Exercise of the Month: Sit to Stand

The squat is a movement pattern that everyone should be able to do correctly. I’m not saying everyone needs to do it weighted necessarily, but we need proper function to perform this movement. The sit to stand is a very basic squatting pattern which can be done at home or in the gym. This is the first step to perfecting the squat and teaching your body the proper pattern. Many of you may not need to regress to this level, but it is still a great idea to place a box behind you to properly gauge depth. With all squat and lunge patterns, our goal is to lower until the thighs are parallel to the ground. It is common to see people in the gym who have loaded the bar with too much weight and aren’t going down to full depth. If this is you, don’t be afraid to take a step back to this version with less weight and then progress accordingly.
Steps to properly execute this exercise:

Find a box/chair that if seated upon will cause the thighs to be parallel with the ground
Place the feet shoulder width apart and keep the knees tracking in line with the feet
Push your butt backwards and lower down until you are seated on the box/chair
Without rocking forward, raise up to the starting position and repeat

Notes:

Throughout this exercise the knee should track with the 2nd toe or wider, never let the knee cave inward. Also, be mindful of the knees moving too far forward when lowering down. Aim for keeping the knees no further forward then the toes. Lastly, proper upper body position is essential. Keep up chest facing forward and good posture throughout.

Garrett McLaughlin is an athletic trainer, personal trainer, and certified active release techniques provider. He is passionate about creating safe, and effective fitness and rehabilitation programs for the general population and athletes. ‘Like‘ Garrett’s Facebook page to stay up-to-date on related health, fitness, and nutrition information.