How many calories do 100 squats burn: 30 Day Challenge

Squats are the most effective lower body exercises, but they do torch several calories as well. Adding squats to your workout routine can improve your overall muscle strength. It is a compound exercise that burns calories and helps tone your lower body.

So, what if you manage to clock a hundred squats in a day? How many calories do 100 squats burn? The answer calls for some serious math. Let’s take a look.

I. How many calories do 100 squats burn?

On average, one squat at moderate intensity can burn 0.32. At this rate, you will burn 32 calories for every 100 squats.

However, multiple factors are involved in calculating how many calories you can burn while performing squats. These factors can modify the expected calorie burn to a moderate extent.

To unpack this estimate, you need to first understand the basics of calculating calorie burn from squats.

II. Calculating the calories burned by squats using MET

So, how do we arrive at the exact number of calories burned when you perform squats? The answer lies in what is known as the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET).

Understanding MET values helps gauge the energy demand of squats, aiding in tailoring workouts to specific goals. The more complex the exercise, the higher the MET value. For instance, the MET value of a normal seated position is 1.

Formula: Calories burned per minute = (MET Value x bodyweight in kg x 3.5)/200

III. Calculating calorie burn from 100 squats using MET value

Using the calculations we have made above, we can use the MET value to calculate the estimated calorie burn from 100 squats. Given that an average person can hit 100 squats in 3-5 minutes, the formula for calculating the calories burned by 100 squats will be:

• Calories burned by 1 minute of squats = (MET Value x body weight in kg x 3.5) / 200
• Calories burned for 100 squats = Calories burned per minute x Number of minutes

Considering a person weighing 68 kg (150 pounds) is performing squats at a normal intensity level with a MET value of 5:

• Calories burned per minute = (5 x 68 x 3.5) / 200 = 5.95 calories
• Calories burned for 100 squats = 5.95 calories/minute x 5 minutes = 29.75 calories

IV. Calculating calorie burn from high, low and normal intensity squats

Using the MET formula will give you a good estimate of your calorie expenditure from high, low, and normal-intensity squats. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds will burn approximately 250 to 571 calories per hour, depending on squat intensity and squat variations. 

To help you understand better, here is a range of calories burned for a person who weighs 150 pounds (68 kgs). 

Squat workout time	Low intensity (3.5 MET)	Normal intensity (5 MET)	High intensity (8 MET)
5 minutes (100 squats)	21	30	48
15 minutes	62	89	143
30 minutes	125	179	286
45 minutes	187	268	428
1 hour	250	360	571

V. Factors influencing calorie burn

Besides the intensity of the workout, there are other factors that influence calorie burn during squats.

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and its role 

The Basal Metabolic Rate^[1]ScienceDirect: Basal Metabolic Rate, or a person’s resting metabolic rate, is the minimal energy expenditure of a person in a relaxed state. A higher BMR means your body burns more calories even when you are not exercising.

2. Intensity and form of squats 

When you perform squats with the proper form and technique, you will be able to target more muscle groups. This will result in more calories burnt. So, focus on perfecting your stance, foot placements, and grips from the starting position to the end to ensure optimum calorie burn.

Additionally, as depicted in the table above, the intensity of your squats alters the number of calories burnt per squat session. Intense, high-speed squats like jump squats or weighted versions like dumbbell squats can burn more calories and promote weight loss.

3. Duration and rest intervals

Form and intensity are closely tied up to the duration of the performance and the rest periods incorporated into the squat workout session. How many squats you perform in a minute can make a huge difference to the total calorie burn.

For instance, whether you execute 100 squats in 3 minutes or 5 depends on the speed and rest intervals. Working out for a longer duration at moderate intensity can burn more calories than short bursts of high-intensity squatting.

4. Body weight and muscle mass

Muscles burn more calories than fat, so having less muscle mass and more body fat results in fewer calories burnt.

5. Age and gender differences 

Age is a primary factor that decides the number of calories burnt. This is because younger people have a higher metabolic rate than older people.

Similarly, the metabolic rate in males is higher than in females, resulting in more calories burned in males.

VI. Benefits of Squats

The benefits of squats range from improved lower body and core strength to convenience and ease of performance. Here is a list of fundamental benefits of performing a squat workout:

• Squats are the go-to exercise for building lower body strength. These compound exercises target all the leg muscles, including your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.
• The stress of performing squats can cause microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. As your body repairs these, your muscles grow larger and more robust (hypertrophy).
• The squat movement engages your abdominal muscles and lower back muscles for better balance and stability.
• The core muscles are very important for postural health. Some of the most simple squats, like wall squats, can target the core and lower back muscles.
• Performing squats regularly automatically helps to increase the range of motion in the hip, knee, and ankle joints, making you more flexible.
• Performing weighted squats increases the mineralization of the bones(thus preventing osteoporosis), improving overall bone and joint health^[2]Harvard health Publishing: Strength training builds more than muscles.
• Squats also increase blood flow to the muscles around the joints, reducing the chances of joint inflammation.
• Squats help to reduce your heart disease risk. It also lowers the resting heart rate^[3]PubMed: The effects of isometric wall squat exercise on heart rate and blood pressure in a normotensive population over time when performed regularly.
• Since they mimic the basic functional movement patterns^[4]National Library of Medicines: How to squat? Effects of various stance widths, foot placement angles and level of experience on knee, hip and trunk motion and loading that we use in everyday life, squats strengthen the muscles involved in the same. This improves your range of motion and flexibility, which helps you perform daily activities better.
• Performing squat exercises on a regular basis increases muscle mass. The higher the muscle mass, the higher the metabolic rate.  

