How Many Squats a Day

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

how many squats a day to see resultsIf you were to ask any athlete or fitness enthusiasts which exercise is the king of them all, they will very likely say, in unison, squats. Squats are that important.

Squats are a full body exercise, typically done using your own body weight or with a barbell across your shoulders, and it works the gluteal muscles (which shape and define the butt) and leg muscles.

When doing a squat, your body uses over 200 muscles, and getting stronger with squats will affect other areas of the body as well. This is because doing squats triggers the body into releasing testosterone and growth hormone; two things that are needed to build muscle mass. But the magic question is: how many squats a day should you do?


How Many Squats a Day for Men and Women?

No two people are the same way, even if they performed identical workout routines for a year, regardless of gender. They won’t look the same or develop muscle and tone equally. The same applies for men and women when doing a specific exercise like squats.

Women are built differently and have slightly different needs when it comes to training, but they should train the same way as men and add weight according to ability and desired muscle mass. Women tend to prefer a more defined look instead of the mass men desire, so they might not want to use heavy weights when they squat.

How Many Squats a Day to See Results for Women

Men and women have the same muscles and skeletons, so the number of squats for women is the same as it is for men; there’s no need to differentiate between the sexes. How many an individual can handle, on the other hand, is another matter.

It depends on the person and the shape they are in when they begin a squatting program or (for advanced training) tackle the squat challenge. However, three specific squatting questions women might have are:

  • How many squats a day for a bigger bum? Honestly, there’s no real answer to this. You need to a) do squats correctly, b) eventually add greater weights to see better results, and c) do enough reps until your muscles are exhausted; you should—safely—“go to failure.”
  • How many squats a day to tone thighs? Again, it’s about adding weights and doing the right number of reps. Do 12 reps at a time and by the 10th you should be quite fatigued, so much so that those last two reps seem really hard to pull off. When things get easy at the 12th rep, that’s when you know it’s time to ramp up the weight, but do so incrementally. Stick to reps of 12 regardless of weight.
  • How many squats a day to reduce cellulite?* Again, there’s no set number. But one important thing to remember is that genetics has a lot to do with cellulite; some people, regardless of how fit they are, will always have a little of cellulite.

How Many Squats a Day to See Results for Men

How many squats a day to see a difference should men do? The simple answer is: the same as it is for women. For beginners, start with 20 squats a day, then as you get stronger and it gets easier, work your way up to 50 squats a day. Eventually, when you get to a hundred squats a day you’ll start seeing real changes.

What about how many squats a day to lose weight? That’s sitting around the one hundred or more mark. Be consistent and try to add more weight as is comfortable (but not too comfortable). Don’t forget that other lifestyle changes need to take place as well in order to see changes, especially diet. Doing squats but eating burgers and fries can cancel each other out.

30 Day Squat Challenge for Men and Women

Day 1 50 squats Day 16 rest
Day 2 55 squats Day 17 150 squats
Day 3 60 squats Day 18 155 squats
Day 4 rest Day 19 160 squats
Day 5 70 squats Day 20 rest
Day 6 75 squats Day 21 180 squats
Day 7 80 squats Day 22 185 squats
Day 8 rest Day 23 190 squats
Day 9 100 squats Day 24 rest
Day 10 105 squats Day 25 220 squats
Day 11 110 squats Day 26 225 squats
Day 12 rest Day 27 230 squats
Day 13 130 squats Day 28 rest
Day 14 135 squats Day 29 240 squats
Day 15 140 squats Day 30 250 squats

Types of Squats and Ways to Perform Squats

There are three basic types of squats that can be done. Use these three in rotation when you do your 30 day squat challenge.

1. The basic squat: Stand with your feet apart and your hands clasped in front of you. Bend your knees while keeping your hands in the same position, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Remain in this position for few seconds and then stand back up. When bending your knees, keep the weight in your heels.

2. The narrow squat: Stand with your feet together and your hands clasped in front you. Lower yourself by bending your knees, keeping the upper body stable and your hands in the same position. Make your thighs as parallel to floor as possible. Stay in this position for a few seconds, and then stand back up.

3. The sumo squat: Stand with your feet wide apart, toes facing away from each other and hands clasped together in front of your chest. Bend your knees and try to get your thighs to be parallel to the floor. Squat in this position for a few seconds and then lift yourself again to a standing position.

Safety Tips and Warnings

Learning how to do a proper squat—that is, learning proper form—is crucial. If you don’t do it right, then injuries, especially to the knee, can happen. Below are some tips and warnings when doing squats.

  • Avoid looking down when squatting. It can take your spine out of alignment and cause injury.
  • Remember to breathe properly, and take deep breaths. It’s a tough exercise, so you need to breathe through it.
  • The depth of your squat will depend on how flexible your hips are.
  • Warm up before any exercise. Do 20 body-weight squats before adding extra weights.
  • Stop doing the exercise if you feel any pain in a joint or elsewhere.

Sources for Today’s Article:
“Squats: Are They Really That Important?” Muscle and Brawn web site; http://muscleandbrawn.com/squats-are-they-really-that-important/, last accessed March 31, 2016.
“How Many Squats a Day Should I Do?” Med-Health Net web site; http://www.med-health.net/How-Many-Squats-A-Day-Should-I-Do.html, last accessed March 31, 2016.
“How Many Squats Must You Do for a Great Butt?” Livestrong web site; http://www.livestrong.com/article/335802-how-many-squats-must-you-do-for-a-great-butt/, last accessed March 31, 2016.
“How Many Squats a Day Should I Do?” Fitness Authority Online web site;
http://www.fitnessauthorityonline.com/how-many-squats-a-day/, last accessed March 31, 2016.