Squat Exercises and Metabolic Syndrome

Featuring Min Naruki-van Velzen, MSc, Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist, Athletic Therapist

Duration: 1 minute, 19 seconds

This exercise is for your leg muscles.

It involves muscles in the front side of your thigh, your bum, and the backside of your thigh. It’s excellent for people that are trying to get rid of metabolic syndrome because it does involve a large number of muscles. So it helps to improve insulin sensitivity and it will also help with a little bit of weight management as well.

The squat exercise should be done as if you were just about to sit down in a chair. So the motion should be with your bottom out, and just about to sit down in the chair but not quite. This exercise, again, is great for all the muscles in your leg, including the front of your thigh, back of your thigh, your calves, your bum.

If you find that this exercise causes pain in your joint, you can do an abbreviated motion, and don’t come quite so deep. And as you get stronger you’ll be able to go deeper and deeper.

So that is an example of a very simple leg exercise that you can do at home with no equipment, the squat. If you’re finding that this brings on knee pain, please consult with your local kinesiologist, trainer or physiotherapist for a leg exercise that won’t put so much strain on your knees.

Presenter: Mr. Min Naruki-van Velzen, Athletic Therapist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Athletic Therapist