10 Surprising Benefits Of Lateral Squats

Lateral squats, also known as side squats, are a variation of the traditional squat exercise that involves moving laterally, or side to side, rather than vertically. While the lateral squat may not be as popular as its traditional counterpart, it offers a range of surprising benefits that can enhance your fitness and functionality.

In this article, we will explore the ten surprising benefits of lateral squats and explain how they provide these advantages.

Benefits of Lateral Squats

Lateral squats provide a range of surprising benefits that can enhance your fitness and functionality. Here are ten (10) benefits of doing lateral squats regularly and with proper form:

1. Improved Hip Mobility

One of the primary benefits of lateral squats is their ability to enhance hip mobility. This exercise requires a wider stance and lateral movement, which helps increase the range of motion in your hips. By regularly incorporating lateral squats into your workout routine, you can improve your hip mobility and overall flexibility.

Lateral squats involve stepping out to the side and lowering your body into a squat position, targeting the adductor muscles of the inner thighs. This movement stretches and strengthens the hip muscles, allowing for improved mobility over time. The lateral motion of the exercise also helps to increase hip abduction, further enhancing hip flexibility.

2. Strengthened Inner Thighs

Lateral squats specifically target the adductor muscles, which are responsible for moving your legs inward. By engaging and strengthening these muscles, lateral squats can help improve the stability and strength of your inner thighs.

During lateral squats, the adductor muscles of the inner thighs are activated as you step out to the side and lower your body into a squat. This repetitive movement pattern targets and strengthens these muscles, leading to improved stability and strength in the inner thigh area.

3. Enhanced Glute Activation

If you’re looking to strengthen and tone your glutes, lateral squats are an excellent exercise choice. By engaging the glute muscles in a different plane of motion, lateral squats offer a unique way to activate and develop your glutes.

During lateral squats, the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, which are located on the side of the hips, are heavily engaged. These muscles are responsible for hip abduction, and the lateral movement of the exercise targets them effectively. By incorporating lateral squats into your routine, you can enhance glute activation and achieve a well-rounded lower body workout.

4. Increased Stability and Balance

Lateral squats require stability and balance throughout the movement. By challenging your body in a lateral plane, this exercise helps improve your overall stability and balance, which can translate to better performance in sports and daily activities.

The lateral movement pattern of the exercise forces your body to engage and stabilize the muscles on the side of your hips and lower body. This activation enhances your ability to maintain balance throughout the exercise, improving overall stability and balance.

5. Enhanced Core Strength

While lateral squats primarily target the lower body, they also engage your core muscles to maintain stability and control during the movement. This engagement helps strengthen your core and improve overall core strength.

During lateral squats, your core muscles, including the abdominals and lower back, work to stabilize your body as you move laterally. This activation of the core muscles helps build strength and stability in the midsection, contributing to improved overall core strength.

6. Improved Functional Movement

Functional movements are those that mimic real-life activities and require multiple muscle groups to work together. Lateral squats are a functional exercise that can improve your ability to perform everyday movements, such as walking, climbing stairs, or carrying objects.

Lateral squats involve a side-to-side movement that mimics the motion of walking or stepping. By performing this exercise, you train your body to move in a functional manner, improving your ability to perform daily activities with greater ease and efficiency.

7. Injury Prevention

Lateral squats can help prevent injuries by strengthening and stabilizing the muscles and joints involved in lateral movements. By improving your body’s ability to move laterally with control and stability, you can reduce the risk of strains or imbalances that can lead to injuries.

The controlled lateral movement of the exercise helps strengthen the muscles and ligaments involved in lateral motions, such as the hips, knees, and ankles. This increased strength and stability can help prevent injuries by reducing the risk of strains or imbalances during lateral movements.

8. Enhanced Cardiovascular Conditioning

Lateral squats can be performed dynamically and at a faster pace, turning them into a cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart rate up. By incorporating lateral squats into your workout routine, you can improve your cardiovascular conditioning while simultaneously reaping the other benefits of the exercise.

Performing lateral squats in a continuous and dynamic manner can elevate your heart rate and challenge your cardiovascular system. This increased cardiovascular demand helps improve your overall cardiovascular conditioning, making lateral squats a versatile exercise that can benefit both strength and cardiovascular fitness.

9. Increased Caloric Expenditure

If you’re looking to burn calories and lose weight, lateral squats can be a valuable addition to your fitness routine. This exercise engages multiple muscle groups and can help increase your overall caloric expenditure.

Lateral squats involve large muscle groups, such as the glutes, quadriceps, and adductors, which require significant energy expenditure during the exercise. By incorporating lateral squats into your workout routine, you can increase your overall caloric burn and contribute to weight loss or weight management goals.

