Two Hundred Squats Training Program

The two hundred squats training program

If you're serious about increasing your leg strength and basic fitness, follow this

six week training program and you'll soon be on your way to completing 200

consecutive squats!

Think there's no way you could do this? I think you can! All you need is a good

plan, plenty of discipline and about 30 minutes a week to achieve this goal!

No doubt some of you can already perform an impressive number of consecutive

squats, but let's face it, you're in a big minority. Most of you reading this won't

even be able to manage 20 squats. Actually, I'm sure many of you can't even do

10.

However, it really doesn't matter which group you fall into. If you follow the

progressive squats training program, I'm positive you'll soon be able to do 200

squats!

What is a squat?

According to Wikipedia, a traditional squat is "a lower body exercise used in

strength training. The main emphasis of the exercise is on the quadriceps and the

glutes, but it also involves the hamstrings, the calves, and the lower back. The

squat has the potential for bigger and faster muscle growth than many other

exercises."

There are several variations of the squat, many of which utilize a barbell or

dumbbells to increase the difficulty and effectiveness of the exercise. For the sake

of the two hundred squats challenge, we're going to skip the extra resistance and

just go with a basic leg squat.

Instructions for "good-form" squats 1. Stand up straight with your feet firmly planted on the ground approximately

shoulder width apart. To help maintain a straight back as you perform the

exercise, it's a good idea to focus on an object directly ahead of you at eye level.

2. Contract your abdominal muscles as you bend your legs at the knees. Either

stretch your arms out ahead of you, lightly position your hands behind your ears

or hold your arms at your side as you slowly lower yourself into a squatting

position. Lower your body to a position where your thighs are almost parallel to

the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Important: Proper technique is critical, otherwise serious injuries or gradual

injury over a period of time can occur. The back must maintain its natural

curvature and not "round out" otherwise excess strain can be placed on the spine

and cause serious injury.

Also, to avoid undue stress on the knee joint, do not allow your buttocks to drop

lower than your knees as you lower your body towards the ground.

Remember, the main aim of the two hundred squats program is to improve your

leg strength, fitness and general health. The program is all about making

progress and constantly challenging yourself. Give the 6-week program a chance

and you'll be amazed at your new found strength. Good luck!

why squats?

Squats are one of the basic and most common exercises for the human body. The

main emphasis of the exercise is on the quadriceps and the glutes, but it also

involves the hamstrings, the calves and the lower back. Not surprisingly, the

squat has the potential for bigger and faster muscle growth than many other

exercises.

Squats can be performed no matter where you are, and best of all, they are

completely free - no expensive equipment or annual gym fees required! If you're

looking to develop great leg strength, you could do much worse than follow along

with the two hundred squats plan.

To improve your leg strength, fitness and general health all you need to do is

commit about 30 minutes of your time per week, and follow the squats training

program as closely as possible. I promise you will feel much better about yourself

and much more confident after just a few short workouts.

Initial test

Before you dive in and start the two hundred squats program, you should:

obtain medical advice and clearance from your doctor

take an initial squats test.

The test will highlight your current fitness level and determine where to start and

how to plan your squats training program.

initial test: the road to two hundred squats

A G E U N D E R 3 0 Y E A R S 3 0 - 3 9 Y E A R S 4 0 A N D O V E R

R A N K * number of squats performed

E X C E L L E N T over 49 over 41 over 31

V E R Y G O O D 44 - 49 36 - 41 26 - 31

G O O D 36 - 43 28 - 35 20 - 25

A V E R A G E 26 - 35 19 - 27 15 - 19

P O O R 0 - 25 0 - 18 0 - 14

To perform the test, simply execute as many good-form squats as you can.

Don't cut corners and please don't cheat - the last thing you want to do is end up

in the wrong level of the training program! The results may be humbling, but

trust me, honesty is the best policy if you want to maximize your core strength

gains!

Note: Please don't push through the pain barrier and reach the point of complete

failure. The last thing we need is an injury before even starting the program.

