30-Day Squat Challenge: The Full Chart, Built Around Your Own Test
Three days on, one day off, tests on days 1, 15 and 30, and three versions so the plan fits your level.
Duer📅 30 days🎯 54 missions✨ Free
✨ Be one of the first to take on this Challenge
A squat challenge with real progression: you start with a test, train in sets with timed rest and finish day 29 with 150 squats split into five sets. You get the form explained, two variations (sumo and pause squats), active rest days with short mobility circuits, and three tests so you can see your progress in numbers. Everyone follows the same chart; what changes is the version of the squat: down to a chair, bodyweight, or slow tempo.
The content is free to read. To track your progress and keep your streak you need a free account.
Most squat challenge charts you'll find online give everyone the same numbers and climb fast, often from 50 squats on day one to more than 200 before day 30. This one works differently. You start with a test, train in sets with timed rest (three days on, one day of active rest) and pick one of three versions of the squat based on your level. On day 29 you finish 150 squats in 5 sets of 30; on day 30 you retake the test and compare.
It's free, and every day has its own mission: today's numbers, a log of what you actually did, the form explained and, on rest days, short mobility circuits. All in, that's 1,624 squats across 20 training days, plus the three tests.
The 30-day squat challenge chart
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. The daily total is all your sets added up, and it's the number you log in the mission. Rest days aren't wasted days: walking or doing mobility work helps your legs show up fresh for the next session.
30-day squat challenge: sets × reps for every day
Day
What to do
Total
1
Starting test: max squats in a row with good form
—
2
3 × 10
30
3
3 × 12
36
4
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
5
3 × 15
45
6
4 × 12
48
7
4 × 14
56
8
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
9
4 × 15
60
10
4 × 16
64
11
4 × 18
72
12
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
13
4 × 20
80
14
Sumo: 4 × 15
60
15
Midpoint test
—
16
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
17
5 × 18
90
18
5 × 20
100
19
2-second pause: 4 × 12
48
20
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
21
5 × 22
110
22
4 × 30
120
23
5 × 25
125
24
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
25
5 × 26
130
26
2-second pause: 5 × 12
60
27
5 × 28
140
28
Active rest (walk or mobility)
—
29
5 × 30
150
30
Final test
—
Three versions, same numbers
Your day 1 test tells you where to start, and you can switch versions anytime (on day 16 the plan asks you to check in). The easier version builds on the sit-to-stand, a classic the NHS lists among its strength exercises; here you just tap the seat instead of sitting down. It isn't cheating: it's the same squat with a target to touch.
Which version to pick based on your starting test
Version
Who it's for
How to do it
Easier · to a chair
Fewer than 15 squats in a row on the test, or knee discomfort squatting without support
Lower until you lightly touch a sturdy chair, without sitting or dropping, then stand up
Standard · bodyweight
15 to 40 on the test
Bodyweight squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as you can keep your heels down
Harder · slow tempo
More than 40 on the test
3 seconds down, a 1-second pause at the bottom, then drive up
How to do a bodyweight squat with good form
1
Set your feet
A little wider than hip-width, toes turned out slightly, weight spread across your whole foot.
2
Brace your core
Tighten your midsection as if you were about to get a gentle shove, and pull your shoulders down and back.
3
Hips back and down
Start the movement from your hips, like you're reaching for a chair that's a bit too far behind you. Your knees move forward under control.
4
Knees in line with your feet
Aim them roughly over your second toe and don't let them cave in, on the way down or on the way up.
5
Go as low as you can control
Until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or sooner if your heels start to lift or your back starts to round.
6
Push the floor away
Drive through your whole foot and breathe out as you stand all the way up.
These cues follow the American Council on Exercise description of the exercise. One point that causes a lot of confusion: your knees moving a little past your toes isn't a mistake on its own. It depends on your proportions and ankle mobility. What matters is that your heels stay down and your knees follow the direction of your feet.
What muscles do squats work?
Mainly your quads (the front of your thighs) and glutes. Your adductors, hamstrings and calves pitch in, and your abs and back work to keep your torso steady. That's why it's one of the most useful exercises for everyday life: it's the same movement you use to get out of a chair, climb stairs or pick something up off the floor. The challenge includes two variations that shift the work a little: the sumo squat (day 14), with a wide stance, hits your inner thighs more, and the pause squat (days 19 and 26) takes away the bounce so you have to control every rep.
What about 100 squats a day?
You'll get there: day 18 is 100 squats (5 sets of 20) and day 29 is 150. The difference from a straight 100-squats-a-day routine is the build-up and the rest days. You reach 100 after two and a half weeks of practice instead of starting there, and you get a recovery day after every three sessions. If you want a daily squat habit after the challenge, keep the volume moderate, build in easier days and stop if a joint starts to hurt.
