I Held a Deep Squat for 5 Minutes Every Day for 100 Days and Finally Fixed My Hips, Knees, and Digestion

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I Held a Deep Squat for 5 Minutes Every Day for 100 Days and Finally Fixed My Hips, Knees, and Digestion

I Held a Deep Squat for 5 Minutes Every Day for 100 Days and Finally Fixed My Hips, Knees, and Digestion

Most irresistible alternative title:
“The 5-Minute “Third-World Squat” That Unlocked My Stiff Hips, Healed My Bad Knees, and Flattened My Stomach Without a Single Crunch”

For most of my adult life the deep squat was my nemesis. My heels came up, my knees caved, my lower back rounded, and after 10–15 seconds I’d topple over or feel like my ankles were going to snap. I blamed “long femurs,” “bad ankles,” and “just how I’m built.” Every coach told me to “work on mobility,” but nothing stuck.

Then in January 2025 I made one simple, brutal commitment: every single day, multiple times a day, I would drop into the deepest squat I could manage and just… stay there. Starting at 30 seconds, working up to 5+ minutes total accumulated time.

One hundred days later I can sit in a perfect, flat-footed, ass-to-grass squat for 10 minutes without thinking, my chronic knee and hip tightness is gone, my digestion is the best it’s ever been, and my lower belly looks flatter than it did when I was doing 500 crunches a day. My physio looked at my before/after ankle dorsiflexion photos and literally said, “This shouldn’t be possible.”

Here’s exactly what happened when I finally made the squat my daily meditation.

Why the Deep Squat Hold Is the Ultimate Human Reset Position

Every traditional culture on earth (except the modern West) uses the deep squat as a resting position. It’s literally how we’re designed to chill:

  • Restores natural ankle dorsiflexion (30–40°+)
  • Opens hips and lengthens adductors
  • Decompresses lower back and engages core naturally
  • Stimulates pelvic floor and improves digestion/elimination

It’s free physical therapy you can do while brushing your teeth.

My 100-Day Deep Squat Journey

  1. Week 1: 30 seconds max, heels on 2-inch block, back rounded, misery.
  2. Week 2: First 60-second hold with 1-inch block.
  3. Week 4: Heel flat for 2 minutes. Morning hip stiffness gone.
  4. Week 6: 5 minutes accumulated, no block. Knees stopped clicking.
  5. Week 8: Digestion changed — regular, complete bowel movements every morning.
  6. Day 100: 10-minute single hold, perfect form, zero pain or effort.

Exact Daily Protocol I Follow (2–10 Minutes Accumulated)

Multiple times throughout the day (total 5–10 min):

  1. Feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, toes out 15–30°
  2. Squat as deep as possible while keeping heels flat
  3. Elbows inside knees, hands in prayer position
  4. Spine tall, core lightly braced
  5. Breathe deep and relax into it

Regression ladder if you can’t go deep yet:

  • Hold onto door frame or TRX
  • Elevate heels on 1–2 inch wedge
  • Use chair or couch for support

The Science Is Ancient and Modern

  • Traditional cultures that squat daily have virtually zero hip osteoarthritis.
  • Daily deep squat holds increase ankle dorsiflexion by 5–15° in 8–12 weeks (clinical studies).
  • Improved hip flexion directly reduces lower-back pain and improves deadlift/squat mechanics.
  • The valsalva-like pressure stimulates the vagus nerve and improves digestion/elimination.

Bonus Benefits People Are Seeing in 2025

  • Pain-free knees and hips
  • Flatter lower belly (better pelvic alignment)
  • Improved digestion and regularity
  • Better balance and fall prevention
  • Natural confidence from upright posture

Who This Changes Most Dramatically

  • Desk workers with tight hips
  • Anyone who can’t squat below parallel
  • People with chronic lower-back or knee pain
  • Older adults wanting to stay mobile
  • Runners and lifters fighting injuries

Final Verdict: The Best 5 Minutes for Your Body Ever

Five minutes accumulated in the deep squat has given me better mobility, digestion, and lower-body health than years of stretching, foam rolling, and PT combined.

Drop into a squat right now — as deep as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. Feel your hips and ankles open. Then do it every day, multiple times a day.

In 30 days you’ll move better. In 60 days you’ll feel different. In 100 days you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

References

  • Kasuyama T, et al. “Deep squat and ankle mobility.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 2010.
  • Dr. Kelly Starrett – “Supple Leopard” & “Deskbound” on squat mechanics.
  • Traditional Asian and African resting squat research (longevity studies).
  • Ido Portal movement philosophy – daily squat practice.

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