functional exercise: squatting on the whole foot

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„squatting on the whole foot“

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last update: 12/30/2018
Name: __
Trivial name: Squat on the whole foot
Level: A

Classification

classical:
psychomental: __
physiological: __

Contraindication

Intervertebral disc problems prohibit rounding the back, so forward bends and transitions are absolutely contraindicated; the posture itself can be performed if the lumbar spine remains at least straight, or better still physiologically lordotic. The latter requires extreme flexibility

Effects

Preparation

Follow-up

derived asanas:

similar asanas:

Diagnostics (No.)

Variants:

Holding on to object

Transitions between bottom and forehead on the floor

Instructions

  1. Stand in tadasana with your feet next to each other.
  2. Bend the knee joints to the maximum so that the squat position is reached.
  3. Squat with even pressure distribution on the feet.
  4. Fold the hands into namaste, whereby, in contrast to the normal namaste, the whole ball of the thumb does not rest on the sternum because the arms are placed around the lower legs from the front.

Details

  1. Make sure that you always hold the weight plumb bob in roughly the same position. If the flexibility of the triceps surae(i.e. the calf muscles) is significantly restricted, there may not be enough dorsiflexion available so that the weight plumb bob moves further and further backwards when the knee joint is bent because the lower leg cannot be tilted far enough forwards against the vertical, see the corresponding entry in the FAQ.
  2. Keep the center of gravity close to the heels but still far enough away so that the foot lifts do not have to be used for balancing.
  3. If you start with tadasana, the hands can be brought into namaste during the transition or in the squat. If you start with namaste instead of tadasana, the hands remain in the pose the whole time. The arms are not used for balancing.
  4. After constructing the pose, there is strain on the calf muscles(triceps surae), which can lead to fatigue after a while. This is likely to affect the soleus and posterior tibialis in particular. It cannot be completely ruled out that prolonged posture overstrains these muscles and triggers symptoms of tibial plateau syndrome.
  5. Although other cultures may use squatting as a common long-term posture, the average Western musculoskeletal system is generally unable to cope with a more or less short-term switch from sitting to squatting without side effects. There is a big difference in whether the musculoskeletal system has adapted to this posture from childhood or whether it is forced upon it in the short term in adult life. It should be noted that the less mobile the lower legs or ankles are in terms of dorsiflexion, the steeper the lower legs are, which places a much greater strain on the anterior cruciate ligaments, which – contrary to the opinion of some orthopaedists – can become undesirably elongated under constant tension. This can then lead to instability of the knee with a positive gravity sign (an orthopaedic sign that indicates a defect or overstretching of the anterior cruciate ligament ), possibly even an anterior drawer (a more severe orthopaedic sign that indicates a more pronounced defect/overstretching of the anterior cruciate ligaments ). A detrimental effect on the joint capsule cannot be ruled out either. If a Baker’s cyst develops after frequent prolonged squatting, this is sufficient evidence that the knee cannot tolerate this posture to this extent and it should be avoided or kept as short as possible! To stretch the monoarticular plantar flexors, practise other postures such as downface dog with the knee joint bent or utkatasana.

Known problems that can occur even when practiced correctly

Shin splints syndrome
see under Details

Overstretching of the anterior cruciate ligaments and changes in the capsular tension of the knees with frequent repetition of long postures
see under Details

Variants

Holding on to an object

Instructions

  1. Take the pose as described above, but hold on to an object with your hands and pull yourself further into a forward bend by bending your arms.

Details

  1. Various objects are suitable, be it a stationary table, a radiator, a door frame or a heavy dumbbell placed lengthways in front of you.
  2. The arms are bent outwards to further encourage the forward bend. This also allows you to practise the forward bend aspect of the butt or forehead variation on the floor.

Transitions between butt and forehead on the floor

Instructions

  1. Squat as described above.
  2. For a more favorable center of gravity, take your hands out of namaste and stretch them forward.
  3. Open the legs to be able to move the upper body as far forward as possible from the hip joints.
  4. Shift your weight backwards and slowly lower your bottom to the floor. Finally, sit with your full weight on your bottom
  5. Shift your weight forward again so that your bottom lifts up.
  6. Using the strength of the foot lifts and shifting your weight, tilt further forward and gently place your forehead on the floor.
  7. Lift your forehead off the floor again, then shift your weight back again in small doses until you are squatting on your feet again with even pressure distribution.

Details

  1. This transition requires a great deal of flexibility in the monoarticular hip extensors so that the flexion in the hip joints (at least with the knee joint flexed) can be carried out very far. An indication that this may be the case is if the flexed knee joint can be brought behind the shoulder. This is the only way to ensure that the necessary redistribution of body mass in relation to the physical support base can be carried out so gently and purposefully that these transitions can be carried out gently and reversibly. If the bottom is heavy on the floor, the body’s center of gravity lies under the ischial tuberosities or just in front of them in the direction of the heels. If the bottom is to be lifted gently and reversibly, so much body mass must be shifted forward that the center of gravity moves under the feet, i.e. under or better just in front of the heels in the direction of the forefoot. However, this is only possible if the upper body can be tilted forward and flexed through the legs when they are slightly open, which is largely dependent on the gluteus maximus and the hip extensors (part of the dorsal hip muscles) located in the pelvis. As a rule, this transition will not work without swinging unless the shoulders are clearly in front of the knees. In addition to the great flexion abilityin the hip joints, which in this case hardly depends on the hamstrings, as is so often the case, but on the monoarticular extensors, the flexion ability of the back is therefore also a criterion or requirement. People with a hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine are at an advantage here, as undesirable as it is, while people with a steep position of the thoracic spine are at a disadvantage if the flexibility of the thoracic spine is not very good. The inability of the spine to flex (especially the lumbar spine, and to a lesser extent the thoracic spine), for example in the case of hyperlordosis and loss of the ability to straighten or even kyphotically bend the lumbar spine, also shifts the gravity perpendicular backwards and thus worsens it.
  2. Both the buttocks and the forehead should be able to sit up slowly and reversibly.
  3. To transition from the „bottom on the floor“ to the „squatting on the feet“ position, the foot lifter muscles can be used for a short time if necessary. The better the flexibility, the less this will be necessary. The front feet should not lift off during this transition.
  4. The inner feet should remain on the floor at all times.
  5. The cervical spine is flexed to a greater or lesser extent in order to raise the forehead.
  6. The need to use momentum for one of the transitions indicates a lack of flexibility. Strength and momentum should not be involved here.