July 20, 2025, 3:19 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
Our FITBOOK author Nina Ponath hates squats. Still, she challenged herself to do the exercise every day for two weeks. It’s supposed to be good for the butt. Was it worth it?
100 squats a day! A nightmare thought! I love sports, but I hate squats. That’s how I would describe my relationship with this lower-body exercise. Standing with feet hip-width apart, tightening the glutes, “ass to the grass”–it just feels awful to me. Plus, squats don’t even seem to target my glutes–the muscle responsible for the toned booty we all desire–but instead, they mainly make my quadriceps burn. That’s why I tend to avoid squats. Cyclist thighs haven’t exactly been high on my wish list.
Unfortunately, squats are among the most effective exercises out there. Not just for the butt and thighs, but for the whole body. Lowering the body engages the core (hello, abs!). As we squat deep, ligaments and tendons are happy, and if you train with a barbell or weights, your arms and back get a workout too. The effect on endurance is also noteworthy: since squats work the largest muscle groups, heart rate increases. This is reflected in the calorie burn, which is impressive for a strength exercise–especially when you combine the squat movement with a small jump, aka “jump squats.”
So, I admit it: squats aren’t that bad. Time to face this love-hate relationship. I do best when I take it on as a challenge: 100 squats every day for two weeks. Spoiler: I completed it, but I didn’t discover a passion for squats in the process.
Two Weeks, 100 Squats Every Day–Here We Go!
My current fitness routine mainly consists of running and bodyweight workouts with a pretty ruthless app, where workouts have promising names like “Ares” or “Aphrodite” (yes, really) and often demand everything. Squats are also regularly included in various forms. So, I have some experience with the exercise, even if I’ve never done it in isolation before.
To start my challenge, my training app has a workout planned with five rounds of 25 sit-ups, 25 burpees, 25 mountain climbers, and 25 squats. Meaning: today, I would have to do more than 100 squats anyway. That fits perfectly…
I Start Full of Motivation
Day 1
I’m motivated. I’m doing burpees in my workout today–a few squats shouldn’t bother me much. In fact, my legs feel good after the squats. And that’s even though I slightly exceeded the 100 squats today. I’m happy to keep going like this.
Day 2
Today, I run seven kilometers. That would usually be enough exercise for my legs, but a challenge is a challenge, so I add the 100 squats right after. After the nearly two minutes of motivated squatting, my legs still feel relatively loose and good. I’m surprised at how relaxed it still is. Maybe it’s the running that got the blood flowing.
Day 3
I feel good. Today, I have a bodyweight workout with burpees, leg raises, and split lunges planned. Since both exercises train the legs, I replace the lunges with squats. Same goal, different execution, and no need to overdo it.
Day 4 Brings the First Slump
Day 4
Yesterday’s workout and the many consecutive training days have taken their toll. Normally, today would be a rest day. Maybe that’s why my motivation for squats is pretty low today. Luckily, there are some psychological tricks to make life and any challenge easier: I spread the 100 squats throughout the day, doing 20 here and there. It might be a bit of a cheat, but at least it’s done.
Day 5
I have more energy again and go for a five-kilometer run in the morning. To make the run a bit more varied, I do 20 squats after each full kilometer. It’s actually quite fun!
The Squats Make My Quadriceps Burn
Day 6
Bodyweight workout, again with squats instead of lunges. I feel fit, but my quadriceps (the front thigh muscle) are really pulling. Aren’t squats supposed to target the butt? For me, it’s still mostly the front that feels it…
Checking Squat Technique
Day 7
Since my thighs are still burning today, I start tweaking my technique. Foot position, depth, body tension–all with the goal of feeling it more in the butt and less in the thighs. I use a resistance band to force my knees to point outward, allowing me to squat deeper and more controlled. Let’s see if it helps.
Day 8
Workout day. The squats are included as usual and are combined today with jumping jacks, sit-ups, and push-ups. The 100 squats don’t even seem like that much.
Day 9
I go for a run and incorporate squats along the way. What I found fun last time only moderately excites me today. But it’s not the squats; it’s just not a day for sweating for me…
Day 10
Rest day. Oh no, that’s not a thing anymore. So, I get up in the morning and do my 100 squats right away, so my body can recover for the rest of the day. And look at that: I’ve gotten faster. The movement is smoother, the upward phase flows better. The only issue is a noticeable cracking sound during the movement. That’s new–could it be from the squats?
Practice Becomes Routine
Day 11
It’s official: squats don’t bother me anymore. I just do them today without thinking much about how I feel about them.
Day 12
Today, I do the 100 squats in one go after a run. To ensure I perform the movement cleanly, I use a resistance band. I feel the movement mainly through the burning in my thighs again, but it feels somewhat okay.
Day 13
I’m fully in the groove now. Since I have a lot of energy today, I add a small jump to every second squat. The jump squats are more challenging than slow squats, but I actually feel this variation directly in the glutes. Good!
“I Did Push-ups Every Day for Two Weeks, and Here’s What Happened.”
Ex-bodybuilder Rebecca Barthel: “Today, I no longer train intensely”
7 Effective Exercises for the Glute Muscles
Day 14–Final Stretch!
Day 14
On my last day, I do my 100 squats right after getting up. Not because I’m so motivated, but mainly to get them over with. I didn’t really learn to love squats in these two weeks–maybe because my quadriceps still burn more than my glutes feel it. But hey: I still completed my absolute least favorite exercise for two weeks without missing a single day. So, I’m a bit proud as I put my feet up and conclude: 100 squats a day? Never again!