What is the Asian Squat? Basics and Benefits

Asian Squat helps in improving the flexibility and posture of the body(Image via Unsplash/Sven Mieke)

Asian squat is innate in the culture of many Asian countries such as China and Vietnam, but they are uncommon in Western countries. The practice of Asian squats has been gaining profound recognition in the last few years because of its health benefits and physical enhancements.

So, what is Asian Squat? It is a deep squat position where you need to bring your hip bones all the way to your ankles. It is common practice in many Asian countries both for cultural and practical reasons. These deep squats are considered resting positions in these countries and are often substituted for sitting in chairs or standing positions. Additionally, some of these places tend to have pan washrooms that require this deep squatting position since it is considered more sanitary.

Many Asians can hold this deep squat for quite a few minutes without breaking a sweat as it is the common resting position in some of these countries.

Basics of Asian Squat

Asian squat tends to require greater mobility of the knees, hips, and ankles since it is a multi-segmental position.

How to do it:

Start by standing with your feet apart slightly more than the distance between your shoulders. Flare out your toes a little bit.
Bring your body to the floor by bending your knees and hips simultaneously. Keep your body weight balanced in the midline of your feet to avoid swaying your body back and forth.
Try and bring your hips all the way to your ankles while keeping your upper torso upright and your heels pressing on the ground.
You can bring your arms onto the knees.
Hold the above position for a few minutes and relax your muscles.

The Asian Squat can be hard for people who are not used to this position. There are a few reasons why you cannot squat low enough or hold the position for a longer time. These include:

The lack of adequate mobility: One of the major reasons why you have difficulty doing the Asian squat can be the lack of mobility. Studies have shown that ankle mobility is directly related to deep squatting posture. This squat requires a high level of mobility in the ankles and hips to execute correctly.

In Western culture, people are not trained to improve their mobility since it is not a concern for their daily life. But in Asian culture, people are trained to work on natural ankle mobility through various daily activities from a young age.

Asian squat basics. (Image credits: Freepik)

Lack of Practice: If you can assume the deep squat position but cannot hold the position because of stamina, it is because you have not practiced enough for the Asian squat. Practice it several times so that your muscles become flexible to properly assume the right range of motion. When you start feeling more comfortable in the deep squatting position, try to relax your muscles.

Benefits of Asian Squat

Integrating the Asian squat into your daily routine offers a wide range of health benefits. These include:

Strengthening of Muscles: The deep squat works on many muscles of the lower body instead of joints and ankles. This will help in overcoming the problems associated with sitting. Deep squats also help in combating lower back pain along with reducing the pressure on bones and joints. Asian squat will also help in reducing knee pain as the weight is properly distributed throughout your lower body.

Improves Posture: The deep squat helps in improving the posture of your body by working on the mobility of your joints and ankles. Furthermore, it will help in building core strength along with improving flexibility.

Better Digestive Process: This deep squat brings efficiency to the elimination process of the body. It helps in relieving constipation and improving bowel movements. Therefore, the digestive process is significantly improved with the Asian squat.

Beneficial for Pregnant Women: This deep squat is quite beneficial for pregnant women as it helps to prepare the body for more natural delivery along with reducing the pressure from the uterus.

Lesser Chances of Hips Osteoarthritis: This is a condition that is related to advanced age. Asian squat might help in reducing the chances associated with hip osteoarthritis by maintaining a better range of motion and strengthening the hip bones. This will also enable an individual to stay active and healthy at an advanced age.

Asian squat has many health benefits including greater mobility, better flexibility, improved posture, and so on. It can be easily added to your lifestyle by adding a few sets to your daily workout regime or simply trying this position at home.

Edited by Sabine Algur