Are you ready to lose weight by taking up the squats challenge? If yes, then you are losing weight the right way. Squats help to lose weight by making a body from fat to fit. It makes the body look more pronounced and much more toned. Regular workouts for weight loss will help in losing fat but will not work on muscles. Squat 30 days challenge work on muscles and target different body muscles in the body. Read also: Burpees Exercise Benefits and Weight loss
What is a squat workout?
A squat is a strength training exercise in which a person lowers their hips from a standing position and then stands back. While a person is practising squat, the head should be targeted straight and keep the torso straight. The core should be engaged and the hips move back and down. A person can take the support of hands while moving up and down.
Types of squats
There are many variations in squats which targets various muscles of the body. They can be practised with the use of weights or without the use of weights. They are a great way to build baseline strength before loading on the weights. They help to sculpt the lower body and help to build a strong core.
- Air squats
- Bulgarian split squat
- Squat with reach
- Squat to heel raise
- Single leg box squat
- Kang squat
- Isometric squat
- Pile squat
- Squat to lunge
- Wide leg sumo squat
- Sumo squat with a pulse on toes
- Spiderman lunge and squat
- Lateral squat walk
- Squat pulse
- Goblet squat
- Chest press to squat
- Overhead Cossack squat
- Modified pistol squat
- Pistol squat with a medicine ball
- Squat to press and twist
- Curl to squat and press
- Squat to overhead press
- Pylo squat
- Squat jump
- Plank to jump squat
- 180 squat jump
- Sumo squat jack
- Banded squat
- Banded tempo front squat
- Lateral step-out squat
Squats benefits
Squats have many benefits for the body. They target various muscles of the body and help them strengthen them. Particularly lower muscles are targeted in the body.
1. Strengthening the core
Core muscles have an important role to play around. Strong core muscles help with movements such as turning, bending, and standing very easy. Core muscles help to balance easily and maintain good posture. Back squats help to activate muscles of the back thereby easing back pain. Read also: Best Cardio Exercise for Weight loss at Home
2. Reduces the risk of injury
Squats help in strengthening lower back muscles which maintain proper mobility and posture. The risk of injury is greatly reduced as squats strengthen tendons, ligaments and bones.
3. Calorie burning
Calorie burning can be achieved with various types of workouts like cycling, running etc. apart from them doing squats helps to burn serious calories. If a person performs 30 minutes squats workout who weighs around 155 pounds then 230 calories can be burned easily.
4. Helps to strengthen the muscles of the lower body
When muscles of the body especially lower ones are strengthened then there is easy to do various kinds of workouts. Squats target the largest and most powerful muscles of the body.
5. Boosts athletic ability and strength
When jump squats are included in the routine then automatically strength and speed improved and it boosts athletics performance. According to researchers jump squats has the ability to improve various athletic performance over a period of 8 weeks.
How squat helps in weight loss
When thinking about weight loss squats are the ones which strike first in mind. Squats not only help in weight loss but helps to tone down lower abdominal muscles. Squats are an important part of the strength training workout routine. Herer’s how squats help in weight loss.
1. Helps to build more muscles
A study by the National Centre For Biotechnology Information found that performing 6 sets of squats drives a hormonal response which stimulates the growth of muscle. Performing squats helps to build more muscles which help to burn calories even at rest. Read also: Skipping or Jumping Rope For Weight Loss
2. Squats can burn more calories than thread mill
According to a study on the calorie-burning effects of a variety of exercises, researchers found that squats burned an average of 35 calories per minute, most of all the exercises tested. For comparison purposes, running on a treadmill can burn between 5 to 9 calories only in a minute.
3. A person can have a better body composition
Body composition refers to how your body mass is compromised. It’s evident that practising squats for a period of 8 weeks can help to decrease body fat percentage and help to increase muscle size and strength. The main goal of squatting is to have more muscle mass and less body fat despite your body weight.
4. You will get stronger
Squatting is one of the best workouts which helps to gain lower body strength. Squats are a compound movement which utilises all muscle groups in the lower body. Core strength is not only achieved by squatting but legs will even get stronger.
