{"id":301884,"date":"2025-11-19T21:14:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/301884\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T21:14:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T21:14:09","slug":"the-100-day-resting-squat-challenge-that-will-transform-your-body-no-gym-required","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/301884\/","title":{"rendered":"The 100-day ‘resting squat’ challenge that will transform your body \u2013 no gym required"},"content":{"rendered":"

One move fitness coach Vanja Moves<\/a> prescribes to anyone completing her programme? Squats<\/a> \u2013 but not the type you might initially think of. No, these are \u2018passive resting squats\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018This is not training, this is not exercise, this is not squatting under a barbell,\u2019 she says in a recent YouTube video<\/a>. \u2018This is chilling and resting in a position that should be accessible to you. I advocate making movement a part of your life every single day, and this is such a simple way to do it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Related Story7 benefits of daily squatting <\/p>\n

Vanja says she has been doing this movement every day for the last six years \u2018without fail\u2019 and that it has \u2018completely transformed\u2019 both her body and her mind<\/a>. She explains that committing to doing the movement daily has opened up her hips<\/a>, mobilised her ankles, fixed her knee issues, decompressed her spine, improved her digestion<\/a> and posture<\/a>, and given her \u2018freedom to move without limitations\u2019. <\/p>\n

All that from one simple movement? We\u2019re listening. <\/p>\n

Having felt such transformative effects from incorporating this move into her daily life, Vanja is keen to spread the word as much as possible as to how everyone can benefit from adding it to their routines. <\/p>\n

And you don\u2019t need to wait six years to see results either, with Vanja explaining in her video that you\u2019ll likely notice a full-body transformation begin to come into effect at around 50 days of doing daily passive resting squats. <\/p>\n

How does the body change after 100 days of squatting?<\/p>\n

Vanja urges anyone who is able to undertake the challenge of squatting every day for 100 days and explains what you can expect along the way to reaching that milestone. <\/p>\n

\u2018Day one is like the awakening,\u2019 she says. \u2018Everything will hurt. This position is not going to feel natural to you if you have never done it in the past. Your ankles are going to scream, your knees are going to ache, your back will be fried. But this is all normal \u2013 this is your body going back to the fundamental movements that it has lost over time.\u2019<\/p>\n

In other words, feelings of discomfort and weakness, and \u2018wanting to quit\u2019 are very normal, but Vanja urges you to push through. And she has some tips for making it easier for yourself:<\/p>\n

Elevate your heels slightly, which should allow you to sit back more. Hold onto some kind of support, eg, a wall or pole \u2013 anything that allows you to sit back into your heels and feel more comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your goal for day one is just to accumulate as much time as possible in this squat throughout the day,\u2019 adds Vanja. \u2018Whether that\u2019s 30 seconds five or 10 times by the end of the day, calculate your time, note it down and that\u2019s going to follow you into day two.\u2019<\/p>\n

Days two to three, Vanja says, is \u2018the resistance phase\u2019. While you might want to challenge yourself by trying to hold the position for longer, your body is most likely going to resist. To be frank, you\u2019re not going to feel good. Still, though, Vanja encourages you to push through, with the aim being to accumulate more time in the position throughout the day than the prior days. <\/p>\n

\u2018Students who come through our programme notice effects within four to six days \u2013 dramatic effects,\u2019 she says. \u2018Some tips that I suggest is to [squat] when you\u2019re resting, watching TV, brushing your teeth, scrolling your phone. Just do it whenever you remember and instead of sitting<\/a> \u2013 if you sit a lot, get up from your chair every hour and just do this for a minute.\u2019 <\/p>\n

At around day seven, Vanja says you should start to notice improvements in your ankles, knees<\/a>, and hips, and that the movement will start to feel generally easier and much more comfortable. So, between days seven to 14, Vanja says she typically recommends people try to accumulate up to around 30 minutes in the squat position throughout the day. <\/p>\n

By day 30, Vanja says your body will likely start to crave the position. \u2018If you followed everything from day one that I spoke about, by day 30, you are going to start to embody this position and it\u2019s going to become something natural to you.\u2019<\/p>\n

Days 50 to 100 \u2018is where the transformation is going to become permanent,\u2019 says Vanja. \u2018This is the point where you are going to notice the transformation to the point that you will be teaching others about it \u2013 this is where you are going to notice that you have completely free ankles, knees, hips, lower back.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Hopefully, she adds, your shins also won\u2019t be suffering anymore, and you\u2019ll see improvements in digestion. <\/p>\n

The aim, at this point, says Vanja, is for squatting to be a part of your regular practice and something you don\u2019t even think about doing. \u2018That\u2019s where you can start to play with so much more when it comes to mobility<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a small habit, adds Vanja, that can lead to \u2018extraordinary results\u2019 in the long run, and here at WH, we\u2019re all here for small moves with big results.<\/p>\n

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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n