If you ask any trainer why squats are needed, he will tell you that squats are a natural and basic exercise that does not require special skills, during which several muscle groups work simultaneously. Squats are a great way to tone your lower body (buttocks and legs) and gain additional muscle mass without the use of additional equipment. They have rehabilitation and general strengthening properties, so it is not surprising that squats are present in almost any fitness complex.
What happens if you do 100 squats every day? How will this affect the body, mind and self-discipline? We'll find out now.
Please note that squats will only be beneficial if performed correctly!
Strengthens different muscle groups
Do you think that during squats only the muscles of the thighs and buttocks work? You are wrong! If you squat 100 times every day, you will pump up your calf, lumbar, abdominal, neck and upper back muscles!
Squats not only strengthen muscles, but also have a positive effect on gaining muscle mass. Those people who are dissatisfied with their appearance and want to become the owners of a more prominent and proportional body, but do not have the opportunity to visit the gym or spend money on having a professional trainer develop a training program for them, should definitely pay attention to such a simple and easy exercise like doing squats every day.
Take a little time to do this exercise, and after a while you will be surprised to notice that your muscles have become stronger and your body has acquired a more attractive and presentable appearance! One and a half to two months after the start of classes, the external and internal muscles of the thighs will noticeably pump up and tighten, men’s legs will become more prominent, and women’s hips will acquire a more rounded and clear line.
Basic mistakes in squats
It is very important objectively evaluate your athletic performance and form - until you master the ideal squat technique, you should not think about heavy barbell weights. It makes more sense to work for several months with the optimal weights for you “for today” than to spend such a period due to an injury lifting weights for which the muscles and tendons are not yet ready.
- Don’t make the popular mistake of squeezing the barbell using your knees . This mistake creates preliminary fatigue in the quadriceps and can cause knee pain and even knee injury.
- It is better not to “hold the weight on your heels” , as this can disrupt your balance and lead to loss of control over the exercise and the barbell.
- You should not go below parallel if you have less than a year of squatting experience, or if you have problems with your knee joints and tendons (including “old” injuries).
- The most common mistake in squats is bringing the knees together (both in the negative and positive phases). This happens because the weight of the barbell is too heavy for you. And also due to insufficient rotation of the hips. Make sure your feet are wide enough and that your knees move in the direction of your toes, but don't protrude too far beyond them. Barbells and elastic bands will help solve this problem. Yes, those same small-diameter rubber loops that girls use to “pump their butts.”
- Combo mistake - too much weight and because of it, the squat is not deep enough. Squats, unlike deadlifts, begin with an eccentric phase, so it’s easy to fool yourself and put too much weight on the barbell. And because of this weight, you will fall by half the amplitude. This won't work in the deadlift because you simply won't lift too much weight off the platform.
- Rounding the back . If the lower back is too rounded in squats, you need to reduce the depth of the squat or reconsider the placement of your legs. We believe that some degree of rounding is still inevitable for many athletes. MFR rollers and stretching the muscles working in squats will help you. They will prepare the muscles and joints for the load, and will also reduce the percentage of rounding of the lower back.
The butt becomes more rounded and toned
Girls who practice daily squats note that within 2-3 weeks after starting classes, their buttocks became more elastic, round, toned and attractive. This is not surprising, because squats help strengthen the gluteal muscles.
If you dream of becoming the owner of a perfect butt, then don’t be lazy and don’t feel sorry for yourself! All you need to get a nutty butt is 100 squats every day!
Dreaming of more noticeable results for your waist and buttocks? Then gradually increase the number of squats to 200-250 repetitions per day and squat with dumbbells or any other weights.
What happens if you squat every day?
Squats every day involve working with small weights or your own body weight.
It is impossible to train with the maximum weight on the barbell every day. The muscles simply won’t have time to recover.
In this case, the focus of the exercise is training for weight loss, muscle tone or strength endurance.
Main recommendations according to the set goals:
- When exercising to lose weight, daily squats can be a good alternative to aerobic exercise or serve as an additional means of energy expenditure. Keep the intensity high, working with minimal rest between sets.
- To develop strength endurance, consider the same recommendations, gradually adding the number of repetitions per approach.
- To improve muscle tone, work in the medium rep range (15-20 per set) with moderate weights (50-70% of max)
- And of course, an option for squats for every day that is suitable for everyone is exercises.
In most cases, the body tolerates daily squats quite comfortably.
But you still need to carefully monitor your own well-being.
