Seven Abilities that Predict Longevity, 2 of 7
This video thumbnail makes me blush β a beautiful woman talking to you as she spreads her legs wide open in front of you π .
I hear it in my head β voices of prim and proper Peranakan (Straits Chinese) Bibiks* dressed in their elegant traditional kerbayas and baju panjangs whispering to each other, “Aiyoh, tengok dia! Dudok te kang-kang koyak. Betol tak senonoh. Mak dia tak ajair dia senonoh senonoh.” (My goodness, look her! She’s sitting with her legs wide open. Her mother didn’t teach her proper manners.) π€
* formal address for senior Nonya women (typically matriarchs)
As I listened, however, to fitness coach Vanja over and over again, I couldn’t help but come to the conclusion: This beautiful lady is on to something. Truth be told, the squat is nothing new to the Asian me. As children, we squatted and played on the floor all the time.
According to a September 2025 article in the Macao News, What is the Asian Squat?, “Peranakan (Straits Chinese) culture blends Chinese, Malay, and local Southeast Asian traditions, where traditional homes, long meal preparations, and everyday customs historically involved sitting or working close to the floor or using traditional setups. However, modern Peranakans who grow up with a chair-dominant, sedentary Western lifestyle can lose this flexibility just like anyone else.“
Is that how I got embarrassed about the squat?
π§ #2 of 7 How long can you squat?
Squatting challenges the glutes, quads, abductors, and core. It engages the ankles, knees, and hips to their full range of motion. The body is forced to make tiny, subconscious stability adjustments that reduces fall risks.
Click here to watch me do the Asian Squat π
I was so excited rediscovering the Asian squat that I overdid it and injured my knees. I am learning to pace myself.
It was Vanja who got me very interested in squat. I will introduced you to her at some point. I’ve enrolled for her do-it-at-your-own pace online training. I want to build capacity to get to where she is challenging me to be (with some discounts π). It’s taken me about 40 days to get to where I am now.
Coach John Noel shows you baby steps to get into the squat. Go on and give it a shot.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. β Oscar Wilde