Once you've performed the test, make a note (mental or otherwise) of how

many, or how few, squats you were able to perform.

Before starting Week 1, I recommend taking a couple of days to familiarize

yourself with the program and recover from the exertion of the initial test. You'll

be required to work out three times per week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday

worked well for me.

Don't forget how many squats you performed in the test and if you're still keen to

improve your core strength and fitness, read on to learn more about the

program.

* If you're concerned about your Rank in the extreme left column; there's really

no need. The scale of poor to excellent is just an indicator of current fitness, and

can be used as a comparison tool between yourself, friends, family & co-workers.

If you're ranked average or poor, please don't get hung up on the numbers or be

put off by the label - you'll soon be climbing the ranks and reaching new levels of

strength and fitness. Remember, the main aim of the six week program is to

establish a regular exercise program and improve your current level of fitness.

Final note: If you're ranked far beyond the range of excellent, maybe you need a

tougher plan?!

Week 1

So, you've completed your initial test and you're keen to start the program?

Great!

If you managed 10 or less squats in the test, follow column 1.

If you completed between 11 and 20 squats, column 2 is for you.

Between 21 and 30 consecutive squats? Impressive! Column 3 is what you're

looking for.

More than 30 squats? I would suggest starting the program on Week 3 in

either the second or third column.

For example: let's say you managed 18 squats. Looking at the second column,

Day 1 begins with Set 1 (8 squats), a rest period of 60 seconds, before moving

on to Set 2 (8 squats). Rest for 60 seconds and continue with Set 3 (5 squats)

and Set 4 (5 squats), before finishing with Set 5 and as many consecutive squats

as you can comfortably manage (at least 7, but not so many that you damage

muscle tissue). The 60 seconds rest between each level should allow you to

complete the workout, but don't be surprised if you experience some minor

fatigue towards the end.

Treat yourself to a rest day before moving on to Day 2, and then again before

you complete Day 3. I find that Monday, Wednesday, Friday works well and

allows you to use the weekend for rest and recovery before moving on to the

next stage of the program. Feel free to juggle the plan around to meet your busy

schedule, but make sure you rest in between workout days.

week 1: pick the appropriate column depending on your initial test results

D A Y 1 R E S T 6 0 S E C O N D S B E T W E E N E A C H S E T ( L O N G E R I F R E Q U I R E D )

up to 10 squats 11 - 20 squats 21 - 30 squats

S E T 1 3 8 13

S E T 2 4 8 16

S E T 3 3 5 9

S E T 4 3 5 9

S E T 5 max (at least 5) max (at least 7) max (at least 13)

C O M P L E T E D T H I S W O R K O U T ? G O L O G I T A T S Q U A T S L O G G E R !


S E T 1 5 8 13

S E T 2 5 11 16

S E T 3 3 8 13

S E T 4 5 8 13




S E T 1 5 11 15

S E T 2 6 13 20

S E T 3 5 10 13

S E T 4 5 10 13



Hopefully you made it safely through the first week and now you're keen to move

on to Week 2. However, if for some reason you struggled with the program, I

would suggest either retaking the initial test or repeating Week 1. You'll

probably be surprised at how much stronger you already are and will sail through

the first week and be fired up and raring to go.

If you're ready to move on, let's take a look at Week 2 of the two hundred

squats program.

Week 2

Week 1 should now be comfortably behind you and it's time to start Week 2 of

the two hundred squats program. Continue by following the same column of

exercises as you did in Week 1. Don't cut any corners, but feel free to take a

little more rest between each level if you need to. It's also important to be well

hydrated before you start each workout.