What to expect after 30 days (and what not to)
More reps on your test. It's the easiest thing to measure and the one this challenge tracks: compare day 1 with day 30.
More leg endurance. Stairs, hills and long stretches on your feet tend to feel easier.
Better form. By the end of the month, squatting with your heels down and knees in line feels automatic.
What not to expect: a big change in the size of your glutes or legs from bodyweight alone, or weight loss from squats by themselves. The first takes added load over time; the second depends on your overall activity, eating and sleep.
Strength work is worth it even if you're not after a visual change. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans call for muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week, and the UK's NHS guidelines for adults say the same, adding that it should work all the major muscle groups. A short challenge with clear numbers is a practical way to start.
The plan at a glance
Day 1📖 How the challenge works (plus form in 6 steps) · ✅ Set up your space · 📈 Starting test: your max squats
Day 2📖 The 5 most common mistakes (and how to fix them) · 📈 Day 2 · 3 × 10 squats
Day 3📖 Sore muscles: what's normal and what isn't · 📈 Day 3 · 3 × 12 squats
Day 4📖 5 minutes of mobility for a deeper squat · 🔁 Active rest
Day 5📈 Day 5 · 3 × 15 squats
Day 6📈 Day 6 · 4 × 12 squats · 🎯 Challenge: film yourself from the side
Day 7📈 Day 7 · 4 × 14 squats · ✍️ Your first week
Day 8📖 Why rest days are part of training · 🔁 Active rest
Day 9📈 Day 9 · 4 × 15 squats
Day 10📖 Rest between sets and breathing · 📈 Day 10 · 4 × 16 squats
Day 11📈 Day 11 · 4 × 18 squats
Day 12✅ 10-minute mobility circuit · 🔁 Active rest
Day 13📈 Day 13 · 4 × 20 squats · 📊 How hard was today?
Day 14📖 Today's variation: sumo squat · 📈 Day 14 · 4 × 15 sumo squats
Day 15📈 Midpoint test · ✍️ Day 1 vs. day 15
Day 16🔁 Active rest · ✅ Adjust your plan for the second half
Day 17📈 Day 17 · 5 × 18 squats
Day 18📈 Day 18 · 5 × 20 squats · 🎯 Challenge: bring someone along
Day 19📖 Today's variation: pause squat · 📈 Day 19 · 4 × 12 pause squats
Day 20✅ Hip mobility circuit · 🔁 Active rest
Day 21📈 Day 21 · 5 × 22 squats · 📊 Everyday strength
Day 22📖 Long sets without losing your form · 📈 Day 22 · 4 × 30 squats
Day 23📈 Day 23 · 5 × 25 squats
Day 24📖 Beyond the squat · 🔁 Active rest
Day 25📈 Day 25 · 5 × 26 squats
Day 26📈 Day 26 · 5 × 12 pause squats
Day 27📈 Day 27 · 5 × 28 squats
Day 28📖 After day 30: how to keep what you built · 🔁 Active rest
Day 29📈 Day 29 · 5 × 30 squats · 🎯 Challenge: your biggest day
Day 30📈 Final test · ✍️ Wrap-up: your 30 days · 📝 Your plan starting tomorrow
Day by day, in detail
Day 1📖 ✅ 📈 How the challenge works (plus form in 6 steps) +2 missions⌄
📖 How the challenge works (plus form in 6 steps)
Welcome to the challenge. For 30 days you'll do squats on a progression that builds, without big jumps, to 150 squats on day 29, split into 5 sets of 30.
How it's set up:
• Three training days, then one active rest day. The rest days (days 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28) are part of the plan: that's when your legs recover and adapt.
• Three tests: today, day 15 and day 30. That way you see your progress as a real number.
• Every training day gives you sets × reps. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
• Log what you actually did, not the target. If you do less one day, log it anyway.
The numbers are the same for everyone, but there are three versions of the squat:
— Easier: squat to a chair. Lower until you lightly touch the seat, without plopping down, then stand back up. Pick this if you get fewer than 15 in a row today or your knees bother you squatting without support.
— Standard: the regular bodyweight squat.
— Harder: slow tempo, 3 seconds down and a 1-second pause at the bottom. Pick this if you get more than 40 today.
Form in 6 steps:
1. Feet a little wider than hip-width, toes turned out slightly.
2. Brace your core, as if you were about to get a gentle shove.
3. Start by sending your hips back and down, like you're reaching for a chair that's a bit too far behind you.
4. Knees track in line with your feet (roughly over your second toe). Don't let them cave in.
5. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as far as you can keep your heels down and your back flat, whichever comes first.
