The Squat Every Day Program (So Far)
Last month, BodyBuilding.com and Cory Gregory of Muscle Pharm teamed up to launch and promote Cory’s new workout program called, “Squat Every Day.” I’ve been going through the program and today is Day 14 for me, so I thought it was a good time to answer some of the questions that people have been asking me.
How Do You Know Track Your Workouts?
The nice thing about Muscle Pharm partnering up with BodyBuilding.com, is that the program is tracked through the BodySpace app. There are a few bugs here and there, and times I wish that the UI/UX was a bit more user friendly for when you’re dripping with sweat and shaky from your last set, but overall the app is very convenient and a great tool, considering it’s free. Think of Body Space as Facebook for weight lifting enthusiasts. Once you add the #SquatEveryDay program to your list of Programs, each days workout is automatically added to your in-app calendar so you’ll know when you arrive at the gym what you’re doing that session.
I get to the gym, fire up my Spotify playlist, check in on Facebook (for personal accountability), and begin tracking the days workout. If I’m not sure how to do a new exercise, there are usually short videos I can watch to see what my form should be, how to do the movement, and so forth.
So, Just How Sore Are You?
Here’s the strange thing: I expected to be sore with the program since, now, every day is leg day, but I was surprised to find that my muscles aren’t as sore as I anticipated. Maybe they’re just in shock. There’s really no way to tell. What I was surprised to discover, though, is just how much of a mental challenge the program really is – those moments of, “Shit, I’m not sure I have another set in me…”
At the end of most workouts, I’m almost more exhausted mentally than I am physically.
Click to tweetWhat Is The Hardest Part of the Program?
As I mentioned above, the mental exertion was very surprising and there will be several times – probably during each workout – when it comes down to your own perseverance and sheer force of will to complete the workout. That being said, the most difficult part of the program for me, was the intense daily squats. Now, I realize that sounds stupid since the program is called “Squat Every Day,” but I have had hip problems ever since I was a kid and was on crutches for a growth plate issue in elementary school.
Normally my hips never bother me but I found out around Day 6 of this program that both of my hips get extremely painful in the joints when I squat and/or deadlift. Not the dull burn of sore muscles, but sharp, piercing pain in the joints. I’ve tried varying the weight, set/rep counts, foot positioning, and so forth to no avail. Near the end of my workouts, it’s a challenge to walk up the stairs to get to my apartment, but the pain goes away by the time my alarm goes off annoyingly early in the morning. If the pain was constant, I’d be concerned, but I think it’s something I just have to live with.
What Sort Of Results Are You Seeing?
When I started the program 14 days ago, I took my measurements so that I could compare them after the program was over. What I can say so far is that my back squat 1RM (1 Rep Max) PR (Personal Record) has gone up by almost 100 pounds. I’m not sure if this is due to an actual increase in strength or if it’s more my determination to push myself to the absolute max and to leave it all out there at the rack.
Going into the program, I wasn’t comfortable squatting more than 180 pounds and yet the other night, just for fun to see what I could do, I found my new 1RM is now 270 pounds.
Would I Recommend The Program?
I think for someone who doesn’t have those hip/joint issues and has some experience with lifting weights, the program will still be very challenging but not quite as daunting. I wouldn’t recommend the program to someone who hasn’t already spent a number of hours in the gym lifting weights, fighting back when their brain tries to tell them that they should just skip the rest of their workout.
That mental discipline and focus needs to be developed ahead of time because if someone don’t have the determination to see something extremely demanding through to the end, I don’t think that person will last long with the program.
Despite my hip issues, I still show up every night to give it my all. Some nights I just physically can’t give it as much as I want or as much as I could a few nights before and I just have to be OK with that. It’s still better than not trying at all.
Don’t forget, you can follow my progress by viewing my profile on BodyBuilding.com’s BodySpace site!
Daniel, are you using knee wraps? If not you may want to give them a shot, for believe it or not, the hip issue. I’m almost 45 and have had hip issues in the past with squatting. However, on a whim after watching Cory’s video on Squat Everyday 2.0 I decided to order some. I got some inexpensive wraps off of Amazon and they work great. Back to my point though, I was shocked how the knee wraps took away all of my hip soreness/issues.