At the end of Week 2 it will be time to check your strength and perform an

exhaustion test. In simple terms, perform as many good-form squats as you

can comfortably manage. Stress your leg muscles by all means, but please don't

go beyond the pain barrier - if in doubt, listen to your body. The number of

squats you complete will determine at which level of the program you'll

start Week 3. Perform this test within 24-48 hours of completing Week 2. As a

general rule of thumb, if you're working out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a

good time to take the rest is on Saturday afternoon. This allows enough recovery

time from the Friday workout, but also gives you plenty of rest before starting the

next stage of the plan on Monday. Good luck!

week 2: pick the same column as you did in week 1


up to 10 squats 11 - 20 squats 21 - 30 squats

S E T 1 6 13 19

S E T 2 8 15 19

S E T 3 5 11 13

S E T 4 5 11 13




S E T 1 6 13 19

S E T 2 8 16 22

S E T 3 5 13 16

S E T 4 5 13 16




S E T 1 7 16 22

S E T 2 11 18 22

S E T 3 7 13 19

S E T 4 7 13 19



Don't forget, now you've completed Week 2, it's time to take an exhaustion test.

Perform as many good-form squats as you can comfortably manage. Make a note

of how many squats you complete, and move on to Week 3. Hope you're ready

for the next level!

Week 3

You should be noticably stronger than you were a couple of weeks ago and able

to complete considerably more squats than your initial test.

If you managed 21 - 30 squats in the latest test, follow column 1.

If you completed between 31 & 40, column 2 is for you.

More than 40 consecutive squats? Excellent! You'll be following column 3.

If you're struggling with the program, don't lose heart. Some people will still be

doing less than 21 consecutive squats, but this is ok. Just repeat the week you

struggled with until you're strong enough to move on to the next level - it will

definitely be worth your while!

week 3: pick the appropriate column depending on your latest test results


21 - 30 squats 31 - 40 squats > 40 squats

S E T 1 13 16 19

S E T 2 16 22 24

S E T 3 10 17 19

S E T 4 10 17 19




S E T 1 13 19 27

S E T 2 16 25 34

S E T 3 11 19 21

S E T 4 11 19 21




S E T 1 15 22 30

S E T 2 18 29 38

S E T 3 13 20 27

S E T 4 13 21 27



Hopefully you made it safely through the third week and you're ready to move on

to Week 4. Keep up the great work - you're halfway through the program and

well on your way to performing two hundred consecutive squats.

Week 4

Week 3 is now comfortably behind you and it's time to start Week 4. Continue by

following the same column of exercises as you did last week.

At the end of Week 4 it will be time to perform another exhaustion test. You

should know what to do by now - simply perform as many good-form squats as

you can comfortably manage. As per the end of Week 2, stress your leg muscles

by all means, but please don't go beyond the safety limit. If in doubt, listen to

your body.

The number of squats you complete will determine at which level of the program

you'll start Week 5. Make sure you perform this test within 24-48 hours of

completing Week 4.

week 4: pick the same column as you did in week 3



S E T 1 16 24 29

S E T 2 19 30 34

S E T 3 15 22 29

S E T 4 13 22 29




S E T 1 19 27 34

S E T 2 22 34 40

S E T 3 16 27 34

S E T 4 16 27 34




S E T 1 22 31 40

S E T 2 24 38 45

S E T 3 18 31 40

S E T 4 18 31 40



Okay, time for another exhaustion test which should be completed within 24-48

hours of finishing Week 4. Hopefully you'll be feeling much stronger now than

your initial test 4 weeks ago. Make a note of how many squats you complete, and

move on to Week 5.

Week 5

Depending on the results of your latest test, continue with the appropriate week

and column, even if it means you have to complete Week 3 or Week 4 again.

If you managed 41 - 50 squats, follow column 1.


More than 60 consecutive squats? Great work! You'll be following column 3.




