Squat challenge
Try this awesome squat challenge to get a seriously sexy bum in time for summer.
If you’re getting ready for a beach holiday or simply want to firm up your legs and bottom, these exert tips from Sandy Macaskill, celebrity trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp (www.barrysbootcamp.com) may be just what you need. Try Sandy’s squat challenge now!
The thing with squats, as with everything, is to keep it interesting. This challenge is going to have basic squats, sumo – or plié – squats, and squats with a side raise.
‘With all of them, form is key. Imagine you’re about to sit at an imaginary table, on an imaginary chair. You pop your butt back, and lower yourself down, but keeping your head and chest up so you don’t smash into that ‘table’. Now think that someone has whipped the chair away from you, and keep lowering! As you do, think about your weight. It should be pushing through your heels, so much so that you can wiggle your toes at the bottom of the move. Your knees and ankles need to be aligned. Please don’t fall into the trap of rising up onto your toes as you lower – remember, butt BACK! On the way back up, squeeze your glutes in your bum and give a little thrust forwards as you give a final squeeze at the top. Then it’s on to rep two.
Variations:
With regular squats, your feet should be shoulder-width apart. If it helps, extend your arms out in front for balance. Inhale down, exhale up.
For sumo squats, you should look like you just spent a long day in the saddle. Take your legs much further apart, more than shoulder-width, and point your toes outwards at a 45-degree angle. Then lower and raise as normal, making sure any movement in your knees follows the line of your toes. Do this slowly! Inhale down, exhale up.
A simple progression from a sumo is to add a side raise, so you really look like a sumo warrior. This time, when you reach the top of the move, lift one leg straight out to the side while squeezing your outer glute. Aim for a 45-degree lift. Return to normal, and on the next rep, lift the right leg. Inhale down, exhale up. Master these and you’ll have the squeezing power of James Bond baddie Xenia Onatopp.
I should point out though that muscles need time to recover. Beating them up day after day won’t really build any lean muscle, which is what is required for burning fat properly (and in turn making your legs look better). That’s why we break up the body parts into days of the week at Barry’s Bootcamp, so try our Squat Challenge today, for a tush to be proud of.
Day 1– 30 seconds of each exercise (count reps and record)
Day 2– 45 seconds of each exercise (count reps and record)
Day 3– 60 seconds of each exercise (count reps and record)
Day 4– rest
Day 5– 30 seconds of each exercise with light dumbells (2.5kg/4kg) rested on shoulders (count reps and record)
Day 6– 45 seconds of each exercise with light dumbells rested on shoulders (count reps and record)
Day 7– 60 seconds of each exercise with light dumbells rested on shoulders (count reps and record)
Day 8 – rest
Day 9 – 30 seconds of each exercise (it doesn’t matter by how many, but beat Day 1’s rep number)
Day 10– 45 seconds of each exercise (beat Day 2’s rep number)
Day 11– 60 seconds of each exercise (beat Day 3’s rep number)
Day 12– rest
Day 13– As Day 5, (it doesn’t matter by how many, but beat Day 5’s rep number)
Day 14– As Day 6, but more reps
Day 15– As Day 7, but more reps
Day 16– rest
Day 17– As Day 9, but again, shoot for a better rep number
Day 18– As Day 10, but again, shoot for a better rep number
Day 19– As Day 11, but again, shoot for a better rep number
Day 20– rest
Day 21– 30 seconds of each exercise. Heavier (5kg/6kg) weight of dumbells
Day 22– 45 seconds of each exercise. Heavier weight of dumbells
Day 23– 60 seconds of each exercise. Heavier weight of dumbells
Day 24– rest
Day 25– As many bodyweight squats as you can do in 30 seconds. Perform for each exercise.
Day 26– As many bodyweight squats as you can do in 45 seconds. Perform for each exercise.
Day 27– As many bodyweight squats as you can do in 60 seconds. Perform for each exercise.
Day 28– rest
Day 29– rest
Day 30– As many as you can do in 60 seconds with 5kg/6kg weights. Beat your score on Day 23!
For more awesome fat-blasting workouts, why not try a class at Barry’s Bootcamp. We seriously heart it… even if it’s tough as hell!
- We Heart Living – Barry’s Bootcamp