Squats are the most common exercise for anyone trying to build a dream body. The drills are incredibly accessible and do not require any equipment to do them. What’s more, squats workout multiple muscles at the same time. So, what kind of results should you expect if you do 100 squats a day for 30 days? What routine should you follow for optimum outcomes?
There is an almost endless list of things you can achieve in a month if you put your mind to it. You could become a proficient saxophone player, perfect a new language or even go from being a squats beginner to someone who can take on 200 in one go! Here is what you need to know about the 30 days’ squats challenge
What Muscles Do Squats Work?
Doing squats everyday challenges most of the muscles in your body.
The prominent muscle groups worked out by this training are those in your lower body. However, if you do them correctly, then you will have used several muscles above your waistline.
The lower body muscles targeted by squats are as follows:
- Calves
- Hip flexors
- Adductor muscles in your groin area
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Medius, Gluten Maximus, and Minimus muscles in your buttocks.
Other muscles targeted include the following:
Read More: 50 Squats A Day Challenge: What Do Experts Have To Say?
Squats Benefits
So, what do squats do to your body? Do they have any benefits to your system? Here are some of the top gains you will likely accrue from taking the exercise:
Boosts Your Strength And Athletic Ability
If you are a sportsman or woman, adding squats to your sessions helps strengthen your legs, improve your speed and overall athletic performance.
A study conducted in 2016 revealed that doing jump squats three times a week for eight weeks can improve several athletic performances, including explosive strength and sprint time (8).
Keeps You Motivated
There are many different types of squats you can try. Changing up your exercise routine now and then keeps your sessions interesting, while activating other muscles.
You can also incorporate weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, resistance bands, and yoga balls into your sessions.
Strengthens Your Lower Body Muscles
Your lower body has some of the strongest muscles, of which you have a lot of uses.
From sitting down in a chair to getting out of the bed, your hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, calves, hip flexors, and glutes are responsible for many moves that you make.
Squatting can help strengthen all the above muscles found in your lower body. When the muscle groups are in good condition, you will move comfortably with less pain. You will find everything from bending to walking easier than before (11).
Burns Calories
Performing high-intensity exercises such as squats can crush a considerable amount of calories compared to low-intensity training such as cardio.
According to the Harvard Medical School, a 155-pound individual can burn 233 calories in 30 minutes of vigorous weight or strength training exercise such as squats (1).
Strengthens Your Core Muscles
Core muscles are essential in your everyday movements, such as bending, standing, and turning.
Not only that, but they are also important in maintaining body balance, easing low back pain, and making it easier to maintain a perfect posture.
A study conducted in 2018 that looked at core muscle activation during back squats proves the above statement. The research found out that the exercises resulted in greater activation of the back support muscles (2).
Based on the findings, scientists who conducted the research recommended using back squats to target core muscles.
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What Happens If You Do 100 Squats A Day For 30 Days?
Here are some of the 100 squats a day for 30 days results you should expect (5):
- If you have a lot of fats in your body, then you will lose weight. This will result in smaller, tighter, and more toned thighs and butt.
- If you are lean and you have little body fat, you will build a shapely butt. This will highly depend on your consistency, diet, intensity, and the routine you are following.
- Squats work abs; you might notice a reduction in abdominal fat.
- You will move, bend, turn and sit with ease.
- If you are an athlete, your sprint pace will increase slightly.
- Adopting an excellent posture will be easy.
100 Squats A Day For 30 Days’ Female And Male Tips
Squats are challenging and practical exercises that tone up your entire body. When done correctly, they have a lot of benefits. You can add them to your routine by following these simple tips.
1. Start Low
If you are new to this exercise, do not go straight to doing 100 squats on the first day. Start low and eventually increase the number of reps every day.
So, how many squats a day should you take if you are a beginner? Well, start with less than 50 repetitions on the first day. Do five more reps every day than the previous day.
Once you hit the 100-mark, do not just dwell on that. Do as many as you can (12).
2. Do Squat Variation
Before moving on to various, master the basic squat movement. To perform a basic squat:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hip-width.
- Your toes should be turned outwards.
- Tighten your core so that you can stabilize yourself.
- Thrust your chest upwards.
- Put your hands together in front of your chest.
- Shift your weight to your heels as you push your hips downwards.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel with the ceiling.
- Make sure your knees are over your second toe.
- Thrust your chest up and keep your feet on the floor.
- Exhale and push yourself up.
- Repeat the above steps 100 times (6).
Once you have mastered the above, you can take the following variations:
Jump Squat
This exercise works out your hips, legs, thighs, and glutes. Follow the procedure below to take it.
- Start by doing a basic squat.
- When your thighs are parallel to the ceiling, jump up.
- If you are a beginner, start with a low jump. As you get advanced, jump higher.