10. Versatility and Accessibility

Lateral squats are a versatile exercise that can be modified to suit different fitness levels and goals. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete, lateral squats can be adapted to challenge and benefit your specific needs.

Lateral squats can be performed using body weight alone or with added resistance, such as dumbbells or kettlebells. The exercise can also be modified by adjusting the depth of the squat or the speed of the movement. This versatility makes lateral squats accessible to individuals of all fitness levels and allows for progression as strength and mobility improve.

Summary: Lateral squats may be an underrated exercise, but they offer a wide array of surprising benefits such as improved hip mobility and strengthened inner thighs to enhanced glute activation and increased stability, lateral squats can transform your lower body strength and mobility.

Additionally, lateral squats contribute to core strength, functional movement, injury prevention, cardiovascular conditioning, and increased caloric expenditure. With their versatility and accessibility, lateral squats can be a valuable addition to any workout routine.

How to do Lateral Squats with Proper Form to Maximize it’s Benefits and Minimize it Risks?

To perform lateral squats with proper form and maximize their benefits while minimizing the risks, follow these steps:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
Take a wide step to the side with your right foot, keeping your toes pointing forward.
As you step to the side, shift your body weight to your right foot, bending your right knee and lowering your body into a squat position. Your left leg should remain relatively straight.
Keep your chest lifted, core engaged, and back straight throughout the movement. Avoid leaning forward or rounding your back.
Push through your right heel to return to the starting position. Repeat the same movement on the other side by stepping out with your left foot.
Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions or time.

Here are some additional tips to ensure proper form:

Maintain proper alignment: Keep your knees in line with your toes and avoid letting them cave inward. This helps protect your knee joints and ensures proper muscle activation.
Engage your core: Keep your abdominal muscles engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your spine and maintain proper posture.
Control the movement: Focus on controlled and smooth movements, avoiding any jerking or sudden changes in direction. This helps prevent injuries and allows you to engage the targeted muscles effectively.
Find the right depth: Lower yourself into a squat position until your thigh is parallel to the ground or slightly below. Adjust the depth based on your comfort and flexibility level.
Listen to your body: Pay attention to any discomfort or pain during the exercise. If you experience any sharp pain or discomfort, stop and consult a fitness professional or healthcare provider.

By following these guidelines, you can perform lateral squats with proper form, maximizing their benefits while reducing the risk of injury.

How to Optimize Lateral Squats Benefits

To optimize the benefits of lateral squats, you can incorporate the following strategies into your training:

Consistency: Like any exercise, consistency is key. Aim to include lateral squats in your workout routine at least 2-3 times per week. This regular practice will allow your muscles to adapt and improve over time.
Progressive Overload: To continue seeing progress and reaping the benefits of lateral squats, gradually increase the difficulty or intensity of the exercise. You can do this by adding resistance, such as holding dumbbells or using resistance bands, or by increasing the range of motion by squatting deeper.
Vary the Tempo: Experiment with different tempos during your lateral squats. Try performing slow and controlled squats, focusing on the eccentric (lowering) phase, to increase time under tension and challenge your muscles further. Alternatively, you can incorporate explosive lateral squats for power development by performing the movement quickly.
Incorporate Variations: While lateral squats are effective on their own, incorporating variations can target different muscle groups and add variety to your workouts. Some variations include lateral squat pulses, lateral squat jumps, or lateral lunges. These variations engage your muscles in slightly different ways, enhancing overall lower body strength and mobility.
Focus on Form: Proper form is crucial to optimize the benefits of lateral squats. Ensure that you maintain proper alignment, engage your core, and avoid any compensations or excessive leaning. Performing the exercise with good technique will target the intended muscles and reduce the risk of injury.
Combine with Other Exercises: Lateral squats can be combined with other exercises to create a well-rounded lower body workout. For example, you can incorporate lateral squats into a circuit that includes exercises like squats, lunges, or deadlifts. This will engage multiple muscle groups and provide a comprehensive lower body workout.
Stretch and Mobilize: After your lateral squat workout, it’s essential to stretch and mobilize the muscles involved. Perform stretches for your hip flexors, adductors, glutes, and hamstrings. This will aid in recovery, improve flexibility, and reduce muscle soreness.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your body’s feedback. If you experience any pain or discomfort during lateral squats, modify the exercise or seek guidance from a fitness professional. It’s essential to prioritize safety and avoid pushing beyond your limits.

By implementing these strategies, you can optimize the benefits of lateral squats, improving strength, mobility, stability, and overall lower body function. Tailor your training approach to your fitness level and goals, gradually progressing as you become more comfortable and proficient with the exercise.