This can lead to overwork of the body, which is expressed in deterioration of physical condition, lethargy, weakness, and loss of strength.
Quickly and effectively disappear extra pounds
During squats, many muscle groups are actively working. The more muscles in your body are toned, the faster your body burns calories and begins to lose excess weight. Weight loss is also facilitated by the fact that during squats, metabolic processes occurring in the body are significantly accelerated, and the body itself is actively saturated with oxygen.
If your weight is 78-82 kg, then intense squats (100 times in 5-7 minutes) will help you easily burn 42-48 calories. If you want to achieve more stunning results, then using dumbbells or any other weight-bearing equipment, you can burn up to 210-420 calories at a time! That is why daily squats are simply necessary for those people who want to get their body in order and are actively struggling with excess weight.
Many girls are interested in the answer to the question of whether it is possible to lose weight without exhausting your body with hours of training. If you want to quickly and effectively lose weight, but you don’t have the time, desire or ability to systematically visit the gym, then daily squats are exactly what you need!
But do not forget that the result will be noticeable only if you combine daily squats with proper nutrition. This is the only way you can reduce your waist by a few centimeters and get rid of 2-5 kilograms of excess weight.
Should you do squats every day?
To answer this question, you need to understand that squats can be different. You can squat without additional weights, using only your own body weight, or you can do heavy squats with a barbell on your shoulders with a decent weight. The recommended training frequency will depend on this.
Heavy weight squats are most often used in bodybuilding and powerlifting. The goal of athletes in these sports is to develop strength and increase muscle mass. Heavy training requires a long recovery, so in this case, any daily squats are out of the question.
Daily heavy squats will exhaust even the most fit athlete. Therefore, in bodybuilding and powerlifting they try to do squats 1-2 times a week. Moreover, in the case of performing squats 2 times a week, they try to divide the training into so-called “light” and “heavy”. On the day of “heavy” training, they give their best, and on the day of “light” they give themselves some slack and work with moderate weights.
However, not everyone has the desire to increase muscle mass. This is especially true for girls. As a rule, they set themselves completely different tasks: to tighten the gluteal muscles and give them a beautiful rounded shape. To achieve this goal, training without weight is often used, or with a small weight with which you can perform a fairly large number of squats.
Frankly speaking, girls avoid strength training in vain. They think that strength work will instantly make them covered with lumps of muscle, but, of course, this will not happen. For example, female athletes from the bikini and body fitness categories actively use strength exercises in their training, and, at the same time, look simply wonderful.
But the fact remains, and home-grown “bikinists” most often opt for high-repetition squats with a light load. And these squats, just like that, can be done at least every day. Although, even in this case, it is better to limit yourself to at least three workouts a week, and if you do such squats every day, then do not try to exhaust yourself to the point of exhaustion. Exercising too frequently can lead you into a state of overtraining, so it is better to maintain reasonable amounts and listen to your feelings.
Self-esteem increases
If you do squats every day, you will quickly and effortlessly get your body in shape. And a person who has a beautiful and fit body always evokes sympathy from the people around him. Knowing that you are in good physical shape and have good self-discipline, you can increase your level of self-esteem, become a more confident person in yourself and your abilities, who knows how to make the right decisions and is not afraid to express your point of view.
Therefore, squats have a positive effect not only on physical, but also on mental health. Do you want to increase your self-esteem and stress resistance? Then don’t be lazy to do 100 squats every day!
Reduces the risk of sports injuries
If you are planning to sign up for a gym and regularly visit it, then you need to remember that the intense physical activity that your body will be subjected to there can negatively affect the condition of the joints and ligaments. Doing squats every day will help reduce the risk of sports injuries by making the muscles in your lower body more prepared to handle this kind of stress.
Squats are an excellent way to prevent sports injuries. By performing 100 or more squats daily, you strengthen your abs, ankles, knees, back and leg muscles, and improve the condition of your joints and ligaments.
What are squats for?
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The benefits of squats are a well-known fact. This is due to the fact that during the exercise several muscle groups work at once, this is suitable for beginner athletes. With the help of squats, you can keep your lower body, namely your buttocks and legs, in the desired shape and, if desired, gain additional muscle mass.
The squat has rehabilitation and general strengthening properties: exercises are found in most sports training complexes. For squats to be effective, all elements must be performed correctly. Systematic poor performance of exercises can lead to injury.
The body receives an additional boost of energy
During the exercise, you'll feel like you've run a marathon: you'll start to sweat, have trouble breathing, and curse the day you decided that squats were something worth spending your precious time on every day.