6. Stand up by pushing the floor away with your whole foot, breathing out on the way up.
One rule that isn't up for debate: sharp or stabbing pain in your knees, hips or back means you stop for the day. Tired, burning muscles are normal; joint pain isn't.
Today is just the test: as many squats in a row as you can with good form. Your set ends when your form breaks (heels lift, knees cave, back rounds).
✅ Set up your space
A clear space about 6 × 6 feet
A sturdy chair without wheels, backed against a wall
Flat shoes or bare feet on a non-slip floor
A watch or your phone's timer for rest periods
📈 Starting test: your max squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 2📖 📈 The 5 most common mistakes (and how to fix them) +1 mission⌄
📖 The 5 most common mistakes (and how to fix them)
These are the squat mistakes that show up most often, and the simplest fix for each.
1. Knees caving in on the way up. Think about spreading the floor apart with your feet, pushing out without actually moving them. If it keeps happening, don't go quite as deep.
2. Heels lifting. Usually it's tight ankles or too much weight on your toes. Widen your stance a little and sit your hips farther back. In the meantime, use the chair version.
3. Lower back rounding at the bottom. Only go as deep as you can control; depth comes with time.
4. Dropping into the squat. Control the way down (about 2 seconds) and drive up with intent.
5. Holding your breath for the whole set. Breathe in at the top or on the way down, breathe out as you stand.
One myth: your knees moving a little past your toes isn't a mistake on its own. It depends on your proportions and ankle mobility. What matters is that your heels stay down and your knees follow the direction of your feet.
Today: 3 sets of 10, with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets.
📈 Day 2 · 3 × 10 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 3📖 📈 Sore muscles: what's normal and what isn't +1 mission⌄
📖 Sore muscles: what's normal and what isn't
If your thighs or glutes hurt going down the stairs today, that's normal. It's delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS): it shows up after a new kind of effort, usually peaks one to three days later and goes away on its own. As your body gets used to the challenge, it shows up less and less.
What helps: moving (today's session at an easy pace usually feels good), walking and getting enough sleep.
What isn't normal: pain inside a joint (knee, hip), sharp pain, swelling, or pain that gets worse from one day to the next instead of better. If that happens, stop the challenge and see a doctor or physical therapist.
If you're very sore, do today's session with the chair version.
📈 Day 3 · 3 × 12 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 4📖 🔁 5 minutes of mobility for a deeper squat +1 mission⌄
📖 5 minutes of mobility for a deeper squat
Today is a rest day. If you want to use it to make squatting feel easier, these four drills take about five minutes:
1. Knee-to-wall ankle rocks: stand facing a wall in a split stance, front toes a few inches away. Push your front knee toward the wall without lifting the heel. 10 slow reps per side.
2. Supported deep squat hold: hold a door frame or a sturdy table and sit into the deepest squat you can with your heels down. Breathe and stay 30 seconds. Twice.
3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch: one knee on a cushion, the other foot in front. Squeeze the glute on the kneeling side and shift your hips forward gently. 30 seconds per side.
4. Glute bridges: on your back with knees bent, lift your hips by squeezing your glutes. 2 sets of 10.
Nothing here should hurt. A stretch is fine; a pinch inside a joint means ease off.
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 5📈 Day 5 · 3 × 15 squats⌄
📈 Day 5 · 3 × 15 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 6📈 🎯 Day 6 · 4 × 12 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 6 · 4 × 12 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
🎯 Challenge: film yourself from the side
🎯 Film one set from the side and one from the front, then check your form.
Prop your phone up at hip height, about six feet away. When you watch it back, check three things: heels down the whole time, knees in line with your feet, back flat at the bottom. If you want, post a photo as proof; you can keep it private.
Day 7📈 ✍️ Day 7 · 4 × 14 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 7 · 4 × 14 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
✍️ Your first week
✍️ One week down. What was hardest: finding the time, the form or the soreness? What will you change for week 2?
Day 8📖 🔁 Why rest days are part of training +1 mission⌄
📖 Why rest days are part of training
You don't get stronger during the workout; the workout is the signal. The adaptation happens afterward, while you recover. That's why the plan has one day off after every three training days.
Active rest doesn't mean sitting still. Walking, taking the stairs at an easy pace or doing gentle mobility work gets the blood moving and often eases soreness. What you don't want on these days is a hard leg class.
If you have energy today, take a longer walk. If you're wiped out, get a good night's sleep. Both count.
