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
AGE
UNDER 30 YEARS
RANK *
30 - 39 YEARS
40 AND OVER
number of squats performed
EXCELLENT
over 49
over 41
over 31
VERY GOOD
44 - 49
36 - 41
26 - 31
GOOD
36 - 43
28 - 35
20 - 25
AVERAGE
26 - 35
19 - 27
15 - 19
POOR
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
DAY 1
REST 60 SECONDS BETWEEN EACH SET (LONGER IF REQUIRED)
up to 10 squats
11 - 20 squats
21 - 30 squats
SET 1
13
SET 2
16
SET 3
SET 4
SET 5
max (at least 5)
max (at least 7)
max (at least 13)
COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!
DAY 2
SET 1
13
SET 2
11
16
SET 3
13
SET 4
13
SET 5
max (at least 5)
max (at least 9)
max (at least 16)
DAY 3
SET 1
11
15
SET 2
13
20
SET 3
10
13
SET 4
10
13
SET 5
max (at least 7)
max (at least 13)
max (at least 18)
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
DAY 1
up to 10 squats
11 - 20 squats
21 - 30 squats
SET 1
13
19
SET 2
15
19
SET 3
11
13
SET 4
11
13
SET 5
max (at least 8)
max (at least 15)
max (at least 20)
DAY 2
SET 1
13
19
SET 2
16
22
SET 3
13
16
SET 4
13
16
SET 5
max (at least 10)
max (at least 18)
max (at least 23)
DAY 3
SET 1
16
22
SET 2
11
18
22
SET 3
13
19
SET 4
13
19
SET 5
max (at least 11)
max (at least 21)
max (at least 27)
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
DAY 1
21 - 30 squats
31 - 40 squats
> 40 squats
SET 1
13
16
19
SET 2
16
22
24
SET 3
10
17
19
SET 4
10
17
19
SET 5
max (at least 13)
max (at least 22)
max (at least 27)
DAY 2
SET 1
13
19
27
SET 2
16
25
34
SET 3
11
19
21
SET 4
11
19
21
SET 5
max (at least 16)
max (at least 25)
max (at least 34)
DAY 3
SET 1
15
22
30
SET 2
18
29
38
SET 3
13
20
27
SET 4
13
21
27
SET 5
max (at least 18)
max (at least 29)
max (at least 40)
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
DAY 1
21 - 30 squats
31 - 40 squats
> 40 squats
SET 1
16
24
29
SET 2
19
30
34
SET 3
15
22
29
SET 4
13
22
29
SET 5
max (at least 22)
max (at least 34)
max (at least 43)
DAY 2
SET 1
19
27
34
SET 2
22
34
40
SET 3
16
27
34
SET 4
16
27
34
SET 5
max (at least 24)
max (at least 38)
max (at least 49)
DAY 3
SET 1
22
31
40
SET 2
24
38
45
SET 3
18
31
40
SET 4
18
31
40
SET 5
max (at least 27)
max (at least 45)
max (at least 54)
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.
DAY 1
41 - 50 squats
51 - 60 squats
> 60 squats
SET 1
23
38
49
SET 2
27
47
54
SET 3
21
34
40
SET 4
21
30
32
SET 5
max (at least 27)
max (at least 47)
max (at least 54)
DAY 2
SET 1
13
24
27
SET 2
13
24
27
SET 3
18
27
32
SET 4
18
27
32
SET 5
13
19
24
SET 6
13
19
24
SET 7
13
22
30
SET 8
max (at least 34)
max (at least 54)
max (at least 63)
DAY 3
SET 1
16
23
27
SET 2
16
23
27
SET 3
20
27
32
SET 4
20
27
32
SET 5
16
23
27
SET 6
16
23
27
SET 7
13
27
36
SET 8
max (at least 40)
max (at least 60)
max (at least 67)
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.
DAY 1
75 - 90 squats
91 - 110 squats
> 110 squats
SET 1
34
54
63
SET 2
40
67
76
SET 3
27
34
47
SET 4
20
31
40
SET 5
max (at least 54)
max (at least 67)
max (at least 76)
DAY 2
SET 1
19
27
30
SET 2
19
27
30
SET 3
21
31
40
SET 4
21
31
40
SET 5
19
27
32
SET 6
19
27
32
SET 7
13
24
29
SET 8
13
24
29
SET 9
max (at least 59)
max (at least 72)
max (at least 81)
DAY 3
SET 1
18
30
35
SET 2
18
30
35
SET 3
23
40
45
SET 4
23
40
45
SET 5
22
31
35
SET 6
22
31
35
SET 7
19
24
30
SET 8
19
24
30
SET 9
max (at least 67)
max (at least 81)
max (at least 100)
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?

Two Hundred Squats Training Program

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The two hundred squats training program

Instructions for "good-form" squats

obtain medical advice and clearance from your doctor

number of squats performed

max (at least 5)

max (at least 7)

max (at least 13)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 5)

max (at least 9)

max (at least 16)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 7)

max (at least 13)

max (at least 18)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 8)

max (at least 15)

max (at least 20)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 10)

max (at least 18)

max (at least 23)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 11)

max (at least 21)

max (at least 27)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

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

max (at least 13)

max (at least 22)

max (at least 27)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 16)

max (at least 25)

max (at least 34)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 18)

max (at least 29)

max (at least 40)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 22)

max (at least 34)

max (at least 43)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 24)

max (at least 38)

max (at least 49)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 27)

max (at least 45)

max (at least 54)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 27)

max (at least 47)

max (at least 54)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 34)

max (at least 54)

max (at least 63)

COMPLETED THIS WORKOUT? GO LOG IT AT SQUATS LOGGER!

max (at least 40)

max (at least 60)

max (at least 67)