But after some time after completing 100 repetitions, you will feel a surge of vigor and energy. This is why experts recommend doing squats not in the evening or before bed, but in the morning, because there is a busy day ahead, so you will definitely need additional energy.
Load in barbell squats
Since squats are a multi-joint exercise that uses many muscles, it's worth doing heavy squats for 5 to 12 reps if your goal is leg strength and development .
If the goal is to increase muscle volume , we recommend squatting with a barbell weight of 70% of the one-rep maximum for 6-12 repetitions.
If the goal is to increase leg strength , we recommend squatting with a barbell weight of 80-90% of the one-rep maximum for 3-6 repetitions.
If the goal of training is to develop the cardiovascular system , for rehabilitation purposes, or “just for health in general,” then the weights should be selected in the range of 20-40% of the one-repetition maximum.
Strengthens the heart muscle
By doing 100 squats, you will not only feel more energetic, but also strengthen your heart muscle. Beginners may ask a reasonable question: “How are squats and heart related?” In fact, everything is very logical and very simple!
Squats are part of many fitness programs, including cardio training. During squats, the tone of the heart muscle, like the tone of many other muscles, increases significantly, and the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart improves significantly. The heart muscle actively responds to intense stress and becomes stronger.
Blood circulation improves
Squats have a positive effect on overall health, but they are especially beneficial for the cardiovascular system. By doing daily squats, venous circulation in the lower body improves noticeably.
If you have certain problems with blood circulation, then be sure to try daily squats. But before starting classes, do not forget to consult with a specialist!
It should be noted that daily squats have a positive effect not only on blood circulation, but also on the functioning of the respiratory and nervous systems.
How to breathe correctly when squats
Inhalation : when we slowly squat down by bending our knees.
Exhale : when we rise up, “pushing off” our feet from the floor.
When working with heavy weights - after lifting up, at the top point the body movements stop, a shallow inhalation and exhalation are made, and then a new repetition begins with a smooth inhalation when squatting down and exhalation when going up. And so on throughout all approaches of this exercise.
Posture becomes more beautiful and straight
The muscles of the lower back, upper back and neck are responsible for straight and beautiful posture. If you squat 100 times every day, you will not only strengthen these muscle groups, but also improve your posture.
In order for squats to have a positive effect on your posture, you need to monitor the position of your back while doing them. Therefore, keep your back as straight as possible!
Techniques for performing other types of squats
Variations of the barbell squat are necessary for complete and deep pumping of different muscle groups.
With narrow feet
The technique is very similar to the classic one, but the feet are placed narrower than shoulder level. This exercise pumps up the lateral surfaces of the thighs, but it should not be done by beginners, as it is difficult to maintain balance.
Lunge Barbell Squat
First, place the barbell on your shoulders with one leg forward and the other back. Inhaling, lower your pelvis until your thigh is parallel to the floor. The front knee should not extend beyond the toe, and the back knee should not touch the floor. Exhale and return to the starting position.
The workout effectively loads the athlete's buttocks and thighs. Can be performed by girls and beginners in sports.
Bulgarian single leg squat
For the correct technique, you need to stand with your back to the bench and move one step away from it (about 90 cm). Place your feet shoulder-width apart. The barbell lies on the floor at this time.
Bend your knees and grab the bar with a wide grip, i.e. Palms should be wider than shoulder width. Raise the apparatus above your head and place it on your shoulders. Take one leg back and place it on the bench, keeping your head up and your back straight. Exhaling, lower yourself down until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Do not bring your knee beyond the line of your toes. As you inhale, rise up. Then switch legs.
Front Squats
These squats are the most non-traumatic, because they reduce the risk of tension between the joints of the knees by 15% and without loss of muscle activity. The quadriceps are pumped, making it easier to straighten the back. This exercise is effective even with low weight.
The technique differs from the classics in that the forestay must be held on the chest with elbows raised, while the shoulders must be parallel to the floor.
Overhead (barbell overhead)
In this squat workout, the barbell is held at arm's length directly above your head. This is a very difficult exercise that requires special training and is definitely not suitable for beginners. The overhand does not require heavy weights, but this exercise is great for pumping up the shoulders and core muscles.
Sumo
Squat with a wide stance of the legs, and the gluteal muscles are heavily loaded. You can lift heavy weights, unlike classic squats.
Light weights are suitable for women to work the inner thighs and buttocks.
