The 30-Day Squat Challenge is all over the internet. You might have read about how it will miraculously transform your legs and glutes…
I haven’t heard about it — what’s the 30-Day Squat Challenge?
A workout challenge where you do squats 5 times a week, starting with 50 reps to 200-300 reps per day. It’s promoted by many fitness websites and influencers.
But is the 30-Day Squat Challenge effective and worth your time?
Let’s put it this way — no matter what you do for 0 to 200 reps in 30 days will have some effect, because you’re working out every day. It sure beats doing nothing, and it does makes your legs burn. But is it really the best way to go about reaching your goals?
Check out what might be a better option than the 30-Day Squat Challenge based on your specific goal….
You just want to improve your fitness
Looking for a short term challenge to kick start an active lifestyle? If you are out of shape, here’s what you should know about starting to work out.
Why the 30-Day Squat Challenge is not the best option
- Doing many repetitions of the same exercise every day might make you more susceptible to injury, especially if you are not used to it.
- The Squat is a great exercise but doing only Squats is not the best way to get in shape. Why not do a mix of lower and upper body exercises?
What to do instead:
- A better option — the 4-Week Workout Challenge for beginners, which is a perfect home workout plan you can do without a trip to the gym.
- This challenge won’t take more time than the original 30-Day Squat challenge. It might even take less. All of the workouts are less than 15 minutes long! And you can build up your fitness base in just 4 weeks.
You want to shape your glutes
Looking to shape your glutes at home without weights?
Why the 30-Day Squat Challenge is not the best option
- Squats are great but — they target your quads more than your glutes and
- You will get better results by using exercise variations that target all parts of your glutes.
What to do instead:
- A better option — 4-Week Glute Challenge you can do as a home workout program.
- This glute challenge combines different exercises that challenge your glutes from multiple sides, making it more effective than doing the same exercise over and over again each day.
- All exercise instructions can be found in this butt exercises list.
You want to lose weight
Looking to lose weight without joining a gym?
Why the 30-Day Squat Challenge is not the best option
- Squats are great but — weight loss is about calorie burn, and total body workouts will burn more calories than just repeating the same exercise, no matter how “functional” it is.
- Just a workout challenge alone is not enough for successful weight loss; nutrition plays a key role here. So don’t expect workout challenges to make you lose weight, unless you couple them with healthy, appropriately sized meals.
What to do instead:
If you are out of shape…
- Make sure to change your eating habits! You should aim for a moderate calorie deficit each day. Diet plays a key role when it comes to weight loss; workouts can only support the process — find out all about healthy diets.
- Start with this 4-Week Workout Challenge for beginners, which is a home workout program you can do from the comfort of your living room without any equipment required.
If you are already fit…
You are a runner and want to avoid injuries
Injuries are complex and there is no single prevention protocol that works best. But you can do a lot by strengthening your legs and glutes!
Why the 30-Day Squat Challenge is not the best option
- Squats are great, but glutes — especially the gluteus medius — are where runners usually lack necessary strength.
- You will get better results by using exercise variations that target different muscles in your legs and glutes.
What to do instead:
- A better option — do 2-3 strength workouts from this 4-Week Glute Challenge. Workouts recommended for runners are marked with a special symbol.
- This home workout challenge combines different exercises that challenge your glutes from multiple sides and focus on single leg strength, which is really important for runners, too.
- All exercise instructions can be found in this butt exercises list.
Conclusion
Doing a 30-Day Squat Challenge is better than doing nothing, but for best results you need a tailored, individual plan for your goal:
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Source: Fitness - runtastic.com
