I am a 59yo multiple sclerosis sufferer and after trying this, my life has improved dramatically! I cannot get my feet fully flat yet - nor can I last ten minutes, but it is getting there. Because of the MS, I am normally very unsteady on my feet and have had limited mobility and flexibility for a while now, and this is re-awakening things for me. It has got rid of a lot of back and hip pain, and even something as simple and mundane as being able to lift my left leg into my jeans in the morning is now possible again. Thanks you so much for this! Genuinely life changing improvements for me.
This guy's books have changed the way I not only exercise, but the way I move, period, and how I maintain my body. His guidance enabled me to correct several misalignment problems that had limited my physical performance over my entire life. He certainly saved me from injury and enabled me to continue to perform a physically strenuous job at a fairly advanced age for many years longer than I otherwise would have. At 66yrs old I have the stamina and fitness of a man half my age. I highly recommend his methods.
I just did the 10 minute squat test and passed first time through by squatting exactly 10 minutes straight. Was able to do with flat heels and not holding onto anything and not up against anything. Back was fine. Calves felt like they were getting the stretch of their lives and that was the only painful thing, especially the last 5 minutes. I'm 64 years young. Never thought of doing this and glad I came upon this video. Thanks.
I'm 33, for me, the front of my ankles and tibs were the most on fire. Everything else was pretty good. So now I think I know what I need to work on! I hope I'm as mobile as you when I'm 64!
I'm 33, for me, the front of my ankles and tibs were the most on fire. Everything else was pretty good. So now I think I know what I need to work on! I hope I'm as mobile as you when I'm 64!
Because of your videos, I started practicing standing with my feet straight and realized that my "natural stance" is feet turned out with my right foot further in front. I have noticed my right foot more forward with getting into a squatting stance and wall sits before, but shrugged it off. Well, when I go from that stance to straight feet and even distance from my body, my hips turn to the left. I have to consciously pull my right hip back to have them square. So now I've been focusing on standing with my feet straight and hips square. My turnout and right foot forward is a compensation for a weak right hip and glute system. I never would have noticed without your videos and trying to have my feet straight. Now I get to fix it! Thank you!
I work a physical labor job so I’m constantly squatting and moving but I never gave it any thought watching his videos really change my mindset as a pertains to movement in the body I didn’t realize some people can’t squat or just don’t do the action at all.
I was so tight that it took my 6 months to get to a squat. At first i could barely go ninety degrees without having something I could pull myself back up. That was january to june of last year. I still currently work on my squat to improve it. Back pain is just one of the things that has improved. this video is the first I have watched that explained about the feet position. Thank you. I had slightly rounded shoulders, anterior pelvic tilt and the problems that come with that, weak abs, weak butt, TIGHT lower back, TIGHT hip flexors, hamstrings felt like steel cables in my legs. Squatting has greatly improved my life. At nearly 49 years I feel and move better than when i was in my late twenties. My pains are all mostly about 30 years old. Either I was never given the proper treatment or diagnosis or I failed to listen. When my back spasms started in the early 90's the drs said heres a muscle relaxer and pain meds. Perhaps they should have said "work on your squat" and "your ab strength is so important, too."
So would you say squats and core strengthening solves your problems with hamstrings, ATP, and all the rest of the tightness that comes along with it? I face many of the same issues. Thanks
@@fyodormikhailovich9654 That's a great question. Prior to answering that I would like to add the caveat that I am only a person who has watched lots of videos and armed with that knowlege I used it to improve me. Each person will have his own path to improve. But I wouldn't say it solves it, it reveals what needs addressed. Because it may be lifestyle changes that also need to be addressed. I started squatting-for-better-health on my own for 8 months before watching any video about it. Short answer: Most definitely squatting and core strengthening are keys to solving all the issues with APT. If you have APT, squatting will bring a lot of relief. Then your abs will need strengthening to pull and keep your hips forward. It really is liberating to fix ATP. Good luck on fixing your ailments. Long answer: I think the squat is the most important thing to address first for the lower back pain and anterior pelvic tilt. I felt the squat allowed me to start to get back my range of motion in my lower extremities. It will uncover your tight areas. Walking was painful and laborious. I thought the pain was just part of aging. It is not! My dog gets longer and more walks because of my less pain. Once i was able to get start getting lower than 90 degrees my calves showed how tight they were. i could squat but I was mostly on my heels. I couldn't get my knees over my toes It was then I realized how tight my calves were which limited my ankle mobility. And after a year of calf work I guess I have 3 more months to get my knee over top my foot 5" using the 5" ankle mobility test. (That test is from another youtube channel. Kelly may have something similar.) Squatting alone was not enough. The 6 months I spent squatting lessened the pain but the tightness and pain was still there. After 6 months of squatting I worked with a