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

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

#81

Post by mertd » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:42 PM UTC

dorfsmay wrote: post #67

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…

Interestingly, squatting toilets are called "alaturka" in Turkey, which is "à la turca" turned into a Turkish word.

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

#82

Post by eggy » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:52 PM UTC

mcherm wrote: post #66

hnarn wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>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 pract…

Agreed, and walking does not put it near 90 degrees. I lived overseas almost 8 years in SE Asia, and learning to properly squat flat-footed has really made me more flexible, and loosened up my hips and ankles. I also sat on a Pilates ball for 6 to 7 years, but now that I am back in the US, I've gained weight, and sitting at a desk 7 or more hours a day is wreaking havoc on my back and making me stiff again. I take squat breaks, and squat to fill the coffee pot instead of bending over at the water cooler. Bending is something done different in SE Asia too compared to in the West. I lived in a Javanese rice farming village for over a year, and watching and doing the planting and harvesting showed the difference to me. My wife is Indonesian and will perch in a squat on the edge of a chair or sofa while she eats - for 20 minutes. I still can only perch or squat for 5 to 10 minutes maximum.

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

#83

Post by seba_dos1 » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 2:55 PM UTC

ryu2k2 wrote: post #54

Uhm. People squat with their feet flat on the ground? I can only do them standing on my toes...

Both are natural for me. Squatting while standing on toes is quickly tiring though.

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

#84

Post by amriksohata » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 3:06 PM UTC

kaybe wrote: post #72

amriksohata wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I'm not sure it does, it probably helps but try it yourself on the toilet, raise your legs, there is a difference

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

#85

Post by sethammons » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 3:47 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…

It works when it works :)

I've seen my fair share of folks pick up Olympic lifting. While many eventually "get" it, the overhead squat does not force good form. People lean forward, or pick up their heels. After shoulders, hips, and ankles eventually gain flexibility, then, yeah, the overhead squat ensures good form because you can't support much weight on the bar otherwise. If you can overhead squat a solid amount of weight, you must have good form. A kind of survivorship bias :)

For me, I have flexibility issues. I've been lifting from years now. I can "Asian squat" now and I can back squat well over 300lbs, but I can only overhead squat 125lbs once, and then I'm tore up for days.

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

#86

Post by coolso » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 4:43 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.

> 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.

There is a third - sitting in a chair with just your right ankle/calf (rather than the entire leg) resting on your left knee. I'm in the US and sit like this often, and see other guys sitting like that often as well. For me, and I would imagine most other males due to the male anatomy, it's just far more comfortable than having the other leg fully crossed. I have a feeling that this "anatomy issue" is why it's very uncommon to see males sitting that way, but seen very commonly in females, and as a result that's why it's considered effeminate when you see the rare male sitting that way.

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

#87

Post by BenjiWiebe » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 4:49 PM UTC

I'm white, 20yo, and squat a lot. Strange though this might sound, I actually squat for hours on end at the computer. For me it's more comfortable than sitting. Also I'm 6'2", so long legs. Ya, I know I'm weird. :)

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

#88

Post by vladTheInhaler » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 5:10 PM UTC

This is the most vexing part of the sport of weightlifting. The strength comes quickly, but the mobility to squat deep with an upright torso comes very very slowly. That's why there are about a million articles and forum posts with titles just like this one.

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

#89

Post by vladTheInhaler » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 5:15 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…

I think it's important not to push the broom handle/PVC pipe practice further than necessary. People can hold a broom handle in all sorts of positions that would be impossible with even an empty bar, possibly ingraining bad habits.

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

#90

Post by jessaustin » Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 6:20 PM UTC

bilbo0s wrote: post #10

jessaustin wrote: post #9

I was 18yo when I first heard of the "Asian squat". I had no problem performing it, and I still have no problem with it at 41. Now I know why: "Short limbs, big heads, and long torsos make it easier to balance." I'm 6' with a 29" inseam and a 7.75 hat size. This may be the only advantage of a 29" inseam that I've found...

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

So can you do the Asian squat?