Zercher squats
Before the exercise, you need to put a towel on the bar, clasp the apparatus with your elbows and squeeze your hands into a lock. Remove the bar from the support and take a small step back. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your back strictly straight. Then you need to do a squat using the classical technique.
In this workout there is no load on the lower back, but the quadriceps femoris muscle is pumped.
Hackenschmidt squats
The barbell lies on the floor. Stand with your back to her. Squat down to a 90-degree angle, grab the barbell with an overhand grip behind your back, and then slowly stand up. The back should be straight, the chest turned forward. The bar rises to hip level.
It is believed that the exercise allows you to better work out the buttocks and biceps of the thighs.
Smith machine squat technique
Squats are performed in a special machine, they are very similar to the classic version of training, but there is a difference.
First you need to place the bar at a comfortable height just below your shoulders. Then sit under the bar, grab it with an overhand grip and stand up. Keep your legs slightly wider than your shoulders, move your pelvis slightly back, and keep your back perpendicular to the floor. While taking a deep breath, perform a squat. After exhaling air, stand up with strength in your legs and gluteal muscles.
There are several variations of the Smith machine squat:
- with narrow feet;
- frontal;
- with lunges;
- on one leg.
To achieve maximum results from pumping the buttocks, it is advisable that the angle at the knees be 90 degrees or slightly less.
Stamina level increases
Daily squats have a positive effect on your endurance level and significantly increase it. By doing 100 squats every day, you will build hip extension strength. So don’t be surprised when one day you notice that when you take a jump, it has become much easier and easier for you to push off the ground, and after running long distances, your breathing is completely fine and you don’t feel like the end of the world has come !
Squats will help improve not only your endurance, but also your overall athletic performance. This is very important if you plan to play sports professionally in the near future.
Improves flexibility and coordination
Doing squats every day improves flexibility. During the exercise, the load on the joints that actively work is distributed evenly. After some time after starting classes, you will forget about the crunch in your joints, and your body will become more flexible and pliable.
If earlier you had to bend over backwards to pick up a fallen object from the floor, now you won’t have any difficulties with this. Why? Because squats not only improve flexibility, but also have a positive effect on your coordination.
Common mistakes made by newbies
If you train for a long time, and you still don’t see the effect of squats with a barbell, then you are doing something wrong. Below is a list of the main mistakes that many athletes make when performing this exercise.
Incorrect intensity
Only deep squats bring maximum results. If the athlete does not go low enough, then the effect of training may not be expected. At the lowest point, the surface of the thigh should be in contact with the calves. Sometimes athletes cannot squat like this due to poor muscle stretching, so warming up is very important. Particular attention should be paid to the calf muscle fibers and adductor muscles of the thigh.
Lumbar rounding
Every second person in the gym who squats with heavy weight makes this mistake. If your back is weak, you don’t need to lift heavy weights to keep it straight during the exercise. The weight of the projectile should be reduced and additional work should be done on the spinal extensor muscles. Hyperextension with weights is ideal. You can also use a special belt.
Pelvic movements
It is important to move your pelvis correctly during training. It is important that your hips go back faster than your knees when squatting. This way, knee pain will be minimized. The main weight and load should fall on the tendons behind the knees and buttocks, so the squat will become deeper and more effective.
Movement in the knee joint
The core remains stable during the squat and the knee points toward the toe. If your knees turn inward during the exercise, there is a high risk of injury. We need to develop the knee and its stability. You can do this by doing squats with a resistance band because by resisting the pressure of the band, you will learn to hold your knees correctly.
Incorrect foot placement
Your feet should be turned out to the sides and just slightly wider than your shoulders. In this position, the athlete will be able to squat deeply and effectively carry out his workout without creating a large load on the knee joint.
Poor breathing technique
At the very beginning of the squat, a deep breath is taken and held, then the athlete slowly lowers. If you exhale first as you lift, the pressure in the peritoneum decreases and the load on the spinal column increases, which increases the risk of injury to the lower back.
This exercise is quite complex and requires special preparation. Many beginners do not have enough strength to perform a barbell squat, usually due to failure to follow the training rules. A positive attitude and hard work are the rules for effective training and the path to the top.
Self-discipline increases
If you do 100 squats every day, your self-discipline will noticeably increase. At first you will have to force yourself to do squats, but every day it will become easier and easier to practice this exercise. And after a while, you will be surprised to notice that you are already looking forward to the next day to do your favorite squats.
Since it is impossible to achieve any results without willpower and discipline, it is very important that these personal characteristics are at the proper level. Squats will not only transform your body, but will also make you a more responsible and disciplined person.
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