The deep squat, a resting posture and strength exercise taken through the full bend of the hips, knees, and ankles, is used for leg strength and mobility. Full-depth squats build more leg strength and buttock and inner-thigh muscle than shallow squats. Other benefits rest on indirect or conflicting evidence. Many hours of daily squatting are tied to knee cartilage wear; blood pressure rises during squats and can dip on standing. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Resting blood pressure | Below 130/80 mm Hg | Safety check: uncontrolled values change whether heavy squats are used |
| Standing blood-pressure change | Fall smaller than 20 mm Hg systolic and 10 mm Hg diastolic within 3 minutes | Safety check: a larger fall prompts stopping and medical review |
| Post-meal blood glucose (continuous glucose monitor) | No established target; track change in own after-meal curves | Squat breaks lower after-meal glucose; hypoglycemia check on insulin or sulfonylureas |
| Weight-bearing lunge test (ankle dorsiflexion) | No established target; track change from own baseline | Practice may increase depth-limiting ankle range |
| Sitting-rising test score (0–10) | 8–10 | Practice targets floor-transfer capacity |
| Strength (five chair stands or squat repetition maximum) | Rising strength | Part of defining success |
Cadence: Baseline before starting; blood pressure and dizziness at each of the first few loaded sessions, then every 3 months; ankle mobility, sitting-rising test, and strength at 6 and 12 weeks, then every 6–12 months; glucose daily during the first two weeks of squat breaks for those on glucose-lowering drugs