S E T 1 23 38 49

S E T 2 27 47 54

S E T 3 21 34 40

S E T 4 21 30 32




S E T 1 13 24 27

S E T 2 13 24 27

S E T 3 18 27 32

S E T 4 18 27 32

S E T 5 13 19 24

S E T 6 13 19 24

S E T 7 13 22 30




S E T 1 16 23 27

S E T 2 16 23 27

S E T 3 20 27 32

S E T 4 20 27 32

S E T 5 16 23 27

S E T 6 16 23 27

S E T 7 13 27 36



Surprise, surprise, it's time for another exhaustion test. Week 5 was a tough one,

and if you've made it this far, you're getting close to reaching your goal. If you're

able to perform more than 75 consecutive squats, feel free to move on to Week

6. Couldn't quite manage 75? No problem, just repeat the week and you should

be ready to go after another three days of working out. Good luck!

week 6

Continue with the appropriate column based on the results of your latest

test.Note, if you weren't able to manage 75 squats, be sure to repeat Week 5.

If you managed 75 - 90 squats, follow column 1.


More than 110 consecutive squats? Tremendous! You'll be following column 3.




S E T 1 34 54 63

S E T 2 40 67 76

S E T 3 27 34 47

S E T 4 20 31 40




S E T 1 19 27 30

S E T 2 19 27 30

S E T 3 21 31 40

S E T 4 21 31 40

S E T 5 19 27 32

S E T 6 19 27 32

S E T 7 13 24 29

S E T 8 13 24 29




S E T 1 18 30 35

S E T 2 18 30 35

S E T 3 23 40 45

S E T 4 23 40 45

S E T 5 22 31 35

S E T 6 22 31 35

S E T 7 19 24 30

S E T 8 19 24 30



Well? Did you make it through Week 6? If so; congratulations - you should be

very proud of your achievements and ready for one final test.

If you struggled with Week 6 (many people do), no problem, just repeat the

appropriate week and try again. Maybe an extra couple of days rest will benefit

you?

Final test

If you're reading this page you should be very proud of your achievements and

ready for one final test. As you're well aware, the program you've been following

is called two hundred squats and that's what this final test is all about.

To perform the test, simply execute as many good-form squats as you can. If

you've completed the six week program with no cheating and no short cuts,

experience has shown that you should be strong enough to perform two hundred

consecutive squats!

After completing Week 6 of the program, treat yourself to a day or two of rest.

Eat well and maintain good hydration. Try not to perform any exercises or tasks

around the home that will drain you of energy - you'll need every ounce of

strength to meet your goal. Ready?

Take your time, don't rush and focus on performing ten squats at a time.

Breaking the magic two hundred into smaller chunks will make the goal more

achievable and give you more chance of success. Maintain good form and don't

hold your breath. It sounds simple, but just take it one squat at a time until you

reach two hundred! If your legs begin to ache, take a few deep breaths whilst in

the "down" position, regain your composure and continue. Good luck - I know you

can do it!!

If today wasn't your day and you couldn't complete the two hundred, I would

suggest going back a couple of weeks in the program and building up your

strength again. Maybe Week 5 or Week 6 would be a good place to build from

and help regain your confidence? Don't give up though, you're closer than you

think!

If you did manage the two hundred; many congratulations. Excellent work!

You've gone from strength to strength over the past six weeks and you should be

noticing a huge difference during many of your day to day activities. If you play

sports or already lead an active lifestyle, the benefits will be even greater.

If you've been bitten by the exercise bug and are wondering "What's next?",

there are a several options open to you:

1. Repeat the six week challenge, but this time choose an advanced squat

exercise - one-legged squats or dumbbell squats would make a good challenge.

2. Restart the challenge at week 4, follow the number of reps as per the original

plan, but this time increase the max set at the end to as many as you can

safely manage. Once you reach the end of week 6, you should be a lot

stronger and be able to perform at least 200 consecutive squats.

3. Set yourself a monthly or annual goal - perhaps 2000 squats a month (roughly

500 per week) would be a good place to start? Use your creativity to devise a

personal plan based on goals, fitness and current schedule.

4. If you've maxed out on squats for the time being, how about taking one or

both of the hundred push ups or two hundred situps challenges?

rank

Two Hundred Squats Training Program

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