Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Running or Squats: Which Better Supports Heart Health?
Running and squats help your body in different ways.
Running keeps your heart working steadily for a longer time.
This can improve how well your heart and lungs use oxygen.
Squats mainly make the muscles in your legs, hips and core stronger.
Doing many squats can make your heart beat faster, but they are not the same as running.
For overall health, doing both kinds of exercise can be useful.
Beginners should start slowly and increase activity over time.
People with heart problems or warning symptoms should ask a doctor for advice before vigorous exercise.
Running provides sustained aerobic activity that can improve cardiovascular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Bodyweight squats primarily strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core while supporting functional fitness.
Squats can raise heart rate but generally do not provide the same aerobic stimulus as running.
Regular strength training has been associated with lower risks of premature death, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.
Experts recommend combining aerobic exercise with strength training, while beginners should progress gradually and seek medical advice when appropriate.
- Who
- Dr Shantanu Singhal, Consultant Cardiology at Fortis Greater Noida, explains the differing roles of running and bodyweight squats.
- What
- The article compares running and bodyweight squats for heart health and exercise benefits.
- Why
- Running and squats target different aspects of fitness, so the best choice depends on a person’s goals, fitness level, medical history and exercise tolerance.
Running’s Cardiovascular Benefits
Squats’ Strength Benefits
Primary training effect
Running’s Cardiovascular Benefits
Running provides sustained rhythmic movement and is generally the stronger stimulus for improving aerobic capacity and cardiovascular endurance.
Squats’ Strength Benefits
Bodyweight squats primarily build lower-body strength, muscle endurance and functional fitness.
Heart-rate response
Running’s Cardiovascular Benefits
Running keeps the heart rate elevated for a sustained period and continuously challenges the heart and lungs.
Squats’ Strength Benefits
Repeated or circuit-style squats can significantly raise heart rate, but they generally do not provide the same type or duration of aerobic training.
Overall value
Running’s Cardiovascular Benefits
Running can support cardiovascular fitness, blood-pressure control and healthy body weight.
Squats’ Strength Benefits
Squats support muscle maintenance, everyday movement and metabolic health; combining them with aerobic exercise may provide broader benefits.
- Running’s main role
- Aerobic exercise that can improve cardiovascular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
- Squats’ main role
- Strength exercise for the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core.
- Strength-training finding
- About 30 to 60 minutes weekly was associated with a 10 to 17 percent lower risk of premature death in a large analysis.
- Blood-pressure finding
- Regular strength training was associated with a 32 percent lower risk of high blood pressure in one long-term study included in the analysis.
- Metabolic-health finding
- Regular strength training was associated with a 29 percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome in one long-term study included in the analysis.
- Recommended approach
- Combine aerobic activity such as brisk walking, jogging or running with strength exercises such as squats.
- Warning symptoms
- Stop exercising and seek medical advice for chest pain, unexplained breathlessness, dizziness or other concerning symptoms during activity.