How Many Squats Should I Do a Day?

The squat is a foundational exercise that builds lower body strength and size. It’s also one of the four basic movement patterns, so the more we do it, the more functionally able we’ll be.

But can you get too much of a good thing with the squat? Is it appropriate to squat every day? And, if so, how many squats should you do every day to meet your fitness goals?

As a veteran personal trainer, I’ve been programming the squat, in all its variations, into my clients’ routines for more than 30 years. In this article, I’ll draw on that experience along with the latest research to provide the definitive answer to the question, “How many squats should I do every day?”

Should You Squat Every Day?

One of the first things I learned on my fitness journey was the importance of recovery. As a result, I would always allow at least 48 hours of rest before doing an exercise again. 

When it comes to the barbell back squat, which is one of the most physically (and mentally) taxing moves you can do in the gym, that’s especially important. If you have the habit of heavy squatting several times weekly, you will struggle to recover adequately between sessions. 

With all that being said, there is some benefit to doing an occasional barbell squat 30-day challenge. These have become increasingly popular in recent times. They’re often fueled by viral social media campaigns that create a sense of inclusiveness and team spirit.

If your main purpose for squatting is to develop leg mass, then I do not recommend squatting every day. Doing so will negatively impact the ability of your quads, glutes, and hamstrings to rebuild between workouts. 

According to research conducted by Brad Schoenfield in 2016, a training frequency of two to three times per week is best for muscle growth. [1]

However, if your reason for getting under the heavy iron is to lift more weight than last time, the smart use of daily squatting may benefit you. 

A squat every day for a month challenge can help you break through a training plateau. It can also inject a sense of challenge, excitement, and purpose into your training. 

To avoid overtraining, it is vital that you regulate your training volume so that you have light, medium, and heavy sessions. Later on in the article, I’ll provide a sample 30-day barbell squat challenge template. 

Should You Do Body Weight Squats Every Day?

Yes, daily bodyweight squatting can be beneficial. Obviously, there is a world of difference between the bodyweight squat and the barbell squat when it comes to intensity. 

The bodyweight version is more of a cardiovascular than a strength-building move. As such, it has the potential to be part of your daily cardio routine.

By thinking of the bodyweight squat as a cardio exercise, you can use versions of the exercise designed to get your pulse racing and burn more calories. At the same time, you’ll be improving your mobility, balance, and posture. 

High-repetition bodyweight squats will build muscular endurance in your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. They will also strengthen your core, making everyday functions like twisting, bending, and standing easier. 

How To Vary Your Daily Squat Workout

One of the challenges of doing an exercise every day is monotony. Fortunately, there are many different ways to do the squat, helping to offset this problem. Here are seven different versions of the squat that will allow you to change it up every day of the week:

1. Standard Bodyweight Squat

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Point your toes slightly outward. Clasp your hands together in front of your chest. Tighten your core by pulling your abs in. Keep a natural curve in your lower back. Pull back your shoulder blades. Look straight ahead.
2. Push your hips back as you bend your knees to go down. Do not round your back. Your butt should move back as you lower your body.
3. Stop when your quads are parallel to the floor.
4. Push through your heels as you return to the top position. 

2. Curtsy Squat

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. 
2. Maintaining an upright posture, step your left foot back and across, lowering until the thigh is parallel to the floor.
3. Push through the rear heel to return to the start position. 
4. Do all reps on the left leg and then repeat with the right leg.

3. Jump Squat

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands clasped together in front of your body.
2. Descend into a parallel squat, maintaining a neutral core.
3. From the bottom position, explode into the air to jump vertically.

4. Lateral Squat

1. Stand with your feet wide apart and hands clasped together in front of your chest. 
2. Lunge to the left, keeping the right leg straight and lifting the toe so that the foot is resting on its heel. Feel for a stretch through your right hamstring in the bottom position.
3. Return to the start position and then repeat on the other side. That is one rep. 
4. Move fluidly from side to side, being sure to maintain a neutral spine.

5. Squat Jack

1. Stand with your feet together and hands clasped in front of your chest. Bend your knees and hinge your hips to descend into a quarter squat position. Remain in the quarter squat stance throughout the movement.
2. Jump your legs apart, making sure that your knees follow your toes. 
3. Jump your feet back together.

6. Squat Pulses

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed forward, with arms out in front of your body. 
2. Hinge at the hips to squat to parallel. 
3. From the bottom position, start performing short pulses, coming up to a quarter squat position on each pulse. 
4. Perform three pulses and then return to the start position.

7. Plie Squat

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet pointed outward ( your heels will face each other).
2. Keep your back upright as you descend into a full squat.
3. Push through your heels to return to the start position. 

How Many Bodyweight Squats to Do Every Day? 

A good place to start is three sets of 15 reps daily.  Focus on perfecting your form and developing a good cadence for the first couple of weeks. Then begin adding reps at the rate of five per week until you are doing three sets of 25 reps. 

Your rest between sets should be about 30 seconds.

Sample 30-Day Bodyweight Squat Schedule

Here’s a 30-day plan for a bodyweight squat routine using the given variations, set, and rep recommendations:

Sample 30-Day Barbell Squat Challenge for Powerlifters

Daily squatting should not be part of your everyday practice. You need those in-between rest days for your body to recover and grow stronger. But the odd injection of a 30-day daily squat challenge could be just what you need to revitalize your training.

The key to making progress (i.e., increasing your one rep max) is to regulate your intensity level. The best way to gauge your intensity is as a percentage of your one rep max. 

The ideal intensity programming for you will come down to experimentation. You want to find that sweet spot between doing enough to keep pushing strength gains and doing too much that you curtail those gains. 

Having trained dozens of powerlifters over the years, I’ve developed a 30-day squat challenge template that you can use as a guide.  I recommend starting with about 60% of 1RM at the start of the week and building to 90% by week’s end. 

I also suggest adding in a squat variation once per week. Personally, I like to use the box squat, which helps to develop explosive power, break through a sticking point, and encourage proper squat depth.

Check our Squat Max Calculator.

Here’s what the 30-day challenge looks like …

Week One

Week Two

Adjust weights based on new 1RM

Week Three

Week Four

Note: this is the same progression that I recommend for a 30-day deadlift powerlifting challenge. You can find that program here [link to deadlifting daily for a month article]. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I do 100 squats a day?

Performing 100 squats a day will help to increase the strength and muscular endurance of your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. It will also burn about 25 calories, help to improve the health of your heart and lungs, and enhance your balance and coordination. 

Do squats burn belly fat?

No, squats will not substantially burn belly fat. Doing a hundred bodyweight squats will burn around 25 calories. Those calories will come from stored body fat all over your body, not just on your belly. With a pound of fat equating to around 3,500 calories, it’s clear that squats are not an effective exercise to target belly fat. 

Go here to work out your exact squat calorie burn.

Can squats change your body shape?

Squats can help to build muscle in your lower body. Specifically, your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings will get bigger. This can help you develop a more toned, athletic lower body. However, squats will not substantially change the shape of your upper body. 

Wrap-Up

Doing squats every day can help you become stronger, fitter, and more functionally fit. When it comes to the body weight version of the squat, start with three sets of 15 reps and progressively build to three sets of 25. I recommend switching up your squat variations to keep it interesting.

When it comes to the weighted squat, the infrequent use of a 30-day daily challenge can be a good idea. It can help you overcome a strength plateau and may inject a sense of challenge and excitement into your training. Start with the 30-day template provided above and adapt it according to how your body (and strength level) responds. 

References

1. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016 Nov;46(11):1689-1697. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8. PMID: 27102172.

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