30 Day Abs Squat Challenge

30 Day Abs & Squat Challenge

If you’re active on social media, then there’s a good chance that you have seen various 30 day fitness challenges circulating. From the 30-day plank challenge to the 30-day squat challenge to the 30-day pushup challenge, there’s plenty of options for anyone looking for a way to level up their workout game.

One of the most popular 30-day challenges is the 30 day abs & squat challenge. More than likely, this is because it targets two areas in the body that people aspire to transform when working on their physique. But what is the 30 day abs & squat challenge?

As you can probably guess from the name, this 30-day fitness challenge targets the core and lower body muscles throughout a variety of moves done in a 30 day time span. Exercises might range from planks, crunches, sit-ups, toe-touches, squats, jump squats or other testing moves that target the lower body and core.

The 30 day abs & squat challenge is perfect for those who are needing some help to stay consistent in their exercise endeavors, as well as individuals who are looking to spice it up, because it requires a 30-day commitment to reap the results. That’s right! You will have to workout religiously for a month – think you’re up for it?

Will the 30 Day Abs & Squat Challenge Work?

Are you on the fence about trying the 30-day challenge out? Are you curious whether it will actually work? The quick answer is: yes*. But the asterisk serves a purpose. In order to yield results, you need to stick to the challenge every day. You will also need to perform the exercises in the challenge correctly in order to target the right muscles.

Doing something consistently for 30 days can be tough! That’s why I encourage you to find an accountability partner – someone who does the challenge with you each day that you can check in with. Not only will you hold each other to the workout, but you can cheer each other on!

Needed Lifestyle Modifications

While this exercise challenge will bring results, it’s important to be realistic about your expectations. This means that you may not get the #bootygoals or washboard abs you’ve been dreaming for when day thirty rolls around. In order to get the full impact from this 30 day abs & squat challenge there will be some lifestyle modifications you need to make. Experts have found that leaning out the midsection and toning the butt requires other practices which include a healthy diet. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your 30-day challenge:

Regular Cardiovascular Exercise

If you’re really wanting to see some results, then it’s time to increase your movement! That’s right. Regular cardio exercise is a major key to helping you reach those fitness goals. This doesn’t mean you have to run 5ks, it’s just suggesting that you move more. Whether it be walking, biking, hiking, swimming… pick a cardio exercise that you enjoy and get to burning those calories!

Eating Healthy Meals

Healthy eating and exercising seem to go hand-in-hand. It’s like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, what’s one without the other? To get the best results, it’s highly recommended that you toss out processed foods and kiss fast food goodbye. These foods have a higher fat content which doesn’t help with a goal of trying to reduce fat around the abdominal area. Here are a few ideas of what you can eat instead:

• Whole grains (whole wheat toast, whole grain pasta, brown rice)
• Low-fat or fat-free yogurt
• Fruits (apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, grapefruit, etc.)
• Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, squash, zucchini, cauliflower, sweet potato, brussel sprouts, carrots, green peas)

Example Breakfast Meals:

1. Greek yogurt with strawberries
2. Whole grain pancakes
3. Avocado scramble toast
4. Blueberry banana smoothie
5. Oatmeal with fresh fruit

Example Lunch Meals:

1. Spinach Caesar Wrap
2. Spaghetti squash
3. Teriyaki chicken with carrots and lettuce
4. Grilled chicken with brown rice and a sweet potato
5. Garden salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing

Example Dinner Meals:

1. Turkey burgers with lettuce buns and cauliflower
2. Angel hair pasta with cherry tomatoes
3. Mahi-mahi tacos
4. Slow cooked beef and bell peppers
5. Pesto pizza

Snack Ideas:

• Carrots with hummus
• Strawberries with cottage cheese
• Crackers with veggies
• Fruit salad

30 Day Abs & Squat Challenge Benefits

Are you wondering why you should do the 30 day abs & squat challenge? The rewards definitely outweigh the risks! Here are a few benefits you will notice from doing this challenge:

Increases Physical Performance

If you’re considering doing an exercise challenge, then chances are you’re interested in increasing your physical performance. Fortunately for you, squats are one of the top must-do exercises for anyone wanting to get fit.

Burns Calories

Feel the burn – the calorie burn! Doing this 30-day challenge will cause you to burn calories, which means you will burn fat. Who doesn’t enjoy a little calorie torching?

Improves Mood

Did you know that exercise helps to improve your mood? In fact, people who regularly exercise have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who do not. Doing this 30-day abs & squat challenge will boost your mood and make you more relaxed.

Tones Muscles

Squats work the lower body muscles including the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, quads and core. Consistently doing the exercises in this challenge will target those specific muscle groups and help tone them.

Reduces Certain Health Risks

Squats help get the blood pumping through your body and improve your health. Good blood circulation means that more nutrients can get to all of your body’s vital organs and muscles. In addition, squats help to reduce your risk of injury by strengthening the tendons, ligaments and bones.

30 Day Abs & Squat Challenge Exercises

If you’ve decided to bite the bullet and give the challenge a go, then you should expect to do the following exercises.

Planks

A fan-favorite of many, you can definitely expect to plank during this challenge! The plank is a great exercise that creates a strong core. Not only does a strong core look good (hello washboard abs), it also helps to stabilize, balance and power your body. Here’s how to plank:

1. Start face down with your forearms and toes on the floor. The elbows should be directly under the shoulders and forearms facing the floor. Keep the head and neck relaxed as you look down at the floor.
2. Engage the abdominal muscles and pull the navel toward the spine. Your body should be in a straight line from the ears to the toes. There should be no sagging of the hips or bottoms lifted high into the air. In addition, make sure the shoulders are back and down, and the heels should be over the balls of your feet. Hold this position.

Burpees

A burpee is a bit of a trifecta. It’s the killer combination of abs, legs and cardio. It’ll definitely be a challenge, but I know you’re up for it! Here’s how to do a burpee:

1. Start in a standing position with your arms down by your side.
2. Drop into a squat.
3. From the squat, drop into a plank position.
4. While in the plank position, perform one push up.
5. Jump your feet forward and jump up into a standing position.

Change this as needed based on your fitness level. You can always opt out of the push-up or do it on your knees. In addition, if jumping is out of the picture, then you can step your feet in and out.

Squats

It wouldn’t be a squat challenge if there weren’t any squats! Squats can range from regular to jump squats to weight squats… the choice is yours. The key thing to remember is proper form. Without the proper form, you risk getting injured and you won’t be targeting the right muscle groups. So, here’s the basics on how to squat:

1. Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Bend your knees and lower the butt towards the ground – it should look like you are trying to sit down.
3. Keep the heels pressed firmly into the ground and keep your butt above knee-level. Remember to only lower as far as you can without it being uncomfortable.
4. The back should remain in a neutral, straight position, and toes should face forward.
5. Push the heels down into the ground as you stand back up, tightening the glutes at the top.

30 Day Abs & Squat Challenge Workout Plan

Below is your 30 day abs & squat challenge workout plan. Keep in mind that you can change the exercises to fit your experience level. For example, you can always use weights or bands if you’d like to increase the challenge. Be sure to challenge yourself, but don’t be too hard on yourself either! In addition, the days that are marked as rest days are your day to recover. Consider replacing your challenge with a 30 or 45 minute walk or a 15 minute run.