For both fat loss and toning of the muscles, the duck walk is an underappreciated but very effective lower-body exercise. This energetic movement exercises your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves as well as enhances mobility and flexibility. Although it may look easy, the duck walk involves several muscle groups and, when performed properly, can burn calories, increase strength, and improve lower-body endurance.

Adding the duck walk to your exercise routine can have dramatic results, but it must be done with proper form and gradual build-up to prevent injury. Let's dissect all you need to know about this intense movement, from its advantages to performance and mistakes to watch out for.

What is the Duck Walk?

The duck walk is really a walking squat that requires a deep range of motion and stability. Squatting down low and stepping forward in a controlled fashion, the exercise hits the lower-body muscles hard while at the same time engaging the core for stability. Because it replicates the natural squatting motion, the duck walk tightens the hip flexors, making it a good exercise for individuals with weak hips or lower-body imbalances.

Apart from building strength, the duck walk improves flexibility and mobility, especially in the hips, knees, and ankles. Those athletes coming back from an injury or those wishing to enhance agility can benefit specifically from this exercise.

How to Properly Perform the Duck Walk

Before incorporating the duck walk into your workout routine, it’s essential to understand the proper form and technique. Since this exercise places significant pressure on the knees, maintaining proper alignment is crucial.

Step-by-Step Guide to Duck Walk:

Step 1- Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down as low as possible while keeping your back straight and core engaged.

Step 2- Your front foot must stay flat on the ground, with the rear foot on its toes.

Step 3- Keep pushing back your glutes and distribute your weight evenly to prevent knee strain.

Step 4- Make small, controlled steps forward by transferring weight onto your leading foot, then moving the trailing foot forward while still keeping your squat position.

Step 5- Stepping forward for 10 steps, stand up, walk back to the beginning, and repeat for three repetitions.

Because the duck walk is an advanced move that needs strength and mobility, beginners need to approach it gradually.

Modifications Beginners Can Make to The Duck Walk

If you have flexibility issues or feel pain while doing the duck walk, use these modifications:

Half-Squat Duck Walk: Rather than descending into a full squat, walk forward in a half-squat posture.

Weighted Support: Supporting yourself with a dumbbell or kettlebell held in front of your abdomen aids in stability and balance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During Duck Walking

Rising Too High: Standing up from the squat posture decreases the effectiveness of the exercise and puts extra stress on the knees.

Taking Big Steps: Big steps will throw your balance off and create instability, and the movement will become less controlled and more susceptible to injury.

Knees Buckling Inward: Misalignment can strain joints and decrease the efficiency of the movement.

Disregarding Core Engagement: Maintaining your core engaged is critical for good posture and stability.

Which Muscles are Targeted by the Duck Walk?

The duck walk is a multi-joint movement which involves several groups of muscles being used at one time:

Main Muscles: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calf muscles, and core muscles.

Secondary Muscles: Stabilizers and hip adductors.

Making it a very good addition to lower-body exercise routines, building and toning the legs along with enhancing the overall endurance level.

How to Add Duck Walk into Your Exercise Routine?

Because the duck walk is a challenging exercise, it must be placed strategically in your workout routine to prevent overexertion.

• Frequency: Do the duck walk twice a week for best results.
• Timing: Do not do this exercise during your warm-up period; instead, incorporate it during cardio or leg day for best effect.
• Combining with Other Exercises: Include it towards the end of a squatting session or place it within a circuit routine for endurance exercises.

For those aiming to lose fat, one effective way is to include the duck walk as part of a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session. It is done in bursts with limited recovery time that can increase the heart rate and support fat reduction.

Who Shouldn't Do the Duck Walk?

Although the duck walk is a good exercise, it might not be for everyone. Those who suffer from arthritis, knee injuries, or have painful joints should not try it since it puts quite a strain on the knees. If you do feel pain or discomfort while exercising, go and see a fitness instructor or a physiotherapist for an assessment.

For those wishing to test the strength of their lower body and take their level of fitness to new heights, the duck walk is a perfect inclusion in any training regimen. Go slow, practice good form, and step up intensity as needed to strengthen the muscles, increase flexibility, and reach your goal of losing fat.

If you've recently hit the milestone of finishing a 5K—whether via a program, a nearby parkrun, or on your own walking or running routine you may be left wondering what to do next. For most, the natural (and thrilling) step is to target a 10K but how do you do this safely and in a way that is sustainable? As a health editor at a leading international platform, I’m breaking down exactly what it takes—physically, mentally, and logistically to go from 5K to 10K in a way that protects your health and supports long-term fitness.

The step up from 5K to 10K isn't a fitness improvement—congratulations, it's a shift in attitude. Achievement of 5K is an impressive feat, particularly if you're new to habitual exercise. But continuing that momentum with the target of 10K offers a formalized means of remaining motivated and dedicated. It's the optimal balance of challenge and achievability.

What's special about going from 5K to 10K is that you aren't beginning from scratch. You've established the foundation: cardiovascular, fundamental running or walking technique, and a habit of including regular exercise in your routine. The process of getting to 10K is no longer about whether you can do it, but how to do it correctly.

Are You Ready to Double Your Distance?

Before you tie up for longer runs or walks, have a quick scan of your current lifestyle, recovery potential, and frame of mind. Utilize the 1–5 scale as a self-testing tool:

Work-Life Balance: Is your lifestyle balanced enough to provide time for more activity?

Physical Readiness: Are you free from pain, or do you have persistent niggles after activity?

5K Journey Experience: Did you find the journey to 5K enjoyable, or was it hard work?

Time Availability: Can you reasonably schedule 15–30 extra minutes on most days to exercise?

If you're rating 3 or higher on most of these, you're well set to think about progressing towards 10K. Otherwise, think about sticking with your 5K distance for another few weeks while overcoming any obstacles before progressing further.

There isn't a blanket timeline for everyone to transition from 5K to 10K. Some individuals may be okay trying to make the switch within four weeks, but others will be helped by an 8–10 week build. Patience is the most important thing. Hasting the process will result in burnout or injury.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on speed or rate, turn your thinking to "time on feet." Gradually add 5–10 minutes to your walks or runs each week, giving your body time to adjust to the added burden.

Why Easy Pace Matters Most?

One of the biggest errors individuals commit when increasing distance is racing too hard too soon. The 10K distance is not about high-speed performance so much as it is about endurance at a steady pace. For that reason, easy miles—those run at or below conversational pace—are the foundation of any 10K training.

Walking or running steadily at a leisurely pace teaches your cardiovascular system to work longer, enhances fat burning, and acclimatizes your muscles without overdoing it.

Add Variety Without Overcomplication

While you're striving for 10K, adding little bursts of variety can enhance your progress without overloading your routine. That's where Fartlek-style training is useful. A Swedish word that means "speed play," Fartlek is about switching between faster and slower intervals on your walk or jog.

Here's how: Walk rapidly for one block, followed by the next at a slower pace. This is what strengthens your cardiovascular ability and what makes your sessions more interesting.

But keep in mind, these efforts need to still feel accessible. Most of your training should still remain focused on consistent, easy movement.

Consistency Wins

Whether your aim is health, weight loss, stress relief, or increased stamina, nothing beats consistency. Recording three to five sessions per week, even if brief, beats infrequent long walk/runs and rest days off due to exhaustion.

Creating a rhythm that works with your energy and lifestyle is more relevant than achieving a certain amount of kilometers per week.

How to Avoid Burnout?

The higher your distance, the more demands are placed on your body. That's why adding low-impact cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling, or yoga can be a lifesaver. These complement your cardiovascular development without loading up on the same muscle groups, minimizing overuse injuries.

On days when you’re not walking or running, opt for 30–45 minutes of cross-training to maintain momentum and prevent fatigue.

Nutrition plays a subtle but critical role in supporting your goal. Aiming for a 10K means your body will need more fuel—especially from complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and plenty of hydration. Don’t overlook rest either: sleep and active recovery days help your muscles rebuild and prepare for longer efforts.

If you experience strange soreness, chronic fatigue, or a decrease in drive, take it as a sign to take it easy—not try harder.

The transition from 5K to 10K is more than a physical accomplishment—it's a change of attitude, lifestyle, and self-assurance. If you approach it correctly i.e., with a mix of ambition and practicality, you can make this next step a new norm. Break the journey into manageable chunks, adapt to circumstances, and keep in mind: progress, not perfection, is how you reach the finish line.

Whether you do your 10K in one sit, do it in sessions throughout the day, or interspersed with breaks for a walk, you're making a great investment in your overall long-term health.

Yoga is a great way to connect your mind and body. It helps us process our body’s well-being through gentle and flow-based movements, allowing us to have a relaxing and stress-free time. When you are doing yoga, you are told to be conscious of your breathing and focus on your surroundings. That helps one feel collected and focus better.

It is very easy to get caught up in stressful situations, causing anxiety and distress to people. This has a negative effect on your body and can manifest in ways like acne, headaches, fatigue as well as insomnia. When one is feeling these things, the best way to cope with these issues is by doing yoga.

Can Yoga Really Help with Insomnia?

A 2020 review published in the BMC Psychiatry, found that yoga generally helped women with insomnia sleep better. The researchers noted that it seemed particularly helