Back when I was an athlete, I did squats every day. But as my athletic career ended and my academic life began, I found myself spending hours and days sitting in front of my computer, almost forgetting what physical activity was.
After graduating, I realized that my physical condition had deteriorated to the point where it was worse than that of an office worker. I got out of breath easily when I ran, gained a few pounds, and even more seriously, I had knee pain.
Yes, I'm only 24 years old, but like most athletes who practice extended runs and triple jumps, I already have knee pain. This has negatively affected my health and even light physical activity causes me to feel pain in my knees.
So I decided to get back into sports. I remembered that when I was training as an athlete, squats were always a part of my training, so I decided to do a little experiment and started by doing squats every day for six months.
Why did you choose squats?
As a former athlete and student of health and fitness, I consider squats an essential part of almost every exercise.
Squats can provide the following benefits:
- Get strong legs: Squats are a great way to build leg muscles, including your thighs, quads, and buttocks. You need these muscles to lift and lower your body during squats.
- Improves sports performance: Squats are a functional exercise that can help you perform better in running, jumping, cycling and other sports. This allows you to develop strength, speed and agility.
- Burn more calories: Because squats work multiple muscles at once, they burn more calories than exercises that target a single muscle group. If you're trying to lose weight, squats are a must.
- Improves balance: Squats require good balance and stability, which can help you move more easily and avoid falling, reducing the risk of falls.
- Strengthens bones: Squats are a weight-bearing exercise that can make your bones stronger and less prone to osteoporosis.
- Improves posture: Squats can help you stand up straighter and reduce your risk of back pain.
- Squats are also used in rehabilitation programs. When I was practicing in private practice, my patients would perform different types of squats after surgery.
Overall, squats are a great exercise suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. Here's a routine to help you get started after a long time without physical activity.
What is the 100 Squat Routine?
Doing 100 squats a day may seem like something only crazy people do, but if you can do it consistently for six months, your legs will get stronger and look better.
So why not give it a try and see for yourself?
You can do them with or without weights, and you can mix up any type of squat as long as you do a total of 100 per day.
If you don't want to drop the exercise all at once, you can do 5 sets of 20 reps or 10 sets of 10 reps every hour.
If 100 air squats are too easy, you can wrap a resistance band around your legs, or do goblet squats while holding a dumbbell or kettlebell to your chest.
The 100 Squats a Day Challenge is a great idea if you're trying to establish a new exercise routine or are looking for a way to move more throughout the day.
What should I do?
If you try to do 100 squats a day at once, you might get overwhelmed and end up giving up.
If you're just starting out, start doing 50 squats a day for the first week. Increase by 10 each week until you reach 100 squats each day. It's also a good idea to start doing squats twice a week and add one day each week so you can squat a day without getting too tired.
There are a variety of ways to achieve your goal of 100 squats per day by varying sets/reps or doing squats in timed intervals.
- Perform 10 sets of 10 each. You can do this with short breaks until you complete all sets, or split it into multiple sessions throughout the day.
- Do 5 sets of 20 and follow the same rules as above.
- Do 4 sets of 25 and follow the same rules as above.
- Do sets of 10, alternating sets between regular squats and jump squats.
Note: To learn the technique of performing squats properly and avoid injury, we recommend watching a video or, if possible, getting a personal coach.
my results
1. The legs looked more athletic.
When I squat regularly, my legs started to look more race ready! My legs looked more toned and muscular.
2. Improved leg strength.
I felt my leg strength increase. I can easily climb 9 flights of stairs, climb a mountain, and lift heavy weights at the gym.
3. Knee pain has been reduced.
When I did squats every day, a miracle happened. However, not only did it increase lower body strength, but it also helped relieve knee pain. In fact, I was happy to no longer feel pain in my knee.
4. 2% reduction in body fat
As I mentioned earlier, I didn't change my eating habits, but I lost 2% body fat while doing squats. It's not a huge amount, but considering the previously mentioned benefits, it's definitely a good deal!