- As you land, lower your back to the squat position.
- Repeat the above steps as many times as you can (3).
Sumo Squat
This training works on your glutes and inner thighs. Use the steps below to do it:
- Stand with your feet wide apart.
- Your toes should be pointing out.
- Keep your weight in the back of your heels and start lowering your hip.
- Bend your knees and go down until your thighs are parallel to the ceiling.
- Do as many sumo as you can (7).
Barbell Or Back Squat
This exercise works on your legs, hips, glutes, and lower back. You will need a barbell on a rack to do it. Follow the steps below:
- Place a barbell on a rack just below your shoulders.
- Move under the bar so that it is on top of your back.
- Grip it with your hands wider and your arms facing forward.
- Stand and step back to bring the barbell off the rack.
- Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart.
- Your chest should be slightly lifted.
- Squat down until your hips are just below your knees.
- Push the barbell up.
- Repeat the steps as many times as you can (9).
Read More: How Many Squats A Day Will Give You That Peach Booty Look?
3. Understand That The Challenge Needs More Than Just Squats
If your goal is to lose weight, you will need to watch your diet. As a rule of the thumb, consume a lot of proteins, fruits, vegetables and drink a lot of water.
If you are trying to lose weight, make sure that your daily calorie consumption is less than what you take in.
Also, do not just dwell on squats. Do other types of exercises.
For instance, to fully activate your booty and lower body muscles, your routine needs to incorporate other exercises such as:
4. Do Not Forget To Rest
Rest is an essential thing in your workout routine. Here are some of the advantages you will gain by resting:
- Allows time for muscle growth and recovery
- Prevents exercise-induced fatigue
- Reduces injury risks
- Improves your overall performance by increasing or energy and reducing your fatigue
- Promotes healthy sleep
During your rest days, you can incorporate lighter exercises such as running, cardio, bodybuilding, and so forth (10).
5. Adhere To All The Safety Precautions
While squatting is a generally safe exercise, there are some safety tips you should adhere to when doing squats. They include the following:
- You should only lower yourself when you can comfortably do so: If you feel any discomfort in your legs or hips, stop doing the exercise.
- You must have a solid base: You need to be stable when squatting to avoid falls and putting unnecessary pressure on your knees.
- Only lift the weights you can handle: Lifting heavy weights can strain your back, knees, hips and lead to injuries.
- Adopt a right posture: Do not round your back or shoulders. Focus on keeping your spinal cord straight in a natural position. Your head should be neutral and not looking down or up.
- Keep your eyes looking forward: Do not look down while performing any squats. Gaze straight ahead to keep your neck in a neutral spot.
Sample 30-Day Squats Challenge Routine
Here is a sample 30 days’ squats challenge plan you can follow for optimum results. Each day you will do more squats than the previous day. You will also need to rest for one or two days every week.
Week 1
- Day 1 – 50
- Day 2 – 55
- Day 3 – 60
- Day 4 – Rest
- Day 5 – 70
- Day 6 – 75
- Day 7 – 80
Week 2
- Day 8 – Rest
- Day 9 – 100
- Day 10 – 105
- Day 11 – 110
- Day 12 – Rest
- Day 13 – 130
- Day 14 – 135
Week 3
- Day 15 – 140
- Day 16 – Rest
- Day 17 – 150
- Day 18 – 155
- Day 19 – 160
- Day 20 – Rest
- Day 21 – 180
Week 4
- Day 22 – 185
- Day 23 – 190
- Day 24 – Rest
- Day 25 – 220
- Day 26 – 225
- Day 27 – 230
- Day 28 – Rest
Week 5
- Day 29 – 240
- Day 30 – 250
Conclusion
Doing 100 squats a day for 30 days will effectively help you build your lower body and leg muscles. It is essential to do the exercise correctly. When done incorrectly, they can lead to injury and strain.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Calories burned in 30 minutes for people of three different weights (2018, health.harvard.edu)
- Comparison of Core Muscle Activation between a Prone Bridge and 6-RM Back Squats (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Comparison of weighted jump squat training with and without eccentric braking (2008, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Does Your Workout Really Work? (2020, webmd.com)
- Effects of repeated bouts of squatting exercise on sub-maximal endurance running performance (2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Functional fitness training: What is functional fitness training (2021, edubirdie.com)
- How to Do a Bodyweight Squat (nd, nytimes.com)
- Improved Maximum Strength, Vertical Jump and Sprint Performance after 8 Weeks of Jump Squat Training with Individualized Loads (2016, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Lift your way to strength – and help your body stay young (2018, theguardian.com)
- 10 tips for exercising safely (2010, health.harvard.edu)
- The 9-Minute Strength Workout (nd, nytimes.com)
- Video: Squat with resistance tubing (2019, mayoclinic.org)
