Why Can't Everyone Do the 'Asian Squat'? • Hacker News Board

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

#71

Post by pja » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 1:12 PM UTC

udp wrote: post #64

pja wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I can confirm that the former is considered effeminate by some in the UK.

That’s weird, because no one has ever mentioned anything of the sort to me. Were they particularly small-c conservative?

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

#72

Post by kaybe » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 1:13 PM UTC

amriksohata wrote: post #62

kaybe wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Wouldn't that have the same effect?

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

#73

Post by dsr_ » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 1:29 PM UTC

csours wrote: post #12

bilbo0s wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Off topic... but... MAN... 7.75 is big? My head is enormous. I never knew.

Husky headed boy checking in. My hat size is slightly over 8. One Size Fits all is a joke. Anybody know where I can buy a hat?

Barmah makes hats in very large sizes. I wear a canvas one in the winter (great for keeping snow off your neck) and a mesh one in the summer (avoid sunburn, keep the breeze).

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

#74

Post by jfaucett » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 1:59 PM UTC

noobly wrote: post #41

For those in the thread looking for advice, I recommend performing overhead squats. Just use a broom handle with a wide grip. It's almost impossible to squat incorrectly when doing overhead squats and imo this makes it an excellent intro. Additionally, it feels amazing once you get stretched and comfy. I trained in Olympic weightlifting for a bit (non-competitively) and this is how they started inflexible people and…

This. The overhead squat is the secret sauce. When I first started olympic weight lifting (I had already been hitting the gym for years) I had an olympic lifter teach me the move, b/c my squatting technique was so poor.

It should be the first thing anyone learns IMHO. It teaches flexibility, balance, a great range of motion, and to your point it feels really amazing. You almost never see anyone at the gym doing it though. Its definitely way underrated. My squat, vertical jump, and single leg strength went way up doing this. Not to mention it teaches great form for cleans and snatches.

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

#75

Post by ilamont » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 1:59 PM UTC

My brother-in-law was in the army in an Asian country, and whenever they had to wait (which was all the time) they would do so in a squatting position. You would see young civilian males (never females) doing it too while hanging around outside of a shop or at a bus stop. As they get older, it's harder, though.

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

#76

Post by lloeki » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:01 PM UTC

chiph wrote: post #58

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…

I just tried it (middle aged white dude) and my lack of ankle flexibility just won't let me keep my heels on the ground. Maybe I'll add it to my workout warmup to see if things improve over time.

Try this progressive training[0], and keep at it. Progress may be slow, but will eventually happen.

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJBLDJMJiDE

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

#77

Post by punkbit » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:03 PM UTC

This subject reminds me of a funny moment in a trip a couple of years ago; I travelled to the Phillipines with a few friends; One of my friends (white) said "Asian squat" is not possible for white people. I shit myself laughing... he kept pointing out why and just sounded even more ridiculous! I did it and said "well surely black people can"; I asked him to try it (he's into sports and not sure how he can't do it) and he failed: "you see...It's difficult for me as a white man"; I kept laughing and he asked one of our Asian friends to do it and like me, she did easily. Suddenly another friend comes and asks what we are talking about; He's the whitest guy ever, english and not really much into sports as my white Mediterranean friend; He tries to do it first attempt and Baaam!

That was funny :)

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

#78

Post by dugmartin » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:05 PM UTC

barking wrote: post #56

I can only squat on my toes but if I do it for any length of time the blood goes out of my head when I stand up and I fell faint for a moment

That may just be low blood pressure. A friend of mine has to take medication because even standing quickly causes him to feint.

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

#79

Post by simonbarker87 » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:20 PM UTC

gaius wrote: post #31

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…

And, the other thing I found, is that a bit of fat on the belly inhibits it as well. Look at the low stance of sumo wrestlers - belly fat doesn't prevent them, it's all in the hip and ankle mobility.

They are doing a wide stance version of the squat, it’s commonly referred to in weight lifting as “sumo stance” opens up the hips and reduces the impact of the quads on the lift.

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

#80

Post by RightMillennial » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:34 PM UTC

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.

As a Midwesterner, I've never heard this before. The only stipulation is it's seen as informal. Is this a regonal thing?