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 9📈 Day 9 · 4 × 15 squats⌄
📈 Day 9 · 4 × 15 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 10📖 📈 Rest between sets and breathing +1 mission⌄
📖 Rest between sets and breathing
Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Any less and your last sets get sloppy; much more and the session drags on for no reason. Use a timer: rest you eyeball almost always runs long.
Breathing: breathe in at the top or on the way down, keep your core braced and breathe out as you stand. Don't hold your breath for the whole set.
If you can't finish a set, break the remaining reps into mini-sets of 3 to 5 with 15 seconds between them. Then log the total you actually did.
📈 Day 10 · 4 × 16 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 11📈 Day 11 · 4 × 18 squats⌄
📈 Day 11 · 4 × 18 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 12✅ 🔁 10-minute mobility circuit +1 mission⌄
✅ 10-minute mobility circuit
10 knee-to-wall ankle rocks per side
2 × 30 seconds supported deep squat hold
30 seconds half-kneeling hip flexor stretch per side
2 × 10 glute bridges
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 13📈 📊 Day 13 · 4 × 20 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 13 · 4 × 20 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
📊 How hard was today?
📊 On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard did today's workout feel? If you pick 9 or 10, repeat today's numbers tomorrow instead of moving up.
Day 14📖 📈 Today's variation: sumo squat +1 mission⌄
📖 Today's variation: sumo squat
Today you change your stance. In a sumo squat your feet are well wider than your shoulders and your toes point out, somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees.
How to do it:
1. Widen your stance until your knees end up roughly over your ankles at the bottom.
2. Lower with your torso more upright than in a regular squat.
3. Push your knees out, in line with your feet.
4. Stand up by squeezing your glutes.
You'll feel it more in your inner thighs (adductors) and glutes.
Easier: sumo squat down to the chair. Harder: 3 seconds on the way down.
📈 Day 14 · 4 × 15 sumo squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 15📈 ✍️ Midpoint test +1 mission⌄
📈 Midpoint test
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
✍️ Day 1 vs. day 15
✍️ Compare today's number with day 1. How much did it change? Beyond the number, do you notice anything different climbing stairs, getting up off the floor or carrying groceries?
Day 16🔁 ✅ Active rest +1 mission⌄
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
✅ Adjust your plan for the second half
I compared my day 1 and day 15 tests
I decided whether to stay at my level, move up to slow tempo or drop to the chair version
I picked a set time to train this week
I turned on my Duer reminders
Day 17📈 Day 17 · 5 × 18 squats⌄
📈 Day 17 · 5 × 18 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 18📈 🎯 Day 18 · 5 × 20 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 18 · 5 × 20 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
🎯 Challenge: bring someone along
🎯 Invite one person to do today's workout with you.
In person, on a video call or by sharing the challenge with them on Duer. Training with someone makes it a lot harder to skip days. Once you've done it, post your proof.
Day 19📖 📈 Today's variation: pause squat +1 mission⌄
📖 Today's variation: pause squat
Lower like you always do, then hold still for 2 seconds in the lowest position you can control, heels down and core braced. Then stand up.
Taking away the bounce at the bottom makes the squat a lot harder even with fewer reps, which is why today is 48.
Easier: a 2-second pause just above the chair, without sitting down. Harder: a 3-second pause.
📈 Day 19 · 4 × 12 pause squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 20✅ 🔁 Hip mobility circuit +1 mission⌄
✅ Hip mobility circuit
10 standing hip circles in each direction, per leg
30 seconds figure-four stretch per side, lying on your back
30 seconds half-kneeling hip flexor stretch per side
2 × 30 seconds supported deep squat hold
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 21📈 📊 Day 21 · 5 × 22 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 21 · 5 × 22 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
📊 Everyday strength
📊 On a scale of 1 to 10, how easy is it today to get up from a low chair or off the floor?
Day 22📖 📈 Long sets without losing your form +1 mission⌄
📖 Long sets without losing your form
At 30 reps a set, form usually breaks down in the last five. Three tricks:
1. Split each set into three blocks of 10 and check one thing per block: heels, knees, chest.
2. Count down from 30 to 1. The last reps feel shorter in your head.
3. If your form breaks, stand still for 5 seconds, breathe and keep going.
Thirty good reps with a short pause beat thirty in a row with your knees caving in.
📈 Day 22 · 4 × 30 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 23📈 Day 23 · 5 × 25 squats⌄
📈 Day 23 · 5 × 25 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 24📖 🔁 Beyond the squat +1 mission⌄
📖 Beyond the squat
Squats do a lot, but not everything. If you want strong, balanced legs after the challenge, these four no-equipment moves round them out well:
• Reverse lunge: take a long step back and lower your back knee toward the floor. It works each leg on its own, plus your balance.
