SEC-S29W6:My Progressive Action (Squats)
I nearly got discouraged from doing this program. This was the last week, and I was already feeling like I won't make it. There's no gain when you don't experience pain. This is what helped me complete this program. I did feel the energy from the first week to the 5th, and I noticed some improvements, which I'll share at the end of my post. I think the program I chose really helped me in other areas even though I didn't focus on target areas, which I anticipated.
So it was the last week to participate in the almighty squat challenge. Week 1 made me discover that we shouldn't rush when it comes to decision-making. We should carefully analyze before we leap. 😁 I did 40 reps in week 1. That was way too high, but regardless, I still find joy that I've been able to hit 100 squats. Like... I need to give myself a standing ovation for this. I got the motivation and support of our coaches in my post and in other people's posts.
Day 1—90 Squats |
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Hearing of 90 squats made me shiver in fear. Will I be able to achieve this with my hands in the air? I think you guys already know how the program is done. So I don't need to explain again. I can give tips on how I did it successfully. Morning hours have been the best time to perform this kind of program, and it's fitting to say this morning energy is what gave me the drill and motivation to do 90 squats.
Apart from this, I checked out a YouTube video and followed the motivational sounds of the King of Squats while preparing my mind for doing 90 reps for that day. This was where I got my main motivation from. Without this sound while performing the program, I doubt that I would have been able to suspend my hand for that long.
My legs and hands were wide open to avoid contractions of my muscles when I go low and rise.
How did I feel? |
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At about 30, I began to shiver in my legs. My hands started shivering at about 50 reps, and that was when the endurance was really needed at its max. Why? Because there were just 40 left to make it 90. 40 was way too long after receiving the strain in the first 50 reps.
| Heart rate before exercise | 63/min |
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| Heart rate during exercise | 74/min |
| Heart rate after exercise | 69/min |
| Respiration before exercise | 14/min |
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| Respiration during exercise | 26/min |
| Respiration after exercise | 23/min |
After the squats, I felt relieved as if I had reached my final destination. I felt my hands for relief, and I had to sit down for the pains to lessen. My breathing rate and heartbeat rate increased more than they did in other weeks. And note, I didn't count from 1 to 90. I counted from 1 to 10, 9 times, so it won't feel as if I was doing 90 reps. How about on day 2? 5 reps added to the 90 from the beginning.
Day 2—95 reps |
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Day 2 came, and I still did the program in the morning. Day 2 was another day to strengthen my endurance and motivation level to reach my feat of 100. I did the same thing I did on day 1 to help me push through to 95 reps since it seemed demanding. I was starting off from 1 down to 95, squatting with my thighs and my hands still stretched.
The pains from week 1 were still there, and I had to add to them; that's why I had to increase my endurance level. I did these squats barefoot with the hands stretched enough but kept in a light way. While starting off the program from 1, I made my mind so free so that it could be useful to me when I was about to face my fears.
Though it was painful and difficult to keep up with the suspension of hands, I didn't focus on the pains from my hands' suspension and my thighs. If I had focused on it, I would have given up on completing the 100 squats challenge. I made myself think that dropping my hands would make me look incapable of completing something. I had to nail it.
How did I feel? |
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The additional 5 reps added to my program weren't that bad. With the help of increased strength and endurance, I was able to beat my target of 95, left with 5 reps to make it complete. I focused on the joy I'll derive from finishing the program and not on the immediate pains.
Even if I were to stop it now, I would still feel the pain. Finishing it would be much more relieving than stopping halfway, and after the program, I felt so much joy that I had completed a program. I did feel the pressure at 30, though the good news is that I did it.
| Heart rate before exercise | 65/min |
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| Heart rate during exercise | 76/min |
| Heart rate after exercise | 73/min |
| Respiration before exercise | 14/min |
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| Respiration during exercise | 28/min |
| Respiration after exercise | 23/min |
Day 3 — 100x |
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100 reps! Can't believe I actually did that. Day 3 was the last program. You definitely don't know the joy of finishing something for the week and season so that you can rest. The thought of this being my last day for the squat program made the pains and pressure reduce a bit because I was happy and motivated to reach 100 from 1. Counting from 1 to 100 was a big problem because it made it feel like the program was a no-no.
I told myself that in every 10 counts for 10 times, I'll be done. So when I count from 1 to 10, I'm usually hopeful that when I hear "twenty-something" in the count, it will make it a big and intimidating figure. I positioned myself the same way as I did on other days, and guess how I felt entirely?
My breathing rate and heartbeat dropped on day 3, which shows the joy of doing something you've been doing for weeks now. That joy of completing something can make you overdo the thing. My breathing and heartbeat rates didn't increase as on the other two days, and I didn't really feel the intense pain that derived from suspending my hands and going down. My shoulders were touched in the course of this exercise.
My arms, my thighs, my butt, and my spine were all part of the program, and I felt a bit of relief in these areas. Normally, I find it difficult to lift heavy things, but if you see me now, it's a different ball game entirely. I can lift the hardest of stone 😁 because squats taught me stamina, determination, endurance, confidence, and resilience.
| Heart rate before exercise | 65/min |
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| Heart rate during exercise | 74/min |
| Heart rate after exercise | 71/min |
| Respiration before exercise | 14/min |
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| Respiration during exercise | 24/min |
| Respiration after exercise | 21/min |
I invite @alli001, @sahmie, and @shahidalinaz.
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.
✦ Hello my dear friend
#play
Hi, @bossj23
It's a pleasure to see that you've accepted our challenge, welcome! Here is our evaluation of your participation:
You've made excellent progress throughout the challenge. You chose a challenging exercise, given that it engages the body's largest muscle groups and tends to tire you out faster than others. Great job!
You made a small mistake in your presentation: you put the video from Day 2 in the description for Day 1 and vice versa.