I love a fitness challenge. There’s just something about pushing my body that is so good for my soul. How unrelatable, you may be scoffing. But hear me out: I grew up an athlete, so that competitive mentality is still ingrained in my exercise psyche. I’m constantly trying to run farther, lift heavier weights, and I’m that person that will powerwalk to “beat” you to the crosswalk. We’re all driven by something, and this is just how I stay motivated to keep active and get stronger.
So when I was asked if I’d be willing to do 50 squats every day for a week, and then write about my experience, of course it was an immediate “yes!” from me. Squats are one of my favorite strength-training exercises, but I usually only do them twice a week on lower body weight-work days, so I was curious to see what would happen if I did bodyweight squats every day. Would my legs feel like lead on my runs, or would I be hobbling around sore by the end? Here’s what happened when I did 50 squats every day for a week.
What are the benefits of squats?
Squats are a powerhouse move. They strengthen main muscle groups involved in good balance and mobility—such as the glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings, and core—and that up-and-down motion gets your heart rate up, which is a boon for heart health. Weight-bearing exercises like squats are also essential when it comes to maintaining or building lean muscle mass and improving bone density and joint health, all things that naturally start to go downhill as we age.
“Squats are something I always come back to, no matter what I’m training for. It’s a full-body effort, and I’ve noticed over the years that when my squat is strong, everything else feels easier—I move better in my day-to-day, and I just feel more athletic overall,” says Kollins Ezekh, a celebrity personal trainer in Los Angeles. “It’s one of those movements that carries over into real life in a big way.”
There are lots of different ways to do a squat. For instance, goblet squats more heavily target your quads and core, whereas a sumo squat (which requires a wider stance) works your glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs more intensely. You can do squats while holding a dumbbell or kettlebell, or with a resistance band looped just above your knees, for a greater challenge. And there’s no shame in relying on just your bodyweight to get a nice burn. All squat variations are worthwhile.
“I still do bodyweight squats all the time. That’s usually how I start a workout, just feeling out my body and making sure everything is moving right,” says Ezekh. “I use them to stay connected to my form.” Knowing the proper way to do a squat makes it more effective.
Warming up with some side lunges before squatting.
How I did 50 squats a day
I already do squats twice a week, so my challenge was to tack on 50 more and make sure I did them every single day.
Each week I map out my workouts, which helps ensure I make time for exercise and also holds me accountable. On most weeks, Sundays are for long runs, where I’ll cruise for up to 11 miles. The rest of the week is a mix of strength-training (alternating upper body and lower body), walks, core work, another run, and Saturday is always a rest day.
I found different ways to squeeze in squats depending on the day. Some days I dropped for some squats while I caught up on reality TV or basketball at night. Other days, I attached them to my workouts or runs in a way that made sense.
For instance, I did 25 bodyweight squats as a dynamic stretching warm-up before my Sunday run, then did 25 bodyweight squats afterward while I stretched and cooled down.
On a day when my plan was ab work and low-impact exercises (such as clamshells, kickbacks, fire hydrants) to strengthen my hips and glutes, I looped a resistance band around my legs and did 50 squats, too.
And an upper body workout is my least favorite routine of the week, but necessary to help me stay pain-free as I schlep all over New York City with groceries, my commuting bag, and more. This might sound weird, but I actually enjoy doing squats, so on this day I used them as a motivator to kick off my workout.
What happened to my body
Just looking at me, you’d never know that I added 50 extra squats to my days. Staring at myself in the mirror, my legs didn’t look any different and my shorts, leggings, and jeans all fit the same—but that’s not surprising! “You may feel a change pretty quickly, but the visual side takes longer,” says Ezekh.
I did notice a change in how I felt physically, though. My legs were a bit more fatigued than usual during my hilly run and I didn’t knock any seconds off my time (which is usually my goal). I felt more of a burn during my lower body strength workouts (the last few reps of each exercise were slightly tougher to get through). I have some “problem spots” from decades of running (and a few injuries), and I noticed that those areas (my hips, hip flexors, and knees) were a little more tight and tired than they typically tend to be—this usually happens when I’m overdoing it and overusing them, so I assume that those daily bonus squats were to blame.
Being more physically active than usual can sometimes help you sleep better, and help you feel happier and less stressed or anxious, thanks to those endorphins that are released during exercise—my sleep schedule and overall mental health all seemed to stay the same, despite doing 50 squats every day.
One more unrelatable confession: Doing squats on upper body and core days actually boosted my mood, and I didn’t register my legs feeling tired. Now that I know that squats are an instant mood booster for me, I plan to harness that magic and do some when I need a quick mental reset during the workday.
The bottom line
Doing 50 squats every day for a week may not be enough time to see or feel a significant difference, but the consistency it requires is what’s key to achieving any sort of fitness goal.
“It’s about showing up every day,” says Ezekh. “Sure, you’ll feel your legs and glutes working more, and maybe a little soreness if you’re new to working out, but the biggest thing is that it builds momentum. Once you start doing something daily, it’s easier to keep going. It’s not the one week, it’s what it turns into after.”
If you’re looking for an easy way to boost strength and balance, as well as promote healthy muscles, bones, and joints, adding some daily squats to your routine could be the exercise hack for you.
What are you waiting for? Start adding some squats to your weekly routine!
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