How to Perform Staggered-Stance Deep Squat Breathing

Picture this: You're on the soccer field, trying to make a pass as the opposing team bears down on you. Or maybe you're at the gym, attempting a personal best on your squat. Your heart is racing, your muscles are straining, and your breath feels shallow and constricted. Enter the Staggered-Stance Deep Squat Breathing exercise. The primary muscles worked are the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core. With every repetition, you feel the burn in your lower body and the tension released in your chest. The aesthetic improvements to expect are toned legs and glutes, improved posture, and a more defined midsection. Equipment needed for this exercise includes a mat and weights, but it can also be performed using just body weight.

Primary muscles worked: Diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
Secondary muscles: Abdominals and pelvic floor muscles.
Equipment needs: None.
Specific benefits: Increases lung capacity, improves breathing technique, reduces stress and anxiety, aids in relaxation and sleep.
Aesthetic improvements to expect: None.
Unique distinctions about this exercise: Emphasizing breathing into the bottom of your lungs, with your ribs actively expanding outwards.
Sensory characteristics of the movement: A sensation of expansion in the lower ribs and belly with inhale, and a sensation of lightness with exhale.
Sports it carries over to: Endurance sports like running, swimming and cycling, as well as activities that require breath control like singing, playing a wind instrument or public speaking.
Other contexts in life it carries over to: Helps manage everyday stress and anxiety, and provides relaxation and better sleep.

Instructions:

If you want to lock in your back and core so that you are a veritable fortress of stability, then draw your abs in tight, tuck your tailbone like a pocket watch into the back pocket of your slacks, and lower those ribs like an iron curtain for extra security.
Hoist those weights above your head with the same strength and conviction as a superhero, without any awkward back bends or ribs jutting out like freshly plowed fields.
Keep those shoulders from rising and embracing your ears like an old friend. Avoid them adopting their shrug pose at all costs!
(optional) Bonus: If you can manage to maintain this position while humming the theme song from your favorite superhero movie in a deep baritone, you'll be keeping your body and soul on top form.

This exercise has a positive sport carryover as it helps improve form and strength for activities such as running, jumping, and lifting weights. Outside of sports, staggered-stance deep squat breathing can also be helpful in daily activities such as lifting groceries or carrying children. Modifications to this exercise can include using a resistance band or adjusting the stance to make it more challenging or accessible for different fitness levels. Embrace the burn and feel the gains reaped with this exercise.