I decided to do a 30-Day Squat Challenge, and I have to say – as much as it kicked my ass – I loved it. I printed out the calendar, posted it on my wall, and crossed out each day as I progressed through it. If I missed a day (which I definitely did), I made myself do both the day I was on and the day I missed.
This particular challenge included various different types of squats, which I found super beneficial. This way, I wasn’t using the exact same muscles every single day for thirty days. Instead, with sumo squats, I was working my inners thighs. While, with curtsey squats, I was working my quadriceps, and so forth. This also meant that I was targeting various important muscles during the challenge that all aimed towards improving my glutes.
This challenge also worked on a 5-day loop. The first two days each introduced one type of squat that was to be performed, followed by two days that combined these two exercises. Then, the fifth day was a rest day. This helped build your muscles up, and then give them a rest before restarting the cycle. This helped my muscles heal and limited the amount of stress placed on them after they were already sore.
The best part about completing a squat challenge is that I found if I have to start a workout anyways, then I was more likely to just head to the gym and do a full workout. For the past month, I have found it easier to motivate myself to workout because of this. If I walk by that calendar and see that I’ve been slacking or missed a day, I find that I’m disappointed in myself.
This forced me to try and stay committed to the challenge.
I definitely recommend trying out a squat challenge; I’ve hyperlinked the one I used here. By starting a challenge you are pushing yourself to commit to a set workout for thirty days and demanding to see results from your body. As sore I was, I knew I was gaining muscle and seeing results. The calendar helped keep me on track, and the short demonstration clips on each different type of squat helped me to learn the proper technique.
After trying out one challenge, I am looking forward to trying out some more! It’s important to focus on the areas of your body that you want to create the most change in, but it’s also important to work opposing and alternatively important muscles. I will definitely be trying out more challenges to keep me healthy, strong, and motivated!
Featured image via Sergio Pedemonte on Unsplash
