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If You Only Do One Type of Weight Training, Do Squats


Not everyone has a ton of time or interest for weight training. However, The New York Times suggests that the one exercise everyone should work into their daily routine is squats.

Speaking with Stuart Phillips at McMaster University in Ontario, he explains why the squat is the one weight training exercise everyone should do:

I do think, from top to bottom, that the squat is an exercise that engages every single major muscle group... It's about as functional as you're going to get in terms of training you for activities like picking things up and standing up.

The key word here is "functional." While most weight training is about bulking up for activities more extreme than you probably encounter on a daily basis, squats help you accomplish your day-to-day activities. The best part is you don't even need a set of weights for squats, and you can do them pretty much anywhere.

Simple Advice for Better Weight Training | New York Times

Photo by Pam loves pie.