Learn how Supported Counter Squats build leg & glute strength, improve balance, prevent falls, and make everyday movements easier. Safe step-by-step guide included.
Focus Keyphrase:
Supported Counter Squats
Supported Counter Squats
Supported Counter Squats are a core lower-body strength exercise designed to build leg and glute power by mimicking the everyday “sit-to-stand” motion. This exercise is crucial for preventing falls, helping you safely step over obstacles and control your body’s center of gravity during daily movements.
Key Benefits:
- 💪 Strengthens Legs & Glutes: Targets thighs and hips – muscles essential for daily activities.
- 🔄 Improves Functional Movement: Trains the foundational “sit-to-stand” action used dozens of times daily (e.g., rising from chairs, toilets, or car seats).
- ⚖️ Enhances Balance & Control: Teaches controlled movement, reduces reliance on momentum, and builds stability to lower fall risk.
- 🦴 Supports Bone Health: Weight-bearing exercises like squats help maintain bone density.
Getting Started:
- ⚠️ Consult Your Doctor: Before starting any new exercise program.
- 🛑 Use a Sturdy Support: Place hands on a stable countertop (kitchen or bathroom).
- 🧍 Starting Position: Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
- ❗ Safety First: Stop immediately and sit down if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
How To Do Supported Counter Squats:
Goal: Complete 10 reps.
- Foot Position:
- 👣 Feet shoulder-width apart.
- Point toes and heels straight ahead.
- If ankles feel strained, turn toes slightly out (like 11 & 1 or 10 & 2 on a clock).
- The “Sit” Phase:
- 👉 Slowly lower your hips back and down, as if sitting into a chair.
- 👉 Keep your chest up and back straight – don’t hunch or lean forward excessively.
- 👉 Track knees over ankles (don’t let them cave inward or bow outward).
- 👉 Weight centered through your heels.
- The “Stand” Phase:
- 💥 Drive through your heels to powerfully return to the starting position.
- Repeat: Complete 10 controlled repetitions.
Make It Easier or Harder:
- Easier:
- 👉 Perform Partial Squats: Only lower halfway down.
- Harder:
- 👉 Unsupported Squats: If stable enough, perform the sit-to-stand motion without holding the counter, near a sturdy, wall-backed chair.
- 👉 Add Reps or Sets: Gradually increase to 2 sets of 10 reps, or more reps per set.