VII. Muscles Worked by Squats

We know by now that squats are extremely beneficial for overall health and fitness. But what muscles do squats work?

Primarily, a well-rounded squat workout will work the following muscle groups:

• Glutes
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Adductors
• Hip flexors

VIII. 30 days of 100 Squats a Day: What Research Reveals

Incorporating a consistent routine of 100 squats a day or adjusting the frequency based on your fitness level and goals can positively impact your body at various levels. Scientific research and observations prove this beyond doubt.

1. Calorie Burn and Muscle Growth

Research^[5]National Library of Medicine: Effects of Body Mass-Based Squat Training in Adolescent Boys on adolescent boys in Japan indicated that completing 100 bodyweight squats per day for 30 days resulted in a 4.2% decrease in body fat, a 3.2% increase in quad muscle thickness, and an impressive 16% boost in quad strength. 

This suggests that performing 100 squats daily can effectively enhance muscle engagement, leading to calorie burn and a positive impact on body composition.

2. Strength Gains and Improved Performance

The same study on adolescent boys highlighted that an 8-week body mass-based squat exercise training increased muscle size and strength capability of the knee extensors. Additionally, squat exercise training improved vertical jump height, emphasizing the strength gains associated with consistent squatting.

In another study^[6]National Library of Medicine: Impact of home-based squat training with two-depths on lower limb muscle parameters and physical functional tests in older adults focusing on older individuals (average ages between 68-71), those who performed 140 bodyweight squats per day experienced significant improvements in leg press strength and the number of sit-to-stand reps completed within 30 seconds.

3. Takeaways and Considerations: Making the Most of Squatting

Consistency and Duration: To fully realize the benefits of squats, it’s important to maintain consistency over a longer duration than just 30 days.

Individual Variation: It’s crucial to recognize that the degree of improvement may vary based on an individual’s fitness level and prior training experience. While untrained or older individuals may experience significant benefits, those with more training experience might see more subtle changes.

IX. 100 squats a day can make a difference: 30 Days Challenge

Did you know that pulling off 100 squats a day is how celebs like Beyonce and Kourtney Kardashian maintain their perfect curves? Well, it is. But how do you plan to pull off this challenging routine?

Simple, start it as a one month challenge. Taking up a time-bound challenge is always a great way to start a new and challenging workout practice.

Naturally, participating in a 30-day challenge involving 100 squats daily can help motivate you and lead to noticeable physical transformations. Consistently hitting 100 squats for a month can boost endurance, promote fat loss, and develop better balance.

Choose 30 different types of squats and perform 100 reps of each type every single day. Pick each days squat in a way that will provide progressive challenge to your body over a period of 1 month. 

X. Tips for hitting 100 squats a day

If you are still weary of pulling off 100 squats per day, here are a few tips that can help you hit your daily squat target:

• Gradually increase your reps. Begin with 30 squats daily for the first week, gradually adding 10 reps weekly until you reach 100.
• Diversify your workouts. Don’t limit your exercise routine to squats alone, even if you are hitting 100 squats a day.
• Weight loss necessitates a calorie deficit. Monitor food intake and maintain an active lifestyle beyond squats.
• Incorporate stretches, mobility exercises, and short walks before squat sessions. Good mobility is crucial for proper squat form.
• Avoid overexertion or fatigue. If you feel exhausted, take a break and resume your session later. You can always split the 100 squats into smaller batches spread out through the day.

Conclusion

Squats are great for calorie burning. The intensity, form, duration, and rest intervals of the squat workout will determine the total number of calories burnt in a squat session. If you can target 100 squats per workout session, you can maximize your calorie burn.

But calorie burning is not all you can expect from an exercise as versatile as squats. It offers a plethora of other benefits like improved lower body and core strength, increased muscle mass, enhanced flexibility, improved posture, better bone and joint health, as well as cardiovascular benefits.

FAQs

1. Does 30 jump squats burn 100 calories?

Jump squats are a fairly intense form of squats. Performing 30 jump squats may burn 100 calories depending on some factors, such as the intensity of your squats and your overall body weight.

2. How many calories should 50 squats burn?

Given that 100 squats are estimated to burn an average of 32 calories, 50 squats can potentially lead to a calorie burn of roughly 16 calories.

3. Is 100 squats a day good?

Yes, incorporating 100 squats a day into your fitness routine can be beneficial for lower body strength, muscle endurance, and overall fitness. However, the potential benefits depend on your current fitness level, the intensity of your squat workout, and whether you’re adding variety to your workout routine.