chiropractor for a month for my posture. He helped somewhat. but Realize my back was so tight that he couldn't move it. No fault of his But he would have yanked me on the table as long as I kept coming in with $. He loosened me up but offered no info on my APT or other issues and did not fix anything. (may be a doctor "creed") I think still a necessary step in my health. At this point I was feeling better. A year later I am nearly ready to be adjusted again but I felt it was useless to continue at that time. In August I started therapy on my knee pain. 2 months 4 visits. That I have had since I was 15. I thought the pain was mostly from a meniscus surgery I had around 2004. Turns out he focused on my IT band and stretching my quads and my knee pain and back pain dramatically lessened. He scraped my IT band and that started me on my path of foam rolling and such. It was in October that my efforts were most noticeable. I am an 8 year football referee. On the weekends youth football happens around here. I will do 3 to 5 games a day. Used to be by the end of the first game my back was so painful and tight that I became agitated easily and I had to constantly stretch it to gain some relief. By the time I was done, I limped of the field and into my car. Barely able to raise my leg to take off my cleats. I get home and step out of my car and I couldn't stand up straight. My posture probably looked like a "greater than" sign. Well, in October I did 7 games and came home took my dog for a walk, mowed the yard and exercised and I did so with the least amount of pain in over 30 years. True story. That was like an epiphany. I was on the correct path. The ab strength changed how I do things. I try to engage my abs first if I can. with APT I would use arm strength and extend my lower back to push things. carts at work I feel now with my stronger abs my back is used less. And therefore it can relax. To push carts I engage my abs posteriorly tilt my pelvis then step and push. Over the next 8 months I have worked on multiple other problems. Now my back pain had lessened I could finally work on my spinal health. My lower back popped for the first time in I-don't-know how many years. It was only a little pop, too. Right after it popped I was able to raise my leg up higher. That led me to ask google and working on my psoas muscle. I own 3 foam rollers. Beastie ball. Accumobility ball. An oblong back roller. And a scraping bar that I use on my legs and feet. They all have their own specific purposes. And I just purchased Kelly's book "become a supple leopard". I like the way he speaks/instructs in his videos. I have only been following him for a week. And The Ready State has programs to help more directly. And so do many channels. I am subscribed to 18 different mobility youtube channels. I am not in anyone's programs I simply have watched countless videos. I am single therefore I have time for this. It could be an excuse or the truth when I say that nagging back pain was 49% the cause of my failed relationships. 51% my selfish behaviors. When you are in less pain the world is easier. I now can pop my lower back. My neck and shoulder pain is gone. I have thoracic extension. An most importantly I breathe 10x easier. These are my results. Yours may be different. My tight legs and hips are my biggest concern right now. I can currently squat 1 minute unassisted. And if I have something to hold onto I can stay about 5 minutes. It is really painful at first to stand up. Superman George Reeves was my hero when I was a child. I have always wanted to stand like he did. A powerful stance. With APT I will never have that powerful posture. My front torso has flattened a lot but I think I still have 1 year to meet my goal. Superman's stance. Me: I'm 5'7" 215# muscular build who neglected my body from a young age. Then abused it more as I became an adult. At the age of 48 I asked myself who was in charge of me. I hope you find this helpful.
@@fyodormikhailovich9654 Going on year 3 on correcting my posture. My answer to this is a little different today. Squats are the first thing a person should do. Squats reveal your limiting muscle and then that gives you the next problem . With The feedback you get from your body, it guides you to fix your other issues.
This is so simple, and it feels great. I've already tried placing my laptop on a chair so I can squat and sit on the ground in these different positions while I'm working. Many thanks!
What a game changer! I use this hip mobility technique daily and it has helped me tremendously! Kelly, I thank you and I thank myself for listening to you.
Don’t know how I got here, but this is exactly why I spend so much time on RU-vid. Thanks for the awesome video I’m definitely going to add this into my day from now on
This makes so much sense. I have just purchased & started reading their book “Built to Move”. As a 70 yr old woman who has tried to stay reasonably active I have been having issues with one of my hips & lower back for some time. Nothing has made it go away permanently. As I child I crawled & sat with my feet splayed out next my hips & my knees close together & I have flat feet. I have believed for a long time that these things are connected, that our stability is connected to our pelvis & that our core strength supports the pelvis, while at the same time if our hips & pelvis aren’t correctly aligned it will effect everything else. Looking forward to some positive changes.
I’ve been spending a lot of time playing with my grandkids and that means getting down to their level. I’m in this position for longer than 10 minutes and it’s making me feel young again. It hurts initially but then everything relaxes and it feels good
I started a timer then went to look to start a podcast to distract me, after a while I’m dying thinking I’ve got to be almost done with the 10 mins, only to return to my stopwatch and see I was barely past 4 mins. I guess I have a long road to go.
@@fredost1504 Why? Why isn't standing considered a weird idea? What on earth makes you think doing an activity which does not involve your hips, legs and feet less effective if you don't or did? I think you're weird for looking at this comment as non natural.
I gotta say, you are somewhat right. During quarantine, when I couldn't workout for a month. Every 2 days, I would stay in a half squat position for as long as I could. Once I was fully satisfied with the timing, I would squat down and stay in that position for 10 minutes. They get pretty uncomfortable after 4-6 minutes and once I got pretty tired, I felt like I was going to fall backwards since my lower back could not keep up with the pain any longer and I would round my back and tilt forward so I don't fall. Needless to say, these two exercises helped me keep my strength during these tough times and I'm glad it's over.
i discovered when spending time working.. watching stuff.. doing things on the floor, first my back is bent.. after a while the spine straightens up and it the whole body becomes the more relaxed. strangely i feel fresh and energetic.. sure knees and hips might not allow you to do this straight away but man it's fun.. similarly i realised it's almost just as relaxing if sitting on a chair.. when there's no option to sit on the floor but without resting back against back rest. after a while spine straightens and torso balances in a very efficient centre position, it doesn't seem to cost any energy and it's so beautifully relaxing. since than i believe the back seats are one of those modern curses..
Great video. I couldn't agree more. I took full contact karate for most of later childhood and mid young adult years. We started each and every session with this. Kneeling. Squatting. Legs crossed and relaxed for meditation. Most of our belt tests required some form of half squat time test. We would crawl up stairs and do all kinds of elbows and toes training. Basically, you couldn't have your stomach or chest touch the floor for the whole circuit. This won't make sense but I would feel so relaxed after these sessions that I could not sleep until late at night.
At 63, I was able to go 5 mins on my first try - yes, I was stiff getting out of the squat and had to put my folded yoga mat underneath my heals to go all the way down. I plan to build to 12 mins as part of my everyday yoga routine - and eventually get my heals down! I am happy I found this movement as it is one of those really 'bang for the buck' type exercises. Btw, if you don't belong to a gym or the classes at the gym are at inconvenient times (which they always seem to be if you work), then there are literally thousands of routines on RU-vid for all levels of flexibility. It's a wonderful resource.
I started squatting every day or so about two years ago. Could barely get down and back up to the 90-degree bend. Now I can easily do ass-to-grass for several minutes. Will have to check tomorrow if 10 is doable, but I suspect it is. Good stuff!
I did the test during the video as it’s conveniently 10 mins long. You definitely feel it for sure. I’ll have to start doing that more till it’s not a challenge anymore.
I love the theory and science behind this, thank you so much, and I just made a new record of 3 minutes watching this video. A long way to go till 10, but I will get there. Awesome video, thank you !!
Just heard about your videos a month or so ago. Also just picked up your book. Love what you are doing man. These stretches are helping my back and hips so much.
Toilets in the west were developed in a raised position so that a u bend pipe could be fitted. The health problems (piles, back issues) that resulted were not contemplated so it turns out that toilets in the ground are better all round.
Just what I needed thanks for posting❤ hope I can sit on my heels like you are while making this video,,,please make more videos like this so helpful!,
I love doing this, I have such poor posture and I code part-time. I have a small desk that I set up in front of me and I can chill for a long time. Plus it’s so much easier to hang out with my cat, I don’t have to lean over and grab her toys to toss at her, or lean over for a drink or to eat. It’s crazy how good it feels.
my diet is loads of starch...makes me feel like a very hard plastic! tried to squat like you but no show! gonna try daily until i regain some degree of flexibility.thanx
I haven't tried it yet but I don't see how this is supposed to be at all difficult. I think I could do it for hours (and I'm in my mid 50's and don't work out regularly) But I will now attempt it for 30 minutes and report back when I'm done. Ok, I'm back. It was harder than I thought it would be. I did the 10 minutes but I couldn't do any more. It would've hurt too much in my ankles and feet. There was no pain in the back at all. Like zero. Knees and hips were totally pain free too. But my feet are still tingling as I type this.
“Instead of arguing about what kind of hard style exercise you like to do” YES, this concept makes me so happy, I’m so tired of hearing what new thing people are doing can they squat for ten minutes is what I wanna know
Came across this video totally by chance, but something about it rang true. Started trying the 10 minute squat, focusing on form as illustrated... I never realized how tight and weak I was and haven't felt this good since high school football days. Life changing... many thanks.
@ It is but I get it. A lot of people have picked up gardening recently. Many of them have discovered how woefully weak they are. A friend of mine, who games a lot, is not even thirty. I used to game a lot but have lost interest lately. I am near forty... he is near thirty. I grew up doing yard work, logging, and a lot of construction and even grass sod work. He has done none of these things. Actually, he has never had a job for more than a few months. So, he is in my yard for ten minutes with a hoe. He had to go back to the car. Turn on the AC. Down a bottle of water and recline for twenty minutes. He didn't even hoe five feet of soil. I did over twelve hundred feet before I needed a bottle of water and a break. He asked how this was. He is younger than me. I told him, 'I have always done this. You have always done nothing. So, you can do little and have to stop. Little will get to be a lot but you have to keep doing it.' He has since gone back to doing nothing. He has opted for 'man lipo' and some pills that make him stop eat. Yeah, that'll help. I squat for twenty minutes or more if I am weeding. I can do it for long periods of time because I am doing something else while squatting. The constant shifting helps the blood flow around tight muscles and relives pins and needles. Also, I am not thinking about it. I am engrossed in something else. I can also sit on the computer chair for hours at a time (when the new Doom came out) and absolutely destroy my back for the same reason. I am not thinking about the pain.
I feel like this is so easy for people with good ankle mobility. Unfortunately I am not one of those. My shins are on fire just 1 minute in. Can get to 5 minutes, ramping up to 10mins now.
I taught preschool for eight years this is daily position for teaching 3 to 5 year olds. I knocked the 10 min squat out the park. I still can't seem to kick up though. ☹
Toddlers do this naturally, then they get older and are forced to sit at a desk, in school for the next 12 or so years. Search, The History of the Squat, on RU-vid. Lower back problems are caused by weak glutei and upper hamstring muscles, because these muscles are essential in lifting from a squatted position to a full upright position. To get in a full, flat footed, squat position, start it standing, then lower the body slowly. Keep your hands forward, for balance. Move your knees outward, toe your toes outward, and slowly move downward, using your glutei to control this progression. Keep adjusting the angle of your femurs until it feels natural. The back extensioners should be relaxed. I do this before a squat or deadlift workout. Also, it is a great way to rehabilitate those creaky knees. Doing exercises like this would probably eliminate hip and knee replacement procedures, but being proactive is not what most folks are about.
When I was a kid there was an old man who came into my father's general store occasionally. He was tall and thin. He always squatted like your showing except he had a cigarette that he was always smoking. I used to try to mimic his squat as he always seemed comfortable. It was hard to hold for very long. He must have been doing it his whole life. He grew up in the 1920's as a kid himself in the hills of WV.
Got some hard wedges to allow me to get deep. Starting with the big 3.75 inch. Hope to build over time to 2.25 then 1.5. Ankles are garbage. Once I get to the bottom, I'll restart with straight feet.
I can easily do 50 Hindu squats but my legs were on fire after 4 minutes at the bottom. Mind blown XD Best fitness video I've seen all year and I've probably seen over a hundred...
DORSIFLEXION!!!! K-Starr, please cover this in detail. No pain, no previous injuries, but still barely get past 90deg. What are all the things one can do to crush this most stubborn goat. Help me to acquire the paleo chair, please, thank you.
After decades and decades in this field there are still people which are talking about squat like it's some kind of fundamental component of human movement.
I'm a flooring guy so I spend most days crawling around on the ground, squatting etc often while carrying weight. My bosses knees n back r shot n I think my focus on proper posture has helped make it so rather than injuring myself over time I've only gotten stronger. Although my knees do ache a lot tho I think that could be more from the knee pads cutting off circulation. I've also learned a bit of self chiropracti which helps when gases build up in the vertebra and joints as well as yoga for stretching muscles as well as yin yoga which is for stretching connective tissue. Honestly, I can move in ways most ppl 10 yrs younger than me cannot. Basically, if u move in ways which at 1st May be somewhat uncomfortable 2 u but do so mindfully then, nature rewards u. Oh & diet seriously matters if u want proper recovery. Oh yeah also for mostly the men out there...2 words... Saw palmetto. Not just good 4 the prostate but hormone regulation & testosterone 📈. As well 4 the hard working ppl who ache. A lil moderate use of kratom will make ur day a bit less painful. Just my long winded thoughts, hope it helps.
Been installing tile for over 30 years. I have found that the knee pads make my knees hurt much worse. I kneel on the floor and the weight is supported by my shins (although I do have callouses on the front of my ankles) and sit on my feet - basically the way he was in the beginning of the video. Have been doing it forever, people used to tell me that I'd ruin my knees, not so much anymore. You might want to try it, I don't know how people manage with knee pads all day.
