Would this annoy you? 25 squats every hour

[Graceey]

I’ve been unhappy with my fitness. So have very slowly started to introduce more activity. I’m literally only jogging for 10 mins a day.

I have also started doing 25 squats every hour during the day. Takes maybe a minute?

But husband has said semi jokingly, semi not that he finds it annoying. In no way has he asked me not to do it.

I obviously try not to make a big song and dance about it and try to be as discreet as possible ie in front of the kettle whilst I wait for it to boil not in the middle of a film.

If you took yourself off to do it, I'd be none the wiser. If you were doing it in front of me, I'd find it performative and attention-seeking.

I'd probably also wonder what good 1 minute of such limited exercise every hour was actually doing you as opposed to a more sustained session.

I’ve only been doing it two weeks but I do feel my muscles twitching like they used to when I did leg work outs. I can’t say I’ve noticed a visible difference but right now I can’t get to the gym so trying to do whatever I can.

I saw the idea on TikTok. The benefits concern glucose primarily.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIgf6lGNaBk/?hl=en

Im still jogging on top and will add more strength training over time. But for now as a completely unfit person this is a good start I feel.

Cause this is working. If I said I will do “10 mins of x” it just would never happen after day 3

Something is better than nothing for me. I will build on this.

Im by no means thinking my small efforts are the most efficient approach but it is something I’ve been able to keep up with.

Absolutely agree with you OP, the best exercise for you is the one that you'll keep up consistently.

No point having an amazing perfectly balanced weights/flexibility/ cardio program theat you never get round to actually doing!

Maybe one day you'll want to add to this but if this is what works for you right now then awesome💪

Well if can keep it up, then that’s all that matters. Why not get 2 cans of beans and as you squat do some arm raises.

Don't do it in front of him. Squat in the hall, the bathroom, the kitchen when he isn't in it.

However he shouldn't be making remarks.

what a stretch!

YANBU OP, keep it going!

It’s a mumsnet thing, calling everything performative 🙄It’s nearly performative to call everything performative at this point in time.

It seems pointless more than anything. You need to be stressing your body to make changes. If you can do 25 squats once an hours it's too easy.

Put on a weighted backpack and do 15-20 minute workout with squats and lunges. Maybe get some dumbbells too for upper body work and turn it into a 30-40 minute workout a few days a week.

Of course it's doing some good. It's strengthening your legs, getting you moving each hour which is really important rather than just sitting there, establishing a good habit abd laying a foundation for more challenging excercise in future, like adding weighted squats when it becomes easy.
No wonder people don't bother with excercise if as soon as they start they get told its pointless unless they do ten times as much of a totally different thing in a different way.

If it genuinely annoys him then maybe he/you should not be in the same room as it happens? Maybe agree what the fitness spot it, or agree that if it annoys him that badly he can go into another room etc

Yes but some of us have to start very very slow. I’ve been on bed rest with my last two pregnancies. And have gained a significant amount of weight.

Just getting myself into a routine where I focus on my physical health is beneficial.

My thighs were very sore initially so I assume it’s better than sitting on my arse doing nothing and feeling bad for doing nothing

If it helps to have a goal, maybe try https://twohundredsquats.com/

I did this ages ago and need to do it again. Doesn't take long and I think only 3-4 sessions a week. I believe there's similar programs for push ups/sit ups/lunges etc

What's it got to do with him? As long as you're not actually in his way, then I don't really see why he has a right to be annoyed about it.

Squats are really, really good for you, OP. 25 a minute sounds like you could slow them down a bit, though. The deeper the squat, the better. If you find a way to raise your heels, you can squat deeper and then try holding there for 20 seconds. Over time, reduce the level of the heel raise until you can squat deep with your heels on the floor. That's a level of fitness a lot of people never achieve!

Why does it annoy him. If you are in a different room he won't see. I go all over the house to do my exercises! I used to use my son's room but since he came home from uni I have lost my home gym ;) Sometimes I use the lounge, or the bedroom or our garden office or sometimes the bathroom.

a squat should be a controlled movement. You won’t be doing them effectively at that rate.

Add a plank in as well.

Squats are not annoying, unless you are doing those jumpy ones. The noise from squat jumps might bug me. But just do them out of his sight. if he is in the kitchen while the kettle boils, do them in the hall or living room, or tell him you are about to do them so he needs to move or close his eyes1
I love squats. i do them every time I clean my teeth. 50-80 a day depending on my energy levels.

25 an hour sounds appealing.

Well unless you're farting very loudly each time you squat or putting loud music on to do them then I can't see the issue.

I do a pull up every time i walk though the hallway!

The best thing about squats is how easy they make it to get up off your arse when you are unfit. I used to haul myself off the sofa but now it's easy. And that gives you incentive to move more.

I have also been trying to improve my fitness my doing a couple of minutes exercise every hour between 9 and 6. It’s really helping but I stopped doing it at weekends because it does interrupt what we’re all doing. Even if we’re just sat watching the TV, me getting up in the middle of a program or a movie disturbs everyone else. If it was only occasional it wouldn’t matter but when it’s all the time people can start to anticipate and it sort of puts them on edge (not in a high drama way, but still not totally relaxed). So on weekends I do a longer slower session twice a day.

I wish I had that strength. I can't do any pull ups, not even one, despite spending an entire summer training to do them. I can't do a single full press up either, despite doing lots of lay down press ups or press ups with elastic bands.

But I do a shoulder stretch every time I walk through a door. It has really helped loosen tight shoulders, just touch the top of the door frame and keep hold while you walk as far through it as possible.

Why is it so disastrous and affecting that he finds it annoying? Does that matter? Annoying won't kill him. Why are you so bothered. I find lots of things annoying but that doesn't mean I want people to stop the thing, it means that I find them annoying. You could ask 1000 people and they will all find a different thing annoying. It's subjective.

That's what ad breaks are for, imo. Jump up, leave the room, do some high knees, high kicks, squats, burpees, out of sight of the rest of the family while you put the kettle on.

'Everything' isn't labelled as performative. I didn't even say you were being performative - in fact, I made a point of saying that I knew that wasn't your intention. I said it was the sort of thing can seem performative (even when it's not) and I'd stand by that. Note that I also said that YANBU to do it.

I absolutely do my best to do when I’m not around others. Ie when I go to pee/make a coffee/empty bins

How does your husband know about it, then? He must have seen you do it at least enough times for him to notice, if he's commented. Unless you're announcing it every time.

It's good that you're doing something to improve your fitness and I hope you're feeling the benefit from it. But you asked if people would find it irritating and my answer to your question is yes, I would, much like your husband apparently does. That doesn't mean you're wrong to carry on with it, though. We all have to live with partners doing mildly irritating things - and it sounds like your partner realises that, because as you said, he hasn't asked you to stop doing it.