If you haven’t tried them I definitely suggest giving them a shot. Best of luck!
Thanks for commenting, Travis! I haven’t tried knee wraps yet because it didn’t occur to me that they might be able to help with the hip pain. Is there an affordable brand that you’d recommend I try?
Yes, these are the wraps that I purchased – http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Elastic-Knee-Wraps/dp/B0040XR5OC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434475494&sr=8-1&keywords=knee+wraps
If that link doesn’t work for some reason then go to amazon and look for the CAP Barbell elastic knee wraps for $16/pair. You can check out the reviews there too and you’ll see that this is a really good wrap for our needs and the price. You can’t beat it.
And I here you my friend on never thinking about them helping with the hip pain. I would have never thought that in a million years. I was so surprised by that. I’m not sure of exactly why; maybe less work/stress on the hip to keep the knee stabilized and tracking properly, or maybe just the help they give decelerating the weight at the bottom of the squat.
You have probably already saw it, but Cory has a video on how he wraps his knees. This is basically what I do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJE3XhptLGY
Just remember to wrap to the “outside” as he does.
Also it will probably feel a bit awkward at first, but just give it a few sessions.
So I (finally) bought some cheap but well-reviewed knee wraps off of Amazon and I have to say, you were right. I haven’t gone back to squatting every day yet but I’ve done squats and 1/4 mile lunges a couple of times since then and me knees feel much better than they did before. Thanks for the tip!
I’ve been doing the squat everyday routine for about a month now. My buddy showed me, then pussed out on the 3rd day. I’m 28, 6’3 220lbs and 4 weeks ago I was 205. I hadn’t squared on free weights in YEARS, so I started on a smith machine then moved to the bar. My thighs are HUGE compared to what they use to be. Upset I didn’t measure before. My weight and strength have both gone up, but I’m still curious as to whether or not the “everyday” thing is necessary bc everyone preaches how your muscles need rest to recover and grow. Thoughts????
Cody
Louisiana
Hi Cody! Thanks for commenting! I liked the challenge of squatting everyday. As I said in my post, it was much more of a mental challenge than I had expected and I liked something kicking my ass. That being said, no, I don’t think it’s necessary to squat every day.
I went to school with a guy who is a personal trainer and a body builder now and when I’ve talked to him about doing squats and deadlifts more than once a week, he said he only does it once a week, but his legs are solid.
Any physical activity is good activity, so if someone feels like they’re able to squat every day and their body responds well to it, like with Cory Gregory, then more power to them. If you do squat every day, you really need to make sure that your nutrition is dialed in to give your body as much clean, useful food to repair muscles and replenish energy levels.
While my body was able to handle 2 weeks straight of heavy squatting every day, I could sense that it wouldn’t last long if I kept it up. I squat when my body tells me to, which is 2-3 times a week. In the weeks I don’t squat as frequently, I usually do 1/4 of walking lunges to make up for it.
Hi, I’m on day 17 of squat every day and I’m completely loving it. I bought the belt when I started and it helps a little bit but not that much. I also began taking off my shoes, and it helps a lot. helps me keep the weight on my heels and I feel more grounded. I was having really horrible knee pain that began last week, middle of week 2. I was planning on taking a couple of days off to let my knees rest and come back and have better form.. but I decided to instead buy some knee wraps. someone on the comments of bodybuilding.com mentioned that I could buy some cheap ones at walmart. So, I went last night and bought a golds gym brand for $10. Today was my first day using them and wow, it helped so much. My knees still felt a little funky after but a lot better. I’m seeing pretty good strength results and some muscle growth. I chose the weight lost diet plan but I am only seeing very minimal weight loss. mostly in my neck area and my veins are showing a little more. I’ve had a couple cheat meals honestly so I’ll have to be more strict. My hips were still hurting today even though I was using knee wraps. Any other suggestions you can recommend so my hips don’t hurt so much?
Thanks for reading and commenting, Giovanny!
As you know, there’s a lot going on when you’re squatting, especially with a barbell loaded up with plates across your traps or chest. Glad to hear that knee wraps helped alleviate some of the knee discomfort, but you want to make sure you’re squatting with proper form (http://stronglifts.com/squat/#Squat_Form_101), otherwise the knee wraps might be a band-aid on a bigger injury waiting to happen.
