your lower leg and upper leg are proportioned.
It will be more difficult for you to squat deeply if you have a long upper thigh bone compared to a short lower leg bone, or if you typically have long legs combined with a short torso.
This is not to argue that individuals with these limb-length proportions cannot deep squat. Simply said, it means that you will have to work harder to achieve a “deep Asian squat.”
2. You might have inadequate mobility
Lack of mobility is the biggest barrier to completing the Asian squat.
The hips and ankles need to be extremely mobile for the Asian squat to be done properly.
Everyone, naturally, has a certain degree of mobility, which may be increased with exercise, even if some people may have biological restrictions on mobility.
3. You may require more practice and training
If you can squat down far enough but lack the endurance to maintain the posture, the problem is most likely that you haven’t practiced the position enough.
Your muscles will need to practice the Asian squat multiple times before they become flexible enough to squat deeply. After that, you must practice teaching your muscles to “relax” in the bottom position instead of straining during the practice.
We recommend you practice three sets of 60-second holds each day. You will begin to feel more at ease practicing the Asian squat after a few weeks.
Exercises to help achieve Asian Squat
Stand with your feet open slightly wider than your shoulders and your toes slightly pointed outward.
Squat as low as you can while maintaining a straight back and head, bending just at the knees and hips to ensure that your buttocks are not raised significantly off the ground.
Your weight should be evenly distributed, and your feet should be level on the ground. Concentrate on keeping your torso in line with the middle of your feet.
If you’d like, place your hands on your knees and try to unwind into the position to remain there for a long time.
Now add this practice to your daily workout sessions. Try to hold the position for as long as you can because the benefits lie in holding the position and not just sitting and standing. Measure your squat hold and increase your timing with every attempt.
Don’t just restrict to workout sessions only. Practice it as much as you can like while watching TV, using a laptop, eating, and whenever you can!
Final Thoughts
Asian Squat is easier seen than done! You would feel that it is so easy to squat deeply but it isn’t everybody’s piece of cake.
This exercise is challenging for beginners to learn since it differs from practically all other squat variations.
It’s mostly utilized as a resting stance. Having said that, it can have some astounding health advantages, so if you want to profit from them, then you should definitely learn the move and practice it as much as you can!