• Glute bridge: on your back with knees bent, lift your hips by squeezing your glutes.
• Calf raises: standing, rise up onto the balls of your feet and lower slowly. They work your calves.
• Hip hinge: standing with soft knees, push your hips back with a flat back until you feel the back of your thighs, then return.
No need to do them now: today is a rest day. Save them for after day 30.
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 25📈 Day 25 · 5 × 26 squats⌄
📈 Day 25 · 5 × 26 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 26📈 Day 26 · 5 × 12 pause squats⌄
📈 Day 26 · 5 × 12 pause squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 27📈 Day 27 · 5 × 28 squats⌄
📈 Day 27 · 5 × 28 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
Day 28📖 🔁 After day 30: how to keep what you built +1 mission⌄
📖 After day 30: how to keep what you built
Public health guidelines in the US and the UK recommend muscle-strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week. This challenge leaves you in a good spot to keep that up. Three paths:
1. Maintain: two or three sessions a week of 4 or 5 sets of 20 to 30 squats. That's a reasonable dose to hold on to what you gained.
2. Progress: add weight (a backpack with books, or dumbbells) and drop to sets of 8 to 15 reps. To keep getting stronger, the challenge has to keep getting harder.
3. Expand: add exercises for your core and upper body. The 30-day plank challenge is a good fit after this one.
Pick one before you finish: we'll ask you on day 30.
🔁 Active rest
🔁 I moved gently today: a 10–15 minute walk or some mobility work
Day 29📈 🎯 Day 29 · 5 × 30 squats +1 mission⌄
📈 Day 29 · 5 × 30 squats
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
🎯 Challenge: your biggest day
🎯 Finish today's 150 squats and post your proof.
This is the highest-volume day of the challenge. Do all 5 sets, log the total and post a photo or a comment. Tomorrow: final test.
Day 30📈 ✍️ 📝 Final test +2 missions⌄
📈 Final test
Misión interactiva dentro de la app.
✍️ Wrap-up: your 30 days
✍️ Look at your three tests: day 1, day 15 and today. What changed in the numbers, and what changed in your day-to-day life? What kept you from quitting?
📝 Your plan starting tomorrow
Which path are you choosing?
Which days of the week will you train?
Frequently asked questions
How many squats a day is the 30-day squat challenge?
It depends on the day: 30 on day 2 (3 sets of 10) up to 150 on day 29 (5 sets of 30). There are seven active rest days and three test days. That adds up to 1,624 squats over 20 training days, always in sets with rest, never all at once.
Is the 30-day squat challenge good for beginners?
Yes. If you get fewer than 15 squats in a row on the day 1 test, you do the whole plan with the chair version: same numbers, but you lower until you touch the seat. The rest days and the gradual build-up are there so a beginner can finish it.
Is it bad to do squats every day?
Bodyweight squats are usually well tolerated, but progress comes from recovery, which is why this challenge does three days on and one day of active rest. If you feel pain in a joint (not just tired muscles), stop for the day, and if it keeps happening, talk to a health professional.
What happens if you do 100 squats a day for 30 days?
Most people get better at squats: more reps, better endurance and smoother form. Jumping straight into 100 a day can leave you very sore in the first week, which is why this plan reaches 100 on day 18 and adds rest days along the way. Don't expect it to burn belly fat or change your shape much by itself.
Will the squat challenge grow my glutes?
You'll make them stronger, and they'll probably feel firmer. But with bodyweight alone the stimulus stops growing once the squat gets easy: to keep building muscle you need to add load over time (a backpack, dumbbells) and use shorter sets. Day 28 of the challenge explains how to keep going.
Can a squat challenge help me lose weight?
On its own, not much. Squats burn some energy and build strength, but body weight depends on your overall activity, what you eat and how you sleep. Think of this challenge as a way to get stronger and build a daily movement habit, not as a weight-loss plan.
How long is it and how many missions does it have?
30 days and 54 missions. You check off each mission when you complete it, and your progress is saved.
Is it free?
Yes. All the content can be read without an account; to track your progress and keep your streak you need a free account.
What if I miss a day?
Your streak counts the days in a row on which you complete at least one mission or add a journal entry. If you miss a day, the streak starts over, but your progress is saved and you pick up where you left off. You can also pause the challenge and resume it whenever you want.
What do I need to get started?
For day one: A clear space about 6 × 6 feet, A sturdy chair without wheels, backed against a wall, Flat shoes or bare feet on a non-slip floor, A watch or your phone's timer for rest periods.