My hip pain stems from a childhood injury, so I can give you some pointers and links to resources that helped me, but your mileage may vary.
1) Make sure you’re stretching your hip flexors enough and properly before and after you squat. Here’s a link to a site with several examples of hip flexor stretches that you can do: http://www.fitbodyhq.com/fitness/12-great-stretches-for-tight-hip-flexors/
2) Elevate your heels. There is a lot of debate about which is better: Barefoot lifting, flat-heel shoes (like Chucks), or wearing olys (Olympic weightlifting shoes with a lifted heel). I wasn’t sure which method was the best, so I tried squatting in flat-soled Chucks and also squatting in another set of athletic shoes with lifted heels. What I found was that, for my body, squatting in flat-foles shoes worked fine until I was working up near my 1RM weight. Once I went to much heavier weight, I needed my heels elevated to reduce the strain on my hips. If you don’t have separate pairs of shoes, you can elevate your heels quick-and-dirty style, by putting thin plates on the floor – such as 5 or 10 lbs plates – and standing with your heels elevated on them. It’s not perfect and not something I’d recommend permanently, but it will get you by and at least let you see if elevating your heels reduces some of the hip discomfort.
Barbell Shrugged has done some stellar interviews with Cory Gregory about his Squat Every Day program and he prefers to squat with heels elevated. I highly recommend that you read this blog post (http://daily.barbellshrugged.com/squat-every-day-w-cory-gregory-of-musclepharm/) and listen to their podcasts with Cory. A LOT of good information!
3) Rest up. A lot of sources, such as Muscle & Fitness, recommend that when you have lingering hip pain, to take a couple of weeks off of intense movements to let your body heal up, before easing back into it. Here’s a M&F article for more info: http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/hip-pain-how-treat-and-prevent-soreness-squatting
Hey there!! Starting the SED program tomorrow, I just have a couple of questions. Would it be feasible to include a few functional fitness sessions in addition to the program if I feel up to it? I’m going to keep it as straightforward as possible during the first couple of weeks but I’m a Crossfitter, and I really need the camaraderie of the group. And I feel like I’m really going to need the motivation after grinding this out by myself in my garage gym. Advice? Im doing this program to get my squat (and all my other lifts by proxy) back up after having a baby, and maybe shred some of my post-pregnancy chub. One more thing: if I absolutely have to miss a day, would I just pick up where I left off? I don’t like to plan to fail, but I already know a couple of days that I’ll be out of town. Thanks for posting this article!! Lots of helpful information and I’m definitely going to grab some knee wraps today!!
Hi, Lee! Thanks for commenting!
For me personally, I did the SED program along with the upper-body portions of the 60 Days To Fit program. For me, that was the perfect amount – possibly a hair over in the “almost too much” column, now that I think about it. At the time, my body felt good with that regimen so I wasn’t too worried about it.
Now, I would definitely recommend starting off with just the SED program for a week or so and see how your body feels. That’s the key with any workout program: Listen to your body. If your knees tell you they can’t take any more squats, then listen to them. Maybe cut the weight you’re squatting or something along those lines.
You can still do something else that’s not weight lifting, like yoga or cardio, to get more calorie burn in, without totally overloading your body right from the start. Things that increase your stretching and mobility will help a lot with your squats.
I sometimes get some flack about this but in all reality, I’m not a body builder and I’m not trying to be in physique competitions, so if life gets in the way of my workouts and I absolutely have to skip a day, I just pick up where I left off.
All you can do is all you can do. Keep grinding, stay motivated, and if you fall short just try to learn what went wrong and improve upon it the next time.
Daniel, have you heard of Starting Strength? There’s a great explanation of using the squat as a foundation for strength-building, and the prescribed Starting Strength program is a very simple way to safely build your squat, deadlift, and press. It’s not SED, but definitely effective.
There’s some good info in there about how these exercises train your neuromuscular pathways to be more efficient and such. This is the book: http://aasgaardco.com/store/books/starting-strength-basic-barbell-training-413