5. Squats trigger a metabolic and hormonal response which helps in weight loss
Squats help to increase metabolism over a period of time and help to boost natural hormones in the body which helps in losing weight. Metabolism is a process in which the body converts food to energy. A positive hormonal response can be achieving
Squat 30 days challenge for weight loss
In the Squat 30 days challenge, a person needs to squat 5 times a week starting with 50 reps and it goes to 200 -300 reps per day. It’s practised by many fitness experts and influencers. The Squat 30 days challenge not only builds muscles but improves posture as well. it helps to maintain core strength and ease with stability function.
Benefits
- Squat challenges create an exercise habit. When we indulge in a 30-day challenge it creates a structural routine to work with.
- Squats alone are not enough training programs. They are a group of compound movements that creates habits.
- A person moves on to the next exercise goal after finishing one month of the squat challenge. This motivational feeling creates a life span to stay healthy and fit.
- Squats are excellent muscle and strength training workouts. It involves quadriceps and glutes to work with. They are a set of foundational movements which we practise in our daily lives.
Here is a 30-day squat challenge to go along with. If the squat challenge is followed with a disciplined diet and workout then it can surely help you to lose weight. Along with weight loss, a person will feel much strengthened and toned.
Day 1
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat Jump – 15 reps
Day 2
Basic squat – 30 reps
Squat pulse – 30 reps
Low squat jump – 30 reps
Day 9
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat jump – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
Day 10
- 180-degree rotational squat – 15 reps
- Squat with side leg raise – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 11
- Narrow squat pulse – 30 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Pile squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 12
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat Jump – 15 reps
Day 13
- Narrow squat – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Low squat jump – 30 reps
Day 14
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Narrow to wide squat jump- 15 reps
Day 15
- Squat with side leg raise – 30 reps
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 16
- 180-degree rotational squat – 15 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 17
- Squat hold – 30 seconds
- Squat jump- 15 reps
- Squat narrow- 30 reps
Day 18
- Pile squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat jump – 30 reps
- Basic squat – 30 reps
Day 19
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat Jump – 15 reps
Day 20
- Squat hold – 30 seconds
- Squat jump- 15 reps
- Squat narrow- 30 reps
Day 21
- Narrow to wide squat – 30 reps
- Basic squat – 30 reps
- 180-degree squat – 15 reps
Day 22
- Narrow squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat jump- 15 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
Day 23
- Low squat jump- 30 reps
- Squat hold -30 seconds
- Narrow squat – 15 reps
Day 24
- Narrow squat pulse – 30 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Pile squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 25
- Basic squat – 50 reps
- Squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat Jump – 15 reps
Day 26
- 180-degree rotational squat – 15 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Squat pulse – 15 reps
Day 27
- Pile squat pulse – 30 reps
- Squat jump – 30 reps
- Basic squat – 30 reps
Day 28
- Squat hold – 30 seconds
- Squat jump- 15 reps
- Squat narrow- 30 reps
Day 29
- 180-degree squat hold- 15 reps
- Pile pulse – 30 reps
- Basic squat- 50 reps
Day 30
- Narrow squat pulse – 30 reps
- Pile squat – 30 reps
- Pile squat pulse – 15 reps
Dietary tips with squats to lose weight naturally
- Squats are among the strength training workouts to lose weight. In order to maximise fat loss through weight lifting a person needs to take enough calories in the diet.
- Since it involves a lot of strength in order to recover the body try including fruits, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet.
- Make your meal balance. Try including protein in a balanced form which continues throughout the day.
- Stay hydrated all the time as water has an important role especially when a person is working out.
- Try including low carbs and vegetables in the diet. High carbs are not good as they are not recommended during weight-loss journeys.
Squats are one of the best workouts which many people practise to look fit and toned. In order to make the workout more effective combine squats with other workouts so that the efficiency is increased more. No doubt they are complete lower body work out in itself. Different moves target different muscles.