IT’S CHALLENGE TIME!!! That’s right kids, as the calendar flips to a new month, my brain flips to a new challenge for you. Last month, complete 1,000 (or 1,500/2,000) Push-ups in 31 days. Was it impossible? Nope. Did people ‘skip’ it because Push-ups aren’t their favourite movement? Maybe. Don’t worry if time got the best of you, these challenges are designed to push you to some places you may not love, but they will always help to make you better. This month?
3,000 Air Squats in November
The Air Squat
Now you might not realize it, but the Squat is one of the fundamental and under appreciated movements ever. It targets the Guads, Glutes and Hamstrings in particular and helps to not only increase muscle mass but also tone your thighs and butt. As a bonus, the Air Squat also requires balance which works your core muscles. Last month we worked the upper body this month we are focusing on the lower. With your feet just outside your hips, your head and chest up (nice flat back) you want to send your hips back. Pretend you have a bag of groceries in each hand and you need to close the car door. As you descend your goal is to have your knees track out over your toes and not roll inward. Down until your hips are below your knees and then back up.
The Challenge
You have the 30 days of November to complete 3,000 Air Squats. Find a rhythm and get to squatting. 100 a day shouldn’t take very long and it’s a quick way to warmup. If the Squats are feeling too easy (or you want to increase the difficulty), grab a set of dumbbells and hold them at your side while you are working. If you have mobility issues, then only go down as far as you can comfortably (there should be no pain). If you are nervous or still need a little more, set up a box behind you and use it as a target or safety net). Just remember the goal is to stay tight (squeezing your core muscles) and not to use the box as a place to rest. Down, quick touch and fire back up.
The Other Stuff
Don’t forget work is always more fun with a friend, so grab one for some head to head or synchro squatting. Make sure you post photos of the work you are doing and your progress with #BigBrnzChallenge and #itBrnz for a chance to be featured in the gallery on www.bigbrnz.com. Most of all though, have fun with it! A special thanks to @activedrew, @kk_sie and @eriqueleung for being exceptional models for the challenge (although not sure you will want to imitate Eric and be on a call)…
Happy Squatting!
Beez
