We all love a good challenge! So we have found an awesome 28 Day Squat Challenge to strengthen and tone those legs! Bodyweight workouts are awesome, and squats are one of the best because not only can you do them anywhere but they are a great way to work multiple body parts like the butt, thighs and core! So grab your workout buddy and get going!
Here’s how it works:
- You will do a different squat variation each week for a month. The variations get more difficult as the month progresses.
- Each day has a target number or reps for which you should aim. You can do them all in one go or spread them out throughout the day.
- If you fail to reach the target number of reps with perfect form you must go back to the beginning of that 7 day period.
- You may not have heard of each variation, so how to do them properly is explained below.
Counterbalance Box Squat:
- With your feet shoulder width apart, keep your chest up and arms out in front of you as a counterbalance.
- Sit back and down onto a surface, such as a chair or stool. Let your butt touch the surface, but don’t sit down.
- As you descend make sure your knees are tracking over your toes.
- Return to the starting position by pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes.
Prisoner Box Squat:
- Keeping the tips from above in mind, place your hands behind your head rather than out in front of you.
- Use a lower chair or stool than before to make sure you are squatting deeper.
- Over the course of the week keep lowering the surface until your thighs are parallel (or lower) to the ground when in the bottom position.
Counterbalance Air Squat:
- Remove the chair or stool and put your arms out in front of you.
- Squat down as before, ensuring that your thighs are parallel to the ground (or lower). The deeper you squat the more muscles you activate.
- Remember to keep your torso as upright as possible by keeping your chest up.
Prisoner Air Squat:
- Put your hands behind your head once again and continue squatting as low as you can.
- Remember: chest up, feet shoulder width apart, knees tracking over toes, sit back, and push through your heels.
- By the end of the month, you should be able to do a basic bodyweight squat with great form.
This is the beginner challenge. Once you have mastered the basic bodyweight squat there are two more challenges for intermediate and advanced squatters that you can find on Travel Strong.
References: My Fitness Pal & Travel Strong