Week 4!

OK, so about 30 days ago I started a squat challenge.  I began doing 100 squats with a 50-lb barbell every morning.  Now, of course, this was in conjunction with the normal exercise routine I do, which involves heavier squats and various other leg exercises, but I have to admit I do think that this challenge improved the appearance and tone of my glutes, at least a little bit!  I was skeptical at first if I would see any changes, especially considering the weight was so light, but I can’t argue with the progress pictures. 🙂

Here’s the latest set, and then I will do a FINAL before and after set in another couple of days.

Before pics on top, Week 4 pics on bottom

I think overall I did make some progress.  From the sides I can’t tell a huge difference in the size of my ass, but it definitely looks like I’ve added some size to my quads IMO. In the front picture, again, to me my quads look a bit bigger, and the back pose, although I’m standing a little differently than in the before, I think my butt did lift some and my thighs definitely look like they’ve bulked and toned some.

So YAY for the squat challenge.  NOT a complete waste of time. 🙂

XOXO,

BTB

Week 2 Results…. if any?

I have been doing the squat challenge for 9 days so far.  I’m not sure if I can tell a difference yet.  Maybe you can?  My legs do feel a little tighter maybe, but then again maybe it’s just in my head.  🙂  Remember, I am doing 4 sets of 25 squats while holding a barbell that weighs about 50 pounds EVERY morning before breakfast.

Here are some photo updates for comparison.  To be honest, I think my butt might be shrinking which, I have to be honest, I’m not that thrilled about.

Before pics on top, Week 2 pics on bottom

For this next week I am going to eat another 100-200 calories a day to see if that makes a difference at all.  I am thinking that the extra exercise with the squats each day may be making me lose weight on my normal diet.

Bye for now! 🙂

BTB

Let’s Begin

ChickenTuna – taken from chickentuna.com

There has been a challenge going around the Internet lately called the “Squat Challenge.” The challenge consists of doing 100 body weight squats a day for 30 days. A woman who goes by the alias ChickenTuna wrote on her Instagram account that she does 100 squats a day, and if you look at her pictures you will quickly understand why this challenge is now in existance.

Besides from her photos (which are only afters), I haven’t seen any good before and after photos to show this challenge provides any actual results. Now, I’m not really surprised by that because a body weight squat to me seems like nothing more than a cardio move. And 100 of them might take, oh I don’t know, 2-3 mins to complete if you don’t take any breaks, and 2-3 mins of exercise a day is not much. Sure, your legs are working and your heart rate might go up a bit, but will that really provide enough stimulation to give you good results after 30 days? Doubt it.

HOWEVER, add some weight to those squats, even just a little, and it’s a whole different story. One-hundred full squats, even with light weight, will be difficult to push out. Especially if you attempt to do all the reps in one set. (Good luck with that.) So results with this kind of challenge seem a little more legit to me. That’s why I’m doing it.

So without further adieu, meet my old friend, rusty barbell.

Trusty Rusty

This guy has been around a while, but his function has not changed so I’ll be using him during this challenge. This barbell has on it two 13.2 lb. plates and two 3 lb. plates, for a total of 32.4 lbs, and the bar weighs 15 by itself, so the total weight I’ll be using is 47.4 lbs. Every morning before breakfast I will do 4 sets of 25 reps with this barbell sitting on my traps.

Here is a preview of my form so you can get an idea of the depth I am using (which is parallel or slightly below, enough to really feel it in the glutes while coming back up).

My before pictures–because what kind of experiment would this be without them??

And that’s all for now. My plan is to post weekly photo updates and on the 30th day, the experiment will be complete and a full review will be posted.

Questions? Post a comment below or send an email to: fitbtb@gmail.com.