One-A-Day: Squats

Hey everyone,

For our fifth One-A-Day workout, we focused on squats.  As with deadlifts, squats are a classic, foundational exercise.  Squats recruit a significant number of muscle groups and are therefore very beneficial for building strength, muscle, and boosting metabolism.  For our squat workout, we did four variations, for three sets each, followed by a 4-minute Tabata finisher.

Here's what we did:

1. Front squats (barbell) - for strength
2. Double kettlebell front squats - for form/depth
3. Bench jumps - for plyometric/explosive power
4. Overhead kettlebell squats - for balance, coordination and core strength
5. Tabata - single kettlebell front squats - for metabolic conditioning and extra punishment!

This was a very challenging workout.  The first three sets of barbell front squats were heavy and hard.  Then, it really sinks in that you have to keep going and do multiple sets of double kettlebell front squats... That's really only the start of the workout - you're not even half done at that point.

By the end of the workout, after the bench jumps, overhead squats, and tabata front squats, our legs were crying for mercy.  They were still painful two days later, which is the sign of a great, challenging workout!  One of the (purposeful) benefits of the One-A-Day program is that we are alternating lower body and upper body exercises.  This is essential, as otherwise we could not have exercised the following day.  Stay tuned for the sixth, and final exercise in our One-A-Day program; pullups.

- Alex & Tannys