Basic
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 15 | 1 min |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 25 Squat
Pro program
100 squats in a row: a 4-level program with no equipment
A hundred squats in a row are built by raising the volume per session, not by grinding out a hundred every day. The program splits the road into four levels, from 5 sets of 15 to 4 sets of 50, and each level opens when you hit a mark in a single set: 25, 50, 75 and 100. No equipment.
The 4 levels, exercise by exercise
The mark is for one single set, not for the whole session. The Basic level already adds up to 75 squats across five sets, but what opens the next level is 25 in a row without stopping.
Medium
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 25 | 75 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 50 Squat
High
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 35 | 90 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 75 Squat
Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 4 | 50 | 90 s |
To complete the program in a single set
- 100 Squat
All four levels are laid out on this page. Inside the app, levels two and up are part of Tatakae Pro.
Before you start: this doesn’t begin at zero
The program is called “0 → 100”, but let’s be straight about it: the first level asks for 5 sets of 15, which is 75 squats in the session, and you need 25 in a row to reach the second.
That isn’t an oversight. The squat tolerates far more reps than a push-up: the same body that manages three push-ups in a row usually handles fifteen squats without drama, because your legs carry your weight every day. Still, if those numbers are out of reach today, the answer isn’t to suffer through the Basic level. It’s to come in through The Forge, where squats start at 3 sets of 10.
Why a hundred isn’t trained by doing a hundred
The intuitive way to chase this goal is to attempt a hundred in one go every day. It works badly for two reasons: form breaks around the halfway point, and what accumulates is fatigue rather than adaptation.
Look at what the program does instead. Volume per session climbs 75, 125, 175, 200. Reps per set climb from 15 to 50. And the unlock marks go 25, 50, 75, 100. Each level leaves you comfortable in one range before asking for the next, and the hundred arrives as a consequence of accumulated volume, not as a record you attempt daily.
Rest grows on purpose too, from 60 to 90 seconds. With sets of 35 and 50, a minute and a half isn’t generous. It’s what keeps your last set looking like your first.
The form that survives long sets
Feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Everyone has their own comfortable angle; find yours before you start counting.
Descend by pushing your hips back, as if sitting down, and let your knees track over your feet. The classic failure in long sets is knees caving inward once fatigue shows up: when that happens the set is over, whatever the number on paper says.
Depth to thighs parallel, minimum. In the fourth set of 35 that’s the first thing to quietly shrink, and a half squat counts neither for the camera nor for your legs.
Weight spread across the whole foot. If your heels lift, widen your stance a little or turn your toes out more.
Breathe in rhythm instead of holding it: in a set of fifty, breathing is half the work.
The point where this turns into cardio
Around the set of 35 the exercise changes character. It stops being a question of leg strength and becomes one of endurance: what stops you isn’t that the muscle can’t, it’s that you’re out of breath and your quads are burning.
The trick there isn’t to train harder, it’s to train the tempo. Settling into something steady and repeatable, a second down and a second up, pays far better than starting fast and dying at 25. A hundred in a row is done slowly.
Where to put your phone
Side on, phone low down or on the floor, in portrait, with your whole body in frame and plenty of room above your head. Two or three metres is enough.
In long sets it’s easy to drift sideways without noticing, so leave margin on both sides. And since the count relies on seeing the full range, a clear background helps more than you’d think once you’re forty reps in and your tempo has gone ragged.
Frequently asked questions
Is doing 100 squats a day actually worth it?
It's worth it for leg endurance and for the habit, which is no small thing. What it doesn't build is maximal strength: past a certain point, a hundred bodyweight squats are cardio done with your legs. If strength is the goal, you need to add load or move to single-leg variations.
How many squats should I do when starting out?
This program's Basic level is 5 sets of 15, or 75 in the session, and you need 25 in a row to clear it. If that's too much today, start at 5 sets of 8 and add two reps a week; the program will still be there.
Can I do squats every day?
Bodyweight squats recover fast, so unlike other exercises they do tolerate high frequency. Even so, three or four sessions a week beat seven, because rested legs push better and the sets come out cleaner.
How deep should a squat go?
At least until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Going shallower turns the exercise into something else and makes the number meaningless. If the depth isn't there, it's usually ankle mobility: try a slightly wider stance with your toes turned out more.
What if my knees hurt when I squat?
First check that your knees travel in line with your feet instead of caving inward, which is the most common cause. If the pain persists, stop and see a professional: this program is not a diagnosis.
How long does it take to reach 100 in a row?
The estimate is ten weeks at three sessions a week. Because levels open on marks rather than dates, someone already doing 40 in a row starts two levels up and gets there much sooner.