The first challenge that I ever took was doing 50 squats daily for 30 days.
When I took that challenge 7 years ago, I was only concerned about looking hot in my new yoga pants. But now I have grown up and I realize that vanity is not a viable reason to maintain any workout regime.
That challenge not only toned my booty but also boosted my brain.
Who would have thought that training leg muscles will give you a better brain?
Squats are Scientifically Proven to Boost Brainpower
In a 2018 study , the scientist tied up the tail of 4-month-old mice with a thin string, to the top of their cages. The string was adjusted so that the mice can use their front limbs freely. This experiment lasted for 28 days.
The result of this experiment concluded that restricting movement of hind limbs lead to a decrease in neurological function by 70%. The neurons didn’t fully mature when exercise was declined.
The study found that leg exercises, particularly weight-bearing exercises send signals to the brain that are vital for neurological health. Lack of exercise will make it harder for the brain to produce new nerve cells.
The study proves that neurological health depends on the signals sent by the body’s largest muscles, the Gluteus Maximus for better cognitive performance.
Think about this the next time you park your butt on the couch, instead of going to the gym.
Reduce the Chances of Alzheimer’s Disease
Around 24 million people are affected by Alzihmers disease every year. Your fast lifestyle can age your brain poorly and can make you a victim of this disease.
Alzheimer’s is equally painful for patients and their families. Seeing a parent or partner not recognize you and treat you like a stranger is agonizing.
But you can make a change in your life today that will exempt both you and your family from this painful disease.
Do some squats. Yes, you read it right, squats can actually help your brain age in a healthy way.
Training the leg muscles to increase new brain cells, helps in making new connections between the neurons, which improves memory. Squats can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.
So, do some squats today for a healthier and brighter tomorrow.
Your Brain Cannot Afford to Miss Another Leg Day
Leg days are intensely hated. They are so brutal that even sitting down on the toilet becomes a painful task.
Skipping leg days can harm your physique and overall health.
Training the legs is a crucial part of a fit lifestyle. Building big guns and ignoring your legs will leave you with chicken legs and a slower brain.
You will look ridiculous with big arms and dainty legs. Trust me, no woman prefers that body type.
Legs are the biggest body group. They support the whole body. So, training exercises for stronger legs should always be on your fitness agenda.
But now this research even proves that training legs can also lead to better neurological health. It can help you improve your brain health and decrease brain aging.
Weight-bearing leg exercises are essential for producing new healthy brain cells
The 2018 study published in the Frontiers of Neuroscience found that lack of weight-bearing exercises can weaken the leg muscles which can lead to many neurological diseases.
So, always do the most hated workout for a better brain and body.
Squats Are The Cure For Stupidity
Doing squats can cure the epidemic of stupidity. This gravity-defying bodyweight exercise can increase your brain cells.
Squats can also help you develop the essential life skills of critical thinking . You can become smarter and grow a booty at the same time.
Critical thinking is the skill that everyone needs to process the overload of information that we consume daily.
As a writer, critical thinking is the most important skill for me, it helps me generate new ideas and make unusual links between different topics.
Critical thinking is also an essential skill for leaders. It helps them build resilience against corporate bullshit and come up with great ideas to actually help people.
Critical thinking will make you a more intelligent and evolved human being.
So, do some squats today.
How You Can Max These Brain Boosting Benefits
To further increase the brain-boosting benefits of squatting you will need to perform this exercise while engaging in some mentally stimulating activity .
Watching Netflix, listening to your favorite podcast, or humming along with your favorite artist while performing squats can further increase the brain-boosting benefits of this simple bodyweight exercise.
So, next time you are planning to watch Netflix, do some squats as well. I follow a rule of doing 10 squats per episode or 30 squats per movie.
And when I listen to a podcast episode I do 5 squats, and 2 squats per song.
This is a flexible rule, you can design your squat regime however you like.
The Beginner’s Guide To Acing A Squat
You will find squats in every fitness program. There are hundreds of variations you can choose from, but to do the difficult variations like pistol squats, or Bulgarian split squat you are going to have to ace the basic squat.
The Narrow Squat
I get terrible hip cramps in my left leg, so I was advised to take it slow by doing the most basic version of the squat.
Narrow squats are the easiest squats you can do. They work your glutes, quadriceps, and Hamstrings.
- Stand with your feet just a step apart.
- Bend your knees and lower your body till your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Keep your back straight and core tight.
- Stay in this position for two seconds and then get back to the initial position.
The Bodyweight Squat
Bodyweight squats are my favorite type of squats. I have been performing them for over 5 years now.
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Point your toes slightly outwards.
- And then drop your butt down, till your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Keep your back straight and your core tight.
- Stay in this position for two seconds and then come to the initial position
- You can keep your arms at your side, or you can bring them up with your hands clasped when going down.
Conclusion
Squats are the most basic body-weight exercise, that you will learn in the first week of your gym journey. You can do them anywhere, anytime, and without any equipment.
This brain-boosting exercise is famous for sculpting butts and stronger legs. But squats are also a great exercise for strengthening the back and stabilizing the core.
Now you know that squats can even help you improve your cognitive function, reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, and enhance your brain performance.
So, what are you waiting for? Go out and do some squats today.
Make a commitment to do squats while doing the following activities, customize this routine as you like.
- 10 squats per television episode
- 30 squats per movie
- 5 squats per podcast episode
- 2 squats per song