If you’ve spent hours hunched over a desk or sprawled on a couch, you’re not alone. Modern sedentary lifestyles often leave us with tight hips, weak lower body muscles, and poor posture. But what if one simple exercise could counteract these effects? Enter the humble squat — a powerhouse movement capable of reversing the toll that prolonged sitting takes on your body. Among the many variations, a deep squat, commonly known as the "Asian squat," has become popular for its holistic benefits.

A squat is much more than just a lower-body exercise; it's a movement pattern deeply rooted in human biomechanics. From standing up from a chair to bending down to pick something off the floor, squatting mimics functional actions that are part of daily life. But unlike the limited range of motion associated with sitting, squatting engages multiple muscle groups and joints, including your hips, knees, ankles, quads, glutes, and calves.

Physiotherapists say squatting is the foundation of mobility and strength, especially as we age. Squats challenge balance, coordination, and mobility. They are necessary for everything from standing up to maintaining lower-body strength.

Why Sitting All Day Wreaks Havoc on Your Body?

Prolonged periods of sitting will increase muscle imbalance, stiff joints, and reduced flexibility. Your hip flexors become tight, your glutes become inactive, and slouching at the shoulders will affect your posture. Eventually, this will lead to chronic back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. Deep squats can serve as a counter-effect by loosening tight hip flexors, strengthening the core, and improving lower body stability.

How Deep Squat Is Beneficial?

Compared to the average gym squats, the deep squat focuses on range of motion and joint health. To perform a deep squat:

1. Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, toes angled out.

2. Chest upright and core engaged.

3. Lower your hips as far as your mobility allows to get the thighs below parallel to the floor.

4. Squat with the position held for a long time, balanced and heels on the ground.

This squat variation builds strength in addition to developing flexibility in your hips and ankles. A deep squat is one of the most natural resting positions that a human body assumes. Many cultures have the habit of adopting it as a way of daily life to eat, rest, or socialize.

Customizing Squat As Per Your Body

Everybody's squat is going to look different. It's about hip anatomy, femur length, and just how comfortable your body feels when you put it in certain foot positions, width, and angles.

If balance or ankle mobility is a concern, try the following:

Heel Raise: Place wedges, plates, or books under your heels to elevate them and make it easier to squat deeper.

Add a Counterbalance: Stand holding a light dumbbell or kettlebell in front of you for more balance.

Provide Support: Lower yourself into a squat while having support from an immovable object such as a chair or a wall.

If you’re new to squats, start with bodyweight squats to build strength and confidence. Gradually incorporate variations like goblet squats, split squats, and single-leg squats to challenge your muscles further. For those aiming to add intensity, weighted squats with barbells or kettlebells can enhance muscle growth and endurance.

Long-Term Benefits of Squatting

It provides many benefits, other than aesthetically appealing, such as better strength of the lower limbs, better posture, increased flexibility, and low chances of injury. The most significant advantage is probably maintaining functional independence into old age. Experts point out that a good lower body strength and mobility are crucial to a long life. Squats make you active, thereby reducing your chances of falls and injuries.

Common Challenges

Has difficulty with depth or coordination? Don't be discouraged. Everyone faces their limitations. Constricting hips, weak ankles, or simply poor balance might limit movement for some. Mobility exercises can address these challenges through ankle stretches or hip openers; practice regularly, and remember, change is slow. Keep an eye on form and control and hold the weight lightly.

You don't need fancy gear or a membership to a gym to incorporate squats into your daily routine. Start with three sets of 10-15 bodyweight squats a day, increase in frequency and intensity as you move forward, and do these squats as part of your warm-up, cool-down, or take them between work to counteract sitting.

So the next time you’re tempted to sink into your chair for hours on end, think about how a few deep squats can reset your body and revitalize your health.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has gained popularity among those who wish to achieve a good workout in a short amount of time. But for those with high blood pressure, the challenge is an important one: Can they attempt HIIT, or is it too much for the heart?

The answer, in short, lies with the individual. Having high blood pressure does not mean that a person has to avoid vigorous exercise, but the intensity has to be suitable considering the blood-pressure control and cardiovascular risk, fitness levels and other medical issues.

In India, where hypertension has become a growing public health concern, an ICMR-INDIAB study which looked at more than 113,000 people across the country, put the overall prevalence of high BP at 35.5 per cent among adults aged 20 years and above. It was higher among men and the urban population.

Blood-pressure control remains a concern in India as the WHO-India estimates that around 220 million people live with hypertension but only about 12 per cent have their BP under control.

So where does HIIT come in?

