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Lewis & Clark Launches Annual Squatober Challenge

The daily, whiteboard-based training program encourages students to build consistent fitness habits through October.

Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Body Building

Expressive sports illustration of an athlete performing a barbell squat, capturing the dynamic energy of a gym training regimen.
Lewis & Clark College athletes and students participate in the annual Squatober training challenge, a month-long program focused on building consistent workout habits. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you find that participating in month-long fitness challenges helps you maintain a regular workout routine?

Lewis & Clark College student-athletes and gym-goers are participating in the annual Squatober challenge, a daily weight room regimen led by head strength and conditioning coach Angela Dendas-Pleasant. The month-long program encourages consistent workout habits by tracking daily squat variations on a shared whiteboard.

Why it matters

Squatober provides a structured path for Portlanders of various fitness levels to build a consistent workout routine throughout the month. By utilizing a common weight room space, the challenge fosters a shared sense of discipline in athletic training.

The Squatober Instagram account currently boasts 134,000 followers, while Angela Dendas-Pleasant has directed the challenge at Lewis & Clark for 13 years. The total count of participants specifically at the college facility remains unknown.

The players

Angela Dendas-Pleasant

The head strength and conditioning coach at Lewis & Clark College who has directed the school's Squatober program since 2013.

Lewis & Clark College

The Portland college hosting the daily whiteboard-based squat challenge in its weight room.

Aaron Ausmus

One of the two creators of the original Squatober fitness challenge.

Bert Sorinex

One of the two creators of the original Squatober fitness challenge.

The details

The challenge requires participants to stabilize weighted bars on their shoulders to engage core muscles, with programming including Bulgarian split squats and front squats. Workouts are posted daily on a whiteboard in the Lewis & Clark weight room, occurring every day except Sundays. Angela Dendas-Pleasant, who has served as head strength and conditioning coach since 2013, oversees the local integration of the program originally created by Aaron Ausmus and Bert Sorinex.

Timeline

  1. 19th century: The modern back squat exercise originated in Europe.

  2. 1920s: The Flat-Footed Revolution shifted back squat technique in the United States.

  3. 2013: Angela Dendas-Pleasant became head strength and conditioning coach at Lewis & Clark College.

  4. October 2026: The current annual Squatober challenge takes place.

Beyond the Bridges

Squatober continues the technical focus of the Flat-Footed Revolution, a 1920s movement that popularized the flat-footed back squat in the United States. This challenge follows that tradition by emphasizing foundational full-body mechanics.

Portlanders looking to build a routine can follow the daily whiteboard challenges at the Lewis & Clark weight room throughout October. Participants should note that the challenge runs Monday through Saturday, with Sundays reserved for rest.

The takeaway

Squatober serves as a reminder that consistency is often more valuable than intensity for long-term physical conditioning. Watch the weight room whiteboard this month to see how various squat forms are integrated into a daily training cycle.

Further reading

For more on local strength training, visit Body Building.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Mossy Log.

Live Poll

Do you find that participating in month-long fitness challenges helps you maintain a regular workout routine?