If you’re reading this page you should be very proud of your achievements and ready for one final test. As you’re well aware, the program you’ve been following is called two hundred squats and that’s what this final test is all about.
To perform the test, simply execute as many good-form squats as you can. If you’ve completed the six week program with no cheating and no short cuts, experience has shown that you should be strong enough to perform two hundred consecutive squats!
After completing Week 6 of the program, treat yourself to a day or two of rest. Eat well and maintain good hydration. Try not to perform any exercises or tasks around the home that will drain you of energy – you’ll need every ounce of strength to meet your goal. Ready?
Take your time, don’t rush and focus on performing ten squats at a time. Breaking the magic two hundred into smaller chunks will make the goal more achievable and give you more chance of success. Maintain good form and don’t hold your breath. It sounds simple, but just take it one squat at a time until you reach two hundred! If your legs begin to ache, take a few deep breaths whilst in the “down” position, regain your composure and continue. Good luck – I know you can do it!!
If today wasn’t your day and you couldn’t complete the two hundred, I would suggest going back a couple of weeks in the program and building up your strength again. Maybe Week 5 or Week 6 would be a good place to build from and help regain your confidence? Don’t give up though, you’re closer than you think!
If you did manage the two hundred; many congratulations. Excellent work! You’ve gone from strength to strength over the past six weeks and you should be noticing a huge difference during many of your day to day activities. If you play sports or already lead an active lifestyle, the benefits will be even greater.
If you’ve been bitten by the exercise bug and are wondering “What’s next?”, there are a several options open to you:
- Repeat the six week challenge, but this time choose an advanced squat exercise – one-legged squats or dumbbell squats would make a good challenge.
- Restart the challenge at week 4, follow the number of reps as per the original plan, but this time increase the max set at the end to as many as you can safely manage. Once you reach the end of week 6, you should be a lot stronger and be able to perform at least 200 consecutive squats.
- Set yourself a monthly or annual goal – perhaps 2000 squats a month (roughly 500 per week) would be a good place to start? Use your creativity to devise a personal plan based on goals, fitness and current schedule.
- If you’ve maxed out on squats for the time being, how about taking one or both of the hundred push ups or two hundred situps challenges?
Have fun!