The deep squat hold: A mobility drill
Practice holding this position for 30 seconds, and then work your way up to a full minute. This deep squat position opens up the hips, groin, lower back, and it stretches the calves and achilles tendon. Be careful going into and back out of this movement, take it slow and maintain good control the entire time. Don’t forget to focus on your breathing and keep good posture in your upper body.
Improving mobility in the above mentioned areas will also allow for more strength gains. The deeper you can go in your barbell squat for example, the more muscle you’ll recruit. The more muscle you recruit, the stronger you ultimately become.
Improving mobility is equally important to improving strength and building muscle, so don’t neglect this aspect of your training. With properly applied mobility training, you will decrease the likelihood of getting of getting injured, and you will ultimately enhance your strength training experience.