HIIT, which involves alternating short periods of high-intensity workout followed by recovery periods, can actually be beneficial. HIIT is not forbidden among those with high blood pressure, but the individual has to take stock of several factors before starting such exercises.

Those who are physically active, have good blood-pressure control, and no other concerns can probably take on HIIT workouts. But those who are sedentary and/or have poor blood-pressure control may have to work their way up. This is an important point to consider as HIIT might offer a good workout, but a hard-hitting workout is not always good for your blood pressure.

Also read: Heart Racing During Garba: Is It Adrenaline Or A Warning Sign?

Start with assessment, not max intensity

Among those who are new to exercise and have hypertension, jumping into an intense HIIT workout may not be the best move. A doctor would look at blood pressure, age, exercise history, cardiovascular risk and symptoms before advising on the most appropriate way forward.

A sedentary person should start with brisk walking, for example, before working their way up to cycling or jogging, and then adding higher intensity workouts, or interval training. It is about pace and control, and not going all out right at the start. Not only is that risky for those with hypertension, it could also lead to severe injuries.

Pay attention to exercises that help you warm up and cool down, and avoid stopping abruptly immediately after a vigorous round of exercise. While doing strength-based HIIT, people should avoid holding their breath, as this can cause blood pressure to spike. Make sure you train with a qualified trainer who can guide you through your workouts safely, and with the right advice.

Also read: Melissa McCarthy’s Weight Loss Mindset: Can It Help Break The Cycle Of Yo-Yo Dieting?

What about people with uncontrolled BP?

This is the point where exercising caution is important. People with high blood pressure who have persistently high or poorly controlled readings should not assume that every form of exercise is a good idea for them just because it is termed healthy.

Unexplained chest pain or discomfort, breathlessness or dizziness, fainting or unusual palpitations during exercise are signs that a person should stop their workout and get to a doctor rather than powering through the routine.

Those on antihypertensive medication will also need to take stock of their medication, how their blood pressure is behaving, and how their body is responding before deciding on the best approach to exercise.

The goal is sustainable cardiovascular fitness

For Indians looking to get into intense workouts, HIIT can be a part of a physically active lifestyle, but the aim should be cardiovascular fitness, not necessarily high-intensity workouts. Physical activity continues to be an important pillar in the management of blood pressure, alongside a balanced diet, weight control, adequate sleep, reduced salt intake, medication when needed and regular health check-ups.

So the right question for a person with hypertension is not: ‘Can I push myself as hard as possible’, but ‘What intensity is appropriate for my heart and blood pressure?’

By Dr. Debdatta Majumdar, Senior Consultant - Interventional Cardiology, Narayana RN Tagore Hospital, Mukundapur, Kolkata

Garba season is back, bringing hours of energetic dancing. While this aerobic activity naturally raises your heart rate, prolonged, high-intensity sessions can strain the cardiovascular system. In 2023, 10 people died within 24 hours while performing Garba.

So, how do you distinguish a normal exercise response from a warning sign?

Why Does Your Heart Race During Garba?

Dr. Anesh Jain, Cardiologist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, told HealthandMe that two factors drive a faster heartbeat during Garba:

• Exercise: Working muscles need more oxygen, making the heart pump faster.
• Adrenaline: Loud music, excitement and crowds trigger adrenaline release, further increasing heart rate.

Also read: Weekend Workouts: Why Sudden Intense Exercise May Put Stress on Your Heart

When Is A Racing Heart Normal?

Dr. Nimit Shah, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, told HealthandMe that the heart beats faster during Garba to supply oxygen-rich blood to working muscles.

A normal exercise response typically involves:

• A steady increase in heart rate that matches the intensity of dancing.
• Breathing that settles with rest.
• A heartbeat that gradually slows after stopping.

However, a sudden or irregular heartbeat, or one that remains unusually fast despite rest, should not be ignored.

Warning Signs: When To Stop Dancing

Dr. Anesh advised stopping immediately if you experience:

• Unusual breathlessness: Struggling to speak or catch your breath.
• Chest discomfort: Pain, pressure or heaviness in the chest, arm, neck, shoulder or jaw.
• Dizziness: Feeling lightheaded or faint.
• Irregular palpitations: A pounding, skipping or erratic heartbeat.
• Persistent rapid heartbeat: A heart rate that does not settle with rest.

Chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting requires emergency medical attention.

Read More: Strong Enough for HYROX, But Is Your Heart Fit Enough?

What Increases Heart Strain During Garba?

Several factors can increase the risk of complications:

• Dehydration: Heavy sweating causes fluid and electrolyte loss, potentially contributing to palpitations.
• Sudden intense exercise: Hours of vigorous dancing can strain the body, particularly in people unaccustomed to exercise.
• Low blood sugar: Fasting or inadequate food intake can cause weakness, dizziness and a rapid heartbeat.
• Excessive caffeine: Caffeine and energy drinks can trigger palpitations in some people.

“Prolonged dancing, dehydration, excessive sweating and inadequate food intake can put stress on the body,” Dr. Nimit said.

People with heart conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of abnormal heart rhythms should take extra precautions.

How To Protect Your Heart During Garba

Dr. Nimit recommended warming up, gradually increasing dance intensity, taking regular breaks and staying hydrated. Avoid prolonged dancing in hot, crowded venues.

Other precautions include:

• Eat adequately before dancing.
• Get enough sleep.
• Avoid excessive caffeine and energy drinks.
• Consult your doctor about safe exercise levels if you have a heart condition.

What To Do If Your Heart Starts Racing

If your heartbeat feels unusually fast or irregular:

• Stop dancing and move to a cooler, well-ventilated area.
• Rest in a comfortable, supported sitting position.
• Sip water if you are fully alert and can swallow normally.
• Seek medical help if symptoms persist. Call emergency services for chest pain, severe breathlessness or fainting.

Do not push through symptoms or rely on hydration and breathing exercises to manage possible cardiac warning signs.

The experts advised that Garba should be a celebration, not a test of endurance. Recognizing warning signs, taking breaks and respecting your limits can help you dance safely.

If you are trying to lose weight loss for a long time, it can become a cycle of strict diets, missed targets and constant frustration. Actor Melissa McCarthy says changing her relationship with weight, rather than constantly trying to control it, helped her approach the weight loss process differently.

In a recent interview with CBS Mornings, the Bridesmaids star reflected on how she stopped fixating on her weight. “I finally said [to myself], 'Oh, for God's sake, stop worrying about it,' and it may be the best thing I've ever done,” she said.

“I truly stopped worrying about [my weight]. I stopped over-analyzing, over-thinking, over-doing anything.” McCarthy added, “I just stopped constantly being worried about it, and I think there's something to kinda loosening up and not being so nervous and rigid about it that, bizarrely, has worked.”

McCarthy's weight loss mindset sheds light on a less restrictive, more sustainable approach can help people break the cycle of repeated dieting and weight regain, also known as yo-yo dieting.

Trapped In A Cycle Of Yo-Yo Dieting?

Also read: Strong Enough for HYROX, But Is Your Heart Fit Enough?

Yo-yo dieting, also known as weight cycling, refers to a constant process of repeatedly losing weight and regaining it. People may turn to restrictive diets for quick results, only to find that it is difficult to maintain over time and end up regaining all the lost weight.

Weight loss triggers certain changes in appetite and energy expenditure that can make maintaining the new weight challenging. Hunger may shoot up, while the body may expend less energy than expected, making regaining lost weight more likely.

Extremely restrictive eating plans can also be difficult to sustain alongside work, family responsibilities and social life. When a diet becomes too demanding, people may give up and return to previous eating patterns, sometimes interpreting weight regain as a personal failure rather than a sign that the approach was unsuitable for them.

McCarthy has previously spoken about moving away from extreme approaches. In a 2018 interview with The Breakfast Club, she said, “If I can de-stress and just do it slower and stop constantly trying to be on something.” She added that this approach “actually worked better instead of being like, ‘I'm gonna not do this and do this and only drink this.’”

She also said, “I'm just gonna mellow out, give myself a break.”

According to a few studies, yo-yo dieting has also been associated with health problems like changes in blood pressure and cholesterol. However, a 2024 review of 23 studies found that most available evidence did not show consistent adverse effects of weight cycling itself on body composition or resting metabolic rate.

A 2026 review published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology similarly concluded that current evidence does not strongly support a link between weight cycling itself and adverse changes in body weight, body composition or metabolic function.

This does not mean repeated weight loss and regain is irrelevant to health and overall fitness. It means the effects should not automatically be attributed to weight fluctuations alone, and people should not be discouraged from making another attempt at improving their health.

Mindset Shift Can Help Lose Weight Sustainably

A less rigid approach may make weight management more manageable by reducing the constant pressure. Setting realistic goals, maintaining eating patterns that can be maintained over time and allowing flexibility may help avoid the all-or-nothing thinking that often comes with extremely restrictive dieting.

However, McCarthy's personal experience does not prove that changing one's mindset alone causes weight loss or prevents weight regain. Weight management is influenced by genetics, hormones, medications, sleep, stress, environment and other factors.