Today I challenge you to do this exercise for the next 7 days straight. I am living proof that small changes can evolve into big changes, which, in turn, can change your life. The most frequently asked question is how do I get started? If you don’t exercise on a regular bases committing to 40-60 minutes a day (suggested by the FDA) seems impossible, outrageous, and obnoxious.

Start small, bigger things will come.

I officially challenge you to complete 50 squats a day. You can break it down into 5 sets of 10 or 10 sets of 5. I plan on doing 50 squats as soon as I jump out of the bed, or while brushing my teeth. Maybe you can fit them in waiting for the elevator, or while your computer is warm up. It doesn’t matter when or where you do them, the challenge is to push yourself everyday by adding 50 squats to your existing or non-existing work out routine.

Personal Reflection

I hated Squats!!! HATED HATED HATED HATED! My knees always felt shaky, I never understood why such a simple exercise always raised my heart rate, and triggered perspiration. I know squats are supposed to lift my butt, and tone my legs, so for the sake of my jeans, and my sex life, I decided to make squats part of my regular workout routine. I don’t love them, but I don’t hate them as much as I used to. My butt looks better then ever, it sits up like a happy bubble. My legs are a different story, they are much more shapely then they were; but my hips (and the Lawrence / Breedlove gene pool) let me know that I have a lot more squats to complete to truly tame these legs.

I feel like I have forever to get my body where I want it to be, so I’m going to keep pushing myself and start completing my squats everyday and hopefully my butt won’t drop anytime soon. 

Benefits of Squats

 Squats build Muscles in your entire body.

Squats help build quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, when squats are done properly they can be so intense that it can improve muscle mass when you train other areas of your body aside from you legs.

Squat are functional exercises

Functional exercises help your body to perform real-life activities, as opposed to being able to complete gym equipment exercises.  When you squat you build muscle and help your muscle work more efficiently. They also encourage mobility and balance. 

Burn More FAT!!!

Best way to burn more calories is to gain more muscle. Every pound of additional muscle you gain, your body will burn an additional 50-70 calories per day. If you gain 10 pounds of muscle you will automatically burn 500-700 more calories per day then you did before.

Get that bubble butt and those abs in shape. Not many exercises work as many muscles as squats do, its also great for toning and tightening your booty, abs and legs. That’s enough reason for me to do squats every day.

 Proper Way to Perform a Squat   

1.     Warm up by bending your knees a few times and squatting down as far as you can before starting. Get your blood flowing

2.     Stand with your feet just over shoulder width apart

3.     Keep arms extended straight in front of you, as if you a reaching for something

4.     Keep your back in a neutral position, and keep your knees centered over your feet

5.     Slowly bend your knees, hips and ankles, lowering until you reach a comfortable, but challenging angle. Do not push yourself into a deep squat until it feels safe. Controlled squats are safer and smarter 

6.     Breathe in as you lower, breathe out as you return to starting position

 Good Luck! 

REFERENCES:

Br J Sports Med

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1989 Jun;21(3):299-303.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/05/25/darin-steen-demonstrates-the-perfect-squat.aspx