100-days of squats: challenge and experiments

[Kit_L]

Day 4, much travelling and family gathering for my Mother,

10' waiting in store on balls of feet in relaxed squat, balancing; touching one knee at a time to the floor; changing to other leg.

B x bodyweight x 20 (could really feel legs from day before)

 

[Kit_L]

Day 5,

2Km jog on beach this morning

(negative ball-of-foot SLS x bodyweight x 5) x 2, using a trestle and column in the Monkey Gym, and a pole for balance. I am able to lower more slowly, but today's session felt even harder than two days ago.

B x bodyweight x 40

[Kit_L]

Day 6, feeling legs

B x bodyweight x 50 (this made me out of breath; I came upstairs and Olivia said, "What have you been doing?")

The baithaks are really interesting: even though you'd think they'd be quads-only (because you rise onto the balls of your feet, unloading the posterior line to some extent, because the trunk stays vertical) if your glutes are active, they are pressed into service, too. As well, they can be loaded, and once 50 is regularly doable, that is what I will do. My hand is almost perfectly healed now, so goblet baithaks are back on the menu as are plyometric baithaks (pop off the ground each rep).

[Kit_L]

Day 7, while driving to Canberra and back on family emergency business

B x bodyweight x 25

[Kit_L]

Day 8, the first day of the New Year, experienced here before most of the rest of the world,

B x 8Kg x 25

B x 16Kg x 20

wide-leg (Sumo) squats x 16Kg x 20

Happy New Year!

[Kit_L]

Day 9,

3km slow jog on beach

FF S and B alternated:

S/B x bodyweight x 50

[Kit_L]

Day 10; haven't been writing up—been driving instead. Lightning trip to Canberra and back to spend time with a parent.

B x bodyweight x 30

 

[Kit_L]

Day 11, still travelling

Driveway squats today (I like the angle of the concrete)

V. slow baithaks

B x bodyweight + Liv's bag and computer (!) x 30

 

[Kit_L]

Day 12 (really a day off, but a few token squats)

S x bodyweight x 25

Tomorrow's plan is SLS of many types!

[Kit_L]

Day 13; the SLSs did not happen

B x bodyweight x 60; that got the pulse going! 

[Kit_L]

Day 14

Back to SLSS today. Concentrated on really slow, esp. the last 25%. Same with lifting from bottom position.

(10 (5 x 5 alternating legs) x bodyweight) x 2 sets

5 x bodyweight R leg + 5 x bodyweight L leg

10 (5 x 5 alternating legs) x bodyweight

Searching on YT revealed that the SLSS is considered a shrimp squat variant by some. In time I will elevate the working leg on an aerobic step (about 3.5").

[Kit_L]

Day 17,

Been a big few days; two parents in hospital.

Much time spent in full squat position, waiting for things to unfold; a few bodyweight squats, and again much driving.

Today, I returned to the SLSS, but I did them off an aerobics step, and really enhanced the slow, last part of the movement where the quads' leverage rapidly diminishes, and the glutes' increases. All done alternating legs. The step definitely makes you work harder IF you slow down, just like weighted squats.

(5 x bodyweight) x 2

(5 x 8Kg) x 2

5 x bodyweight to finish

 

[Kit_L]

Days 18–20, maintenance only,

Day 21, SLSS

In today's SLSSs, I raised the aerobic step by one support each set. Except for the last set, the alternating leg approach was used.

5 x bodyweight from floor

5 x bodyweight from step, then off step and one support, then step and two supports

5 x R leg off back deck step (these are about 350mm high), then 5 x L leg. 

Using the supports makes you lean forward more than the floor-level SLSSs, and this has two effects, for me: one, the posterior chain is significantly more involved, and two, balance is easier. Slowing down the descent really works the glutes, too.

The three of us are driving back to Queensland today to bring Sea Biscuit back. I expect to be at sea for four or five days. Squats will be done!

[Nathan]

1 hour ago, Kit_L said:

The three of us are driving back to Queensland today to bring Sea Biscuit back. I expect to be at sea for four or five days. Squats will be done!

Bon voyage!

[Kit_L]

Day 22,

B x 30 x bodyweight, in garage in Coff's Harbour. We drove 1,100km today

[Mick]

Hi Kit, just wondering if you have trained HIndu squats at all? If so, what do you think?

[Pat (pogo69)]

2 hours ago, Mick said:

Hi Kit, just wondering if you have trained Hindu squats at all

I am pretty sure he mentioned using them in this very thread.

[Mick]

13 hours ago, pogo69 said:

I am pretty sure he mentioned using them in this very thread.

Yeah, missed that one. Thanks.

[Kit_L]

Yes, @Mick: when I was on retreat in Taos, New Mexico, I worked up to 500 in a session, done continuously. From memory it took about 14 1/2 or 15 minutes to do the lot and that was the whole workout. If I recall correctly it took about three or four weeks to work up to this, and I did work out every day. The shocking thing about Hindu squats is how easy the first 50 feel…

They are an excellent aerobic workout. The Great Gama used to do 5000 a day, and he had huge legs.

[Mick]

9 hours ago, Kit_L said:

Yes, @Mick: when I was on retreat in Taos, New Mexico, I worked up to 500 in a session, done continuously. From memory it took about 14 1/2 or 15 minutes to do the lot and that was the whole workout. If I recall correctly it took about three or four weeks to work up to this, and I did work out every day. The shocking thing about Hindu squats is how easy the first 50 feel…

They are an excellent aerobic workout. The Great Gama used to do 5000 a day, and he had huge legs.

Yes, they are my number one go-to exercise for squash. I was training them every day while living in Hong Kong. I was doing 500 also but usually in varying sets... 150, 150, 200... 250, 250... I changed it up every day. The most I ever did continuously was 600. But doing 500 continuously every day is impressive. Even more impressive is how quickly you built up to it!

Most people who see them immediately think they are bad for your knees and don't try them. My experience is the opposite, I feel they have only strengthened my knees.  I wish I had known about them playing as a teenager.

The Great Gama's legs are incredible. As I understand, he also trained hindu pushups and the wrestler's back bridge.