If you need to choose martial arts that Asian billions practice from a young age, it is not the Shaolin Palace, nor extreme Tai Chi, but squatting. It sounds trivial, but it is truly a survival secret that Westerners are unlikely to grasp, something that almost only Asians can do. Imagine a Western brother who arrived in Hanoi for the first time, invited to the sidewalk to eat noodles, with plastic tables and chairs being clean.

The new shop owner said this: "Please, dear, very quickly." The new Westerner followed suit, dropping his butt. In the first 30 seconds, everything seems fine. By the second minute, his face began to contort like a dipped pie. And by the third minute, he was swaying like a boat. By the fifth minute, leaning back, the bowl of vermicelli almost splashed. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese sat nearby with oil, holding chopsticks, another dipping fish sauce, squatting like a stone.

Perhaps from the countryside to the city, everywhere we can see the scene of Vietnamese people squatting to gossip, squatting to play chess, squatting in anticipation of something, or just squatting as a habit. Squatting seems to be a simple action, but it is actually connected to stories related to geography, history, culture, and even science, which explains it.

First of all, you have to talk about geography. Asia, especially Southeast Asia and South Asia, is associated with wet rice civilization. Farmers from ancient times lived in the middle of the fields when they were tired between transplanting. The quickest way to break is to squat right on the edges of the field. This position helps the buttocks not touch the ground, avoiding moisture, and more importantly, just one movement - to get up immediately. This is the labor tempo and disconnection characteristics of farmers, but still ready. In Europe, the cold climate and wet soil make squatting torturous. People need a chair to avoid catching a cold.

In East Asia, there is a tradition of floor culture: eating on the floor, eating on low trays, returning mats, sitting on bamboo mats, or gathering around a fire. High chairs were once a luxury and were not popular among the people. Only those who could afford it had a full set of tables and chairs. And only with the development of trade and urbanization did Western-style tables and chairs flood in, changing habits. But even when chairs appeared, common spaces like sidewalks, flea markets, village community houses, and rice fields still maintained the habit of squatting. A Vietnamese can sit in a regular office chair during the day, and in the evening sit down to play chess with friends or squat somewhere.

Meanwhile, the West soon attached life to places, dining, meetings, learning, praying, entertaining, all revolving around the chair. Thus, the opportunity to practice squatting martial arts has almost been lost due to European childhood. Asians are different, as childhood was unconsciously practiced in squatting, playing on the ground, snacking, and even squatting in the toilet. This is a habit that many 7x, 8x, 9x brothers and sisters are not strangers to. When I was young, I came later when the modern toilet was developed. As a result, the muscles of the calves, tendons, thighs, and ligaments are trained daily. As an adult, this position became instinctive.

In contrast, Westerners were not trained in this from childhood. And therefore, in the world of bodybuilding, it is also called natural strength, as the Asian style team is a specialty only in the East. But talking about squatting, just mentioning cultural habits is not enough, because there is also a biological background that helps Asians maintain this position more naturally, and science has explained it.

First of all, body proportions. Asians generally have longer torsos and shorter legs than Europeans. Many studies have shown that the height of the body means that from the hips to the start of East Asian people is about 54 to 55% of total height, while Westerners are only about 52%. It sounds small, but when the body is squatting, the difference of just 2 to 3% is extremely important. Long bodies and short legs mean that the center of gravity is closer to the ground. Like a column, if it is tall, it is easy to fall, and hard to stay upright. Therefore, Asians lower their bodies, which will be less inclined backward and feel more stable.

Next is the hips. This is the main responsibility when we bend the knee and lower the buttocks. Studies show that the length of Asian femur bones is shorter, while the femur is generally longer, and the bone marrow is smaller than that of Europeans. This creates a solid frame that can provide good strength when the body is in a squatting position. Westerners have long bones, so when they lower their bodies, the impact force on the knees and hips is greater, making them tired and difficult to maintain balance. Asians have short and thick bones, which facilitate squatting posture. Another element is the ankle. This is the solution to see if you have good squatting ability or not.

To squat while keeping the heels touching the ground, the ankle must have a folding amplitude of about 30-35 degrees. Asians, since they were young, played on the ground, squatted to eat snacks, squatted in the toilet, so the ligaments and muscles around the ankles were regularly stretched, resulting in the ankle being wider than average. This allows the heel to stick to the ground, creating a solid foundation. In contrast, Europeans do not have such a habit. In short, the difference is not only from cultural habits but also from biological foundations. The upper body has long torsos, short legs, helping with a low center of gravity, short and thick femur bones create a solid frame, flexible ankle joints due to practice. Muscles are adapted through daily repetition.

All of this combines to form an ideal system for supporting squatting. Science has explained it this way. And interestingly, this position has health benefits. Medical studies show that when going to the toilet, squatting helps the rectum more than sitting. Since then, the process of eliminating other substances is easier, reducing the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids. Many doctors even recommend placing a small stool under the feet when sitting on the toilet to mimic the angle of squatting. Correctly done, it is also beneficial for the spine and circulation. When lowering the body, body mass is distributed evenly, the spine is relaxed, and the hip and ankle joints maintain flexibility. This is an extremely important factor as one ages.

Elderly people who also squat often maintain good joint health. However, if someone has knee problems, it is necessary to practice carefully, not to squat too deeply, and can start with heels or lean against a wall to reduce pressure. In bodybuilding, the most basic and effective movement is to catch a book. Asians practiced life squats without knowing it, considered free to practice DI. Therefore, a trend has emerged on social media, which is a problem for the Asian-style team. It is Westerners who will practice squatting like our Asians.

In many videos, they are shown trying, but they have to lift their heels, their bodies sway, and they eventually fall backward. At the same time, an ordinary street vendor at the market can squat all day while continuing to count money and call customers carefreely. Or students in the past remember the flag-raising ceremonies when there were no chairs, so they still constantly squatted. This is a martial art that is difficult for Westerners to practice. Not due to weakness, but due to a lack of thousands of hours of unconscious practice from childhood. Today, interestingly, many Westerners have started to learn to squat for health. Fitness trainers, yoga experts, and physiotherapists advise students to practice this position to improve natural mobility, and there are even challenges on social media.

In short, squatting is not only a posture but also a completely different part of culture. It shows how Asians have evolved from the past to the present. It reflects the ability to adapt to geographical and economic conditions. It plays an important role in both eating and drinking, even in delicate matters like going to the toilet. And, above all, it is a testament to the flexibility and agility of the Asian body.

If someone asks Asians about their superpowers, you can smile and say: "We have great squatting, a super colorful superpower, not bright, no need for millions in gyms or modern technology. It is just the accumulation of thousands of years of wet rice culture from the habit of living in Suric Living, from games, side places. Due to interest in this story.