Screw your standing desk. How about squatting? • Hacker News Board

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#91

Post by surge » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 6:25 PM UTC

nostromo wrote: post #67

Don't most of our fellow primates spend most of their time squatting? Maybe they're on to something? http://i.imgur.com/leDTqgl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3f8c0PK.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DBXxFvo.jpg

There is a book somewhere that talks about this in detail, its not just animals, but in third world countries, people don't sit with their legs and back at ~90 degree angles. Chairs are actually the most unnatural position for our bodies as a sedentary position (especially in the case of toilets while defecating). There are a lot of back and other problems that come with prolonged use of chairs that simply don't occur in areas of the world where people squat or don't have chairs.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#92

Post by eddiedunn » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 6:28 PM UTC

lazyjones wrote: post #40

kolinko wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, from what I heard, squatting is better for the bowels.

For emptying them, or for keeping them relaxed?

Both. Squatting makes your bowels more relaxed which helps emptying them: http://wellnessmama.com/wp-content/uploads/InfluenceofBodyPo...

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#93

Post by shawnz » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 6:44 PM UTC

Tomis02 wrote: post #82

nostromo wrote: post #67

Don't most of our fellow primates spend most of their time squatting? Maybe they're on to something? http://i.imgur.com/leDTqgl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3f8c0PK.jpg http://i.imgur.com/DBXxFvo.jpg

If I stay in a squat position within a couple of minutes my legs become really tensed up and it feels as if my I'm cutting my blood flow; squatting for even 5 minutes is not feasible for me, let alone 8 hours, and I don't believe it to be a matter of training. I think we are a long way from our fellow primates.

In a squatting position, your feet should be flat on the ground (both heels and toes) and your upper legs should be touching your lower legs. Are you sure that your form is correct?

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#94

Post by cko » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 7:27 PM UTC

Baseball catchers spend a lot of time in a squatting position. I was always told that it really messes up their knees.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#95

Post by zalew » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 7:41 PM UTC

cLeEOGPw wrote: post #35

Eastern Europeans have been always doing it already http://slavsquat.com/

as a Pole it's so obvious for me I didn't realize it was a thing, and reading the article the 1st thing I thought is why they don't do it so.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#96

Post by kyllo » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 8:10 PM UTC

notacoward wrote: post #11

Dumbest idea ever. The hyper-fit guy sitting in the gym isn't looking too bad, though having the knees rotated that far out for any length of time isn't going to work out well. (Yes, knees-out squatting and knees-in squatting are very different things.) The woman in the second picture has the same problem, plus hyper-extending her arms and bending her wrists too far back. The third woman . . . oh, I don't even know w…

Are you arguing that squatting with your knees close together is better for you than squatting with your knees spread apart?

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#97

Post by kyllo » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 8:12 PM UTC

khafra wrote: post #58

sdegutis wrote: post #26

I can't seem to balance as I squat with feet flat on the ground. This is hard. My kids (esp. baby) can do it just fine though. And I won't be outdone by a bunch of tiny humans!

It could be tendons that need stretching; but it could also be inherent anatomical differences. I have curved shins, which pushes everything from the knee up a few inches backward when I try to squat. It's physically impossible for me to do a heels-down squat without bending my back to lean forward between my knees.

If that's true, you probably need to spread your knees apart more, and bend at the hip joint more to achieve full squat depth. Rounding your back == bad.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#98

Post by kyllo » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 8:12 PM UTC

cko wrote: post #94

Baseball catchers spend a lot of time in a squatting position. I was always told that it really messes up their knees.

Because they squat with their weight on their toes and their heels off the ground.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#99

Post by evacuationdrill » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 9:49 PM UTC

JshWright wrote: post #55

rwhitman wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apparently its almost unheard of in some cultures to have any sort of back problems, even after decades of physical labor etc. The premise of the book is that the reason for this is that these people are using their spines and posture in a more natural fashion, which leverages the structure of the spine better, but we don't do it in the West as the result of a kind of cultural revolt against victorian era posture nor…

> Apparently It's not readily apparent to those of us asking for proof...

It's so obnoxious how people like you expect members contributing to the discussion to have perfect proof on hand or go digging. If that were the true standard, these discussions would be much thinner.

It's fine to ask, just don't be an asshole when a person doesn't have it; look it up yourself.

Re: Screw your standing desk. How about squatting?

#100

Post by lazyjones » Thu, Jan 30, 2014, 10:16 PM UTC

eddiedunn wrote: post #92

lazyjones wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For emptying them, or for keeping them relaxed?

Both. Squatting makes your bowels more relaxed which helps emptying them: http://wellnessmama.com/wp-content/uploads/InfluenceofBodyPo...

Interesting, we should propose a combined "squatting for work, eating and various other bodily needs" cubicle on Kickstarter ... Never leave your squatting position again.