In the final weeks leading up to my next competition, I decided to take on a personal challenge I found on bodybuilding.com by the founder of MusclePharm nutrition, Cory Gregory, called “Squat Every Day”. My legs have always been my most stubborn asset as a figure competitor, so taking on this challenge initially became my way of pushing my own limits and discovering how much I can transform my lower half for the day I step back on stage, but in reality has so much more meaning to me than just sheer exercise.

The following is an overview of the launch of my first week in this 4-week long challenge. Stay tuned for part 2, and in the meantime get off your butt and get under the bar and #SQUATEVERYDAY!

“Don’t be upset by the results you don’t get, from the work you didn’t do” ~ Unknown

I still put up fairly light weight compared to most, but I am pushing my limits with every day I get under the rack. Like any other career or art form, whether it be your job, your yoga practice or some other form of performance art,  bodybuilding is an art and a practice, that requires time and consistent effort. It’s a lifestyle, my lifestyle. I get up everyday driven by a need to be better than I was yesterday, better than I was last year, the last time I stepped on stage. I am driven by the capacity to push my body to new limits and never settle for societal limitations on my abilities. For me, squatting is more than just an exercise, it’s life coaching. It teaches you, that like in life, you put yourself under the bar, under the stresses and struggles of this world, and it will knock you down, but only the strong, get back up, time and time again! So I squat every day, not just to build the strongest most ripped legs possible, but because everyday life throws hatred, disrespect, and all walks of drama at me, and because I am strong mentally,  I GET BACK UP anyway! That’s why I #SQUATEVERYDAY, it reminds me that despite when circumstances may knock me on my ass, and I hit rock bottom, just how strong I truly am.

 

My current daily squat progression is as follows: Full Barbell Squat

65 x 10

95 x 10

115 x 10

135 x 5-10

155 x 5

175 x 5

So until next time…..Keep getting under the Rack, Keep SQUATTING and Keep getting Back Up every damn day!

#SQUATEVERYDAY

~ I AM CANDICE MARIA ~