Here’s Why Squatting Is Better Than Running

You’re suited up, you’ve got the perfect pair of sneakers and you’ve committed yourself to a weekly running schedule. Why, then, aren’t you seeing the pounds flying off the scales? While running is a great activity, it won’t help you to shed the weight and tone up quite as well as other exercises out there. When it comes to fat burning moves, squats are some of the best that you can undertake, working on all those hard to reach areas and toning up your muscle groups. There’s more to the move, too, and once you read its benefits, you might see the move in a whole new light!

1. It Won’t Take Up Your Time

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Running is all well and good but when you’re on a short time schedule, it doesn’t half take up a lot of your day. If you find that you have increasingly less time to dedicate to getting into shape, squatting can be a great option. A really good squat session need only take you 10 minutes and can have just as good effects as a long, hilly run. The next time you can fit in a jog, try opting for a squat; you’ll feel all the better for doing so.

2. It’s Lower Impact

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While running is great for your heart muscles, it really takes it out of your bones and joints, putting needless pressure on your legs. If you’re used to running on tarmac and sidewalks, your legs could be getting a serious pounding and, unless you’re wearing the right shoes and stretching adequately afterwards, you risk putting yourself in serious harm. Squatting, on the other hand, will help to keep your joints in shape. Incorporating a session or two during your week will help to keep your legs in good shape and give your joints a little rest bite.

3. You Can Activate More Muscles

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The more muscle groups that you activate when you’re working out, the more calories that you will burn and the increasingly toned that you will become. While running is good for the legs and the core, it is relatively limiting when it comes to other muscle groups, focusing only on certain areas of the body. If you want a fuller workout, try turning to squats. You can activate your hamstrings, quads, glutes, abdominals, lower back and hip flexors, all without putting any pressure on them.

4. You Can Eat More Carbs

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Do you like your food? Squatting is the exercise for you. Not only does the exercise help to burn off more calories that its fitness counterparts but also, it helps primarily to burn off fat as fuel. Its primary energy source is glycogen, which just so happens to be your body’s way of storing carbs. When you squat, your body burns off the glycogen in your muscles meaning that when you fill up on carbs, it will work to gain back the depletion. You can replenish your muscles and lose fat in one fell swoop!

5. You Can Build Your Abs

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Toning up your abs can take a great deal of time and attention, requiring a whole side routine. When you turn to squatting, however, you can tone up your abs and your legs in one move, cutting down on the exercise time. A compound movement, squats hit your abs hard, activating the muscle group in order to keep your body level. Incorporating squats in your workout routine will help you to tone up your core and strengthen up your body, too!