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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'?

#61

Post by kaybe »

amriksohata wrote: post #49

Indian origin here, from a young age my parents would with me sit on the floor even though we had chairs, cross legged. I found a lot of my English mates struggle to cross their legs, even as an adult I can do it but goto classes where I see them struggle. We used to squat to eat as most Ayurvedic principles say this is the best way to both eat and poo, it keeps your colon straight whilst sitting on a seat forces you…

How many people actually sit straight on the toilet? You often see them leaning forward, sometime quite a bit (red marks on knees from the elbows anyone?) which should produce a similar effect.

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

#62

Post by amriksohata »

kaybe wrote: post #61
amriksohata wrote: post #49

Indian origin here, from a young age my parents would with me sit on the floor even though we had chairs, cross legged. I found a lot of my English mates struggle to cross their legs, even as an adult I can do it but goto classes where I see them struggle. We used to squat to eat as most Ayurvedic principles say this is the best way to both eat and poo, it keeps your colon straight whilst sitting on a seat forces you…

How many people actually sit straight on the toilet? You often see them leaning forward, sometime quite a bit (red marks on knees from the elbows anyone?) which should produce a similar effect.

It's not the leaning forward, it's more raising the legs, people often get stools to help with this

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

#63

Post by Someone »

”Body shape also seems to play a role. Short limbs, big heads, and long torsos make it easier to balance.”

⇒ it is harder for people with relatively long legs.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872302/#!po=27..., section 7.1 (SES = socioeconomic status)

”The table provides only a few studies, of which there are dozens. What is important to note is that regardless of the specific leg measure taken, longer LL is associated with better environments, better nutrition, higher SES, and better general health, overall.”

⇒ people in richer nations, on average, have longer legs.

Combining the two, it seems logical more people have problems doing this in richer nations.

That paper also mentions other factors, though, in particular that people in warmer climates have longer legs. That seems an argument against that. Asia is cold in places, but in general, it’s quite hot.

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

#64

Post by udp »

pja wrote: post #51
wink wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, I've never heard anyone tell anyone else that sitting cross-legged is somehow unmanly. (I'm German). More like "don't sit like that in a professional setting" but that's also not something I remember anyone saying, it's more tribal knowledge. Yes, it's pretty uncommon seeing people in public do it (sometimes on the floor or on ledges), but there are not many opportunities. As a relatively big guy, I abso…

Years ago I read a book which suggested that this was specific to the U.S.: sitting cross-legged doesn't carry any particular gender / sexuality coding elsewhere.

There are two different kind of cross-legged being described here - the OP means sitting in a chair with your right leg on top of your left, while the reply mentions the floor which suggests the feet-under-thighs position.

I can confirm that the former is considered effeminate by some in the UK. The latter perhaps childish.

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

#65

Post by agumonkey »

This brings the topic of flexibility. Some guy told me that stretching was mostly a brain control thing (according to his theory overstretch pain is a high level brain safety signal that may be quite far from the actual state of the muscles and muscle fibers. Basically he advocates that stretching is mostly a mind problem not a muscle problem)

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

#66

Post by mcherm »

hnarn wrote: post #47
arunitc wrote: post #13

I'm 43 years, Indian and have never had a problem squatting. Was surprised this is such a tough thing to do for some. I work sitting on a chair for 8-10 hours everyday, but ensure I take a squat break every 1 hour or so. To make it a habit, I take every opportunity to squat, when I have my green tea, play with my son, watch TV. It does feel great after squatting for 3-4 minutes. I also workout in the gym and perform…

>if a joint doesn’t go through its full range—if the hips and knees never go past 90 degrees You don't need to squat to have your knees go past 90 degrees. This would only be an issue for people that are literally bed-ridden, for everyone else our joints move plenty while walking, sitting down and lying in bed at night. I'm sure stretching is good but you're making it sound like not squatting will lead to your joints…

> you're making it sound like not squatting will lead to your joints degenerating

I believe it will. Specifically, not squatting (or otherwise flexing it fully) will cause a person to lose the full range of motion in their ankles.

Of course, you may not care. You may have no NEED to flex your ankles past a certain point. But you ARE losing flexibility, just as you will lose the ability to do splits if you don't practice them regularly.

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

#67

Post by dorfsmay »

FWIW I've seen squating toilets installed in a brand new building in France 30 years ago (called Turkish toilets there). I had seen them in older buildings but asked why you'd use those in a brand new building. I was told that it was to save on cleaning time, that you can clean an entire room with many stalls with a broom and a hose in the same amount of time it takes to clean single stall that has a regular western toilet.

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

#68

Post by huffmsa »

Everyone can, all toddlers do it. They don't bend over to pick things up, they squat down.

Having long tibia and short femurs help getting the angle right, but that's really only important for olympic weightlifting (smaller angles to change => faster transitions between the pull and the catch).

tl; dr - most of us westerners are fat and lazy and could do the 3rd world squat if we didn't prefer chairs.

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

#69

Post by tvanantwerp »

I've been working with my physical therapist to be able to do this. My computer use had me so stiff and immobile that, not only could I not squat, I had a hip impingement. Hip still hurts often, and lots of my joints are tight, but with hard work I've regained a lot of range of motion and I'm close to being able to fully squat. I'm more flexible now than I've been since I was a kid.
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