Floor squats are the single-most effect mobility position that will give you the most benefits and best results. First, a proper floor squat is being able to be in completely relaxed, zero-tension floor squat, heels on the ground for at least 1 minute but could comfortably sit in that position for more than 5 minutes.
The Benefits:
- Floor squats create triple flexion in the ankle, knees and hips and lengthens tendons across all those joints. Achilles tendon length across the back of the ankle. Patellar and quadriceps tendon length across the knees. Lengthening the connective tissue and tendons in the hips, connecting to the glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
- Lengthening tendons provides amazing flexibility gains in muscles. The tendons connect muscles to bones. The thinking is create stretch in the muscles to produce overall flexibility and mobility. Because tendons are like steel cables and there really isn’t a practiced methodology for creating length in the tendons. But many times, the limiting factor is length in the tendons because it’s so rigid and short. But by creating length in the tendons, creates overall length in the tendons and muscles.
- Flushes and recycles the lactic acid, blood and other fluids that pool up in the back of the leg. Your calves are known as your “second heart”!
- Resets your fascia. Through overuse, injury or a trigger point the fascia can tighten up, cause adhesions or knot up sending continuous pain signal hormones to your body. Which might not necessarily turn off even if the danger, injury or trigger are no longer at risk. Foam rollers, scraping and massage guns try to “reset” the fascia but the most effective by far for me has been deep-range floor squats. This is also true for minor calf or hamstrings tweaks before, after or even during a run or workout, doing a quick deep squat can reset your fascia to stop pain signals that will allow you to move properly and stop recruiting compensation muscles or mechanics, which would eventually cause other injuries down the road.
- Floor squats can reset joint and tendon alignment. If you are in a run or a workout, you might “tweak” your ankle, knee or maybe even your hip. If you continue running or working out, the tweak can develop into a full-blown injury. Getting into the the deep squat after you feel the tweak, can reset your joints and mechanics, that will first allow you to move more naturally but also avoid further injury to that movement.