Habit Tracker / Fitness challenges
30-day squat challenge
15 squats on day 1, 135 on day 29, a rest day every seventh day. Print the calendar below, or track it in the app.
MyGems ·
A squat challenge works because the move needs no equipment and the daily number goes up a little at a time, so you never face a big jump. This plan is built for people who are not training already: day 1 is 15 squats, the daily total rises by five squats per training day, and every seventh day is a rest day. You do not have to do the whole number in one go — split it into as many sets as you need.
The 30-day squat challenge calendar
Name: ______________________ Start date: ____________
- Day 1
- 15 squats
- Day 2
- 20 squats
- Day 3
- 25 squats
- Day 4
- 30 squats
- Day 5
- 35 squats
- Day 6
- 40 squats
- Day 7
Rest
- Day 8
- 45 squats
- Day 9
- 50 squats
- Day 10
- 55 squats
- Day 11
- 60 squats
- Day 12
- 65 squats
- Day 13
- 70 squats
- Day 14
Rest
- Day 15
- 75 squats
- Day 16
- 80 squats
- Day 17
- 85 squats
- Day 18
- 90 squats
- Day 19
- 95 squats
- Day 20
- 100 squats
- Day 21
Rest
- Day 22
- 105 squats
- Day 23
- 110 squats
- Day 24
- 115 squats
- Day 25
- 120 squats
- Day 26
- 125 squats
- Day 27
- 130 squats
- Day 28
Rest
- Day 29
- 135 squats
- Day 30
Test: max
Day 30 is a test: one set of as many good squats as you can do. Write the number down and compare it with day 1.
30dayschallenge.app/challenges/30-day-squat-challenge/
How to use this plan
- The number on each day is a daily total. Split it into as many sets as you need.
- Days 7, 14, 21 and 28 are rest days. Walking or stretching is fine; skip the challenge move.
- If a day felt too hard, repeat it tomorrow instead of moving up. Finishing a day late is better than quitting.
- Tick the box on each day you finish, on paper or in the app, so you can see the month fill up.
How to do a bodyweight squat
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees as if sitting onto a chair behind you. Keep your chest up and your weight over the middle of your feet.
- Go as low as you can while your heels stay down and your back stays straight — thighs parallel to the floor is a good target, not a rule.
- Push through your whole foot to stand back up. Breathe out on the way up.
Knees should travel in the same direction as your toes. If they cave inwards, go less deep and widen your stance a little.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Squat down to a chair or the edge of a bed and stand back up (a box squat), or halve every number in the calendar.
- Harder: Hold the bottom for two seconds on every rep, or add a backpack with a few books in it once the full numbers feel easy.
Track the challenge on your phone
Paper on the fridge works. So does your phone, which you look at more often. In Habit Tracker: 30Day Challenge, add the challenge as a habit and check it off each day from the Home Screen widget; the app shows your streak and a 30-day grid that fills in as you go, and can remind you at a time you choose. It works offline and needs no account.
The free version covers a daily challenge like this one. Pro adds weekday and times-per-week schedules, so planned rest days never break your streak.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to do all the squats in one set?
No. The number on each day is a daily total. Splitting it into sets of 10 or 20 with a short rest is normal, and good form matters more than doing them back to back.
What if I miss a day?
Do the missed day's number the next day and carry on from there, so the challenge simply ends a day later. Skipping ahead to catch up is how people end up sore and quitting.
Will 30 days of squats change my legs?
Most people notice that squats feel easier and that stairs and getting up from the floor take less effort. How much your legs change in appearance depends on far more than one month of one exercise, so treat the challenge as a way to build the habit and a base of strength.
Is it safe to squat every day?
Bodyweight squats at these numbers are fine for most healthy adults, and the weekly rest days give your legs time to recover. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, hips or back, and talk to a doctor or physiotherapist first if you have a joint problem or have not exercised for a long time.
This plan is general fitness information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, have a heart or joint condition, or have not exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before starting.