June Daily Fitness Challenge

Daily fitness challenge for the month of June: Accumulate five minutes in the deep squat position.

Daily Challenge

As a functional fitness coach of several years, I run a community-based fitness group outside of my gym. We discuss goals, meet weekly for outdoor workouts, and tackle a new daily challenge each month.

The intent of these daily challenges is to create productive habits and induce both mental and physical adaptations. The at-home exercise is never more than ten minutes - often less. Short, achievable tasks provide an opportunity to still earn the day when your plans get disrupted.

Consistency will always produce better and more lasting results than intermittent intensity.

Anyone can find a few minutes to do something beneficial for themselves.

That’s all you need to begin seeing progress.

The Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID) Principle is an exercise physiology concept that demonstrates the more you do anything, the better you get at that specific thing.

The body’s ability to physiologically adapt and optimize performance based on what we consistently put it through is amazing. Even more impressive is the mind’s plasticity in response to stress.

Machine learning for humans.

Fitness serves as a vehicle for resilience training, with the physical benefits secondary to the mental skills developed.

Showing up daily isn’t easy but it’s how lasting change is formed.

Enhance resilience by consistently embracing self-created challenges.

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June Daily Challenge: Accumulate five minutes in the deep squat position.

Squatting is an essential skill in order to accomplish a variety of tasks safely, effectively, and efficiently over time.

The deep squat hold is a position of rest in many parts of the world. In industrialized nations, the deep squat hold has become a position of pain because people rarely allow their hips to drop below their knees. Technological advances and pursuit of persistent comfort have caused the modern body to devolve. A great example of use it or lose it.

Fortunately, this skill is something that can be progressively trained.

Deep squat holds enhance:

• Neuromuscular flexibility in the lower body

• Spine, hip, knee, and ankle mobility

• Spinal alignment and decompression

• Digestion

• Physical and psychological pain management

• Injury prevention

• Resilience

A stacked skill development opportunity for functional fitness and resilience.

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Technique & Modifications

* Watch video for technical demonstration and discussion. The written steps can help add detail to the micro-movements as needed *

Deep squat hold variations:

• Deep sit: Find an object or surface you can sit on that is lower than you’re accustomed. Ideally, your butt will be below your knees. That being said, start somewhere relatively comfortable and maintain the position.

• Assisted deep squat hold: Sit into a deep squat while partially supporting your weight and balance by holding onto something sturdy. The assisted deep squat hold can be used for progression from a deep sit position to a lower one.

• Deep squat hold: An unmodified deep squat hold is a position that requires the hips to crouch down below the knees as if you’re trying to sit on the floor while keeping your weight balanced between the heels and balls of your feet. Rounding your back in an unweighted deep squat hold is okay and actually can further loosen up the lower spine while providing more balance over your feet. Your knees may go beyond your toes which is also okay and beneficial in the same way rounding the back when unweighted is. Ideally, you’ll eventually be able to point your toes forward, however, turning your toes out can initially help get you deeper into the position. You can also engage your core and practice proper posture in a deep squat holds for a different challenge.

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Progression Guide

For beginners:

• Spread out feet and point toes/knees in direction that is most comfortable for you

• Determine how low you can comfortably squat and then start with a deep sit in that position

• Practice assisted deep squat holds to encourage lower depth

• Pulse up and down in assisted deep squats to encourage improved flexibility and mobility

• Progressively decrease sit position as you become more comfortable

• Practice unassisted deep squat holds with breaks

• Start with modifications and progressively increase difficulty as you become increasingly proficient

For intermediate/advanced:

• Keep your feet shoulder width apart and toes/knees pointed forward

• Vary posture between upright and rounded

• Circle around over the ankles to increase range of motion in the position

• Increase time in position up to ten minutes

As always, compete with yourself yesterday.

Show up and do your best.

Battle your internal resistance and get that small win.

Everything feels easier when you occasionally make things a little harder on purpose.

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Low Back Pain Solution

Low back pain is estimated to be the leading cause of disability around the world. An approximate 84% of adults report having low back pain at some point in their lives with risk increasing over the lifespan. Makes sense when you consider the prevalence of risk factors such as obesity, smoking, poor posture, extended sitting times, and other overlooked or misunderstood ergonomic factors.

What do people typically do in response to pain? First, is avoid anything that causes it. Second, is look for medical management, workarounds, or ways to modify an environment to improve comfort rather than focus on behavioral modifications.

Treating only the symptom of pain and not the underlying cause leads to decreased function and eventual disability.

Knowing your physical and functional limitations due to pain or perceived capability offers a starting point to begin training for improvement.

This daily challenge is intended to enhance performance, reduce pain, and decrease injury risk by progressively training the physical skills involved in a deep squat hold.

Watch the technique video above to learn about modifications so you can start at a manageable level based on experience and proficiency with movements.

Even if you don’t get to the unmodified position, you will still cause multiple adaptations in your body.

Productive skill development within fitness makes the task exponentially more beneficial.

I have been doing this challenge almost every morning for a few years while I read, write, or simply breathe.

Stacking valuable inputs in training adds quality to the limited quantity of time we have throughout the day.

This is self-care.

The primary purpose of all of this - resilience development physically, mentally, and spiritually.

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Get Ready

I’m posting this a day early so everyone, including my international friends, can prepare to start strong on day one at their own skill and comfort level.

Track your times and modifications only to set a goal for the following day. The outcome doesn’t matter as long as you show up and put out.

Consistent effort leads to improved performance over time.

How will you respond when you don’t feel like it?

These are the days that matter most.

These are the days that change you.

These are the moments you see what you’re made of.

This is how resilient mental states are developed.

Embrace the challenge of discipline to optimize the skill of resilience.

Deliberate discomfort daily can cause improved comfort elsewhere forever.

By the end of June, if you consistently complete this challenge regardless of modifications, your lower body flexibility, mobility, and pain (if applicable) will all be improved.

Use a brief fitness routine to insert control and success into every day.

Self-care through self-challenge.

A few minutes a day can change your life.

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*Special Offer*

Join our community and earn a 15-min phone call with me to discuss your fitness or life goals:

• Complete the challenge for more than half the month.

• Bonus give away for anyone who completes it every day.

In our community chat, we'll hold each other accountable by posting a ✅ after completing each day's challenge. Timing and modifications don't matter—just show up and do your best.

To claim your 15-min call, share your story at the end of June:

Share a reflection on your progress (either in the community chat or privately with me) and then I’ll confirm your ✅ count.

Join our community, and let's improve together.