I get asked often how to make the habit of exercise stick. Many have complicated answers that go right over the average person’s head. They don’t want to hear about split routines or going to the gym six days a week. They may be able to make it work for a short time-frame but most are unable to sustain it long enough to reap the rewards.
it is crucial to integrate a practice you can be consistent with. In order to build consistency, you need to utilize a protocol that you can do every single day without fail. For this to be possible, it has to be something that does not take up much time, results in a sense of accomplishment, and builds fitness to stay motivated. This is where bodyweight squats come into play.
Bodyweight squats can be done anywhere, don’t require equipment, and everyone has time to do at least one-hundred squats per day. Don’t even think about telling me you’re too busy to do one-hundred squats every single day. You don’t have to do all one-hundred in a row although that is a great goal to work up to.
Total beginners can start with ten sets of ten with one-minute breaks and advance to four sets of twenty-five with one-minute breaks. Be creative with the rep schemes to keep things fresh. Also while one-hundred is the minimum you can always do more reps each day for greater benefit. I do three to five hundred reps several times a week and on days I train at the gym I do a minimum of one-hundred at the end of the workout.
One-hundred body weight squats every day is a simple way to add extra exercise to your life and won’t take away from your other workouts. If anything it will be a nice dose of active recovery. A hundred squats is also a great way to super-charge the day, increase energy, improve focus, and even enhance mood. I also find my sleep has improved since integrating daily squat work as it is a great way to calm the nerves and quell adrenaline. Here is what last week of my daily squatting regimen looked like:
Monday 14×30 for a total of 420 reps
Tuesday 6×40 for a total of 240 reps
Wednesday 3×40 for a total of 120 reps after my Deadlift workout at the gym
Thursday 8×30 for a total of 240 reps
Friday 7×40 for a total of 280 reps
Saturday 2×50 for 100 reps after my barbell squat workout
Sunday 1×75, 9×25 for a total of 300 reps
Feel free to pick a version of the bodyweight squat your comfortable with. Just make sure to use a full range of motion and optimal technique.
I prefer the Hindu squat for my daily squatting sessions as I love the fluid nature of the move and also the emphasis on the quads, calves, and building lung capacity (breathe out as you squat down and take a deep breath as you stand up). My long-term goal is to work up to 500 reps straight in 20 minutes or less. I am also working on a 500lb barbell squat so I think it would be exciting to be able to squat 500lbs and also be able to do 500 Hindu squats. This is a great combination of strength and excellent conditioning. Find a goal which is important to you to keep progressing. Yet, to start just have a goal of getting in 100 squats every day.
