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Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

theatlantic.com

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Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#21

Post by codedinosaur »

graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

About 3-4 months of doing this[1] has gotten me to a point where I can sit in the squat position without any effort.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opw9G1qKCcM

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#22

Post by akrain »

ACow_Adonis wrote: post #11
csours wrote: post #2

Put on a tracksuit and this becomes the Slav Squat. https://www.google.com/search?q=slav+squat&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS5...

The slightly less PC name of "third-world squat" was how the position had always been known to me. Which, while probably also being technically incorrect, does make the slightly more correct observation that it isn't something to do with "asian" countries and cultures specifically, but there seems to be some correlation between finding the position difficult/impossible, and living in western Europe/the anglosphere...

To the untrained eye, there may not be any difference between the Slav and the Asian one. But if you look closely the Slav squat has the legs spread wider and toes pointing quite a bit outwards as compared to the Asian squat

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#23

Post by vl »

graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

I can now easily squat for extended periods, but couldn't before. This changed after I started to do weightlifting and associated required stretching.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#24

Post by adrianN »

codedinosaur wrote: post #21
graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

About 3-4 months of doing this[1] has gotten me to a point where I can sit in the squat position without any effort. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opw9G1qKCcM

"How to squat" minute three: As you exhale, you squat straight down with perfect form. Done.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#25

Post by 00N8 »

I'm 30, relatively tall Californian male. I've done the Asian squat ever since I read about this distinction 10 years ago. Before that I always squatted the Western way even though i had good flexibility from sports & martial arts

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#26

Post by 00N8 »

graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

look into range of motion exercises for ankle & knee physical rehabilitation

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#27

Post by meitham »

graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

I went the other way around!

I grew up where the Eastern toilet was the only available choice. Now, having lived in the west for over a decade, I struggle to squat on eastern toilets, often fall backwards!

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#29

Post by dragonwriter »

pnathan wrote: post #16

After reading the prior discussion & spending some time at the gym doing deadlifty things with a trainer, I experimented with doing the squat. What I found was that while I can do a squat in, e.g., gym shorts, I simply can not do them with my jeans: the jeans constrain my movement substantially. And, the other thing I found, is that a bit of fat on the belly inhibits it as well. I can't speak for everyone, but jeans…

As an American male with more than a bit of fat on my belly, that doesn't seem to inhibit squatting at all.

Some jeans (or other tight-fitting, inflexible pants) with particular cuts might, though.

Re: Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'?

#30

Post by Coxa »

graeme wrote: post #3

Has anyone gone from being unable to do this to doing it easily, with good form? If so, what did you do? (For context, my left low back and my right heel both have lower range of motion from injuries. Presumably that can be improved.) Update: I have a preliminary answer to my own question: squat more. I just read more hacker news while squatting, and the front of my ankles quickly became tired.

I was more like a by product for me. I started rowing 3 years ago and was really surprised how flexible I got by now. I always struggled doing the asian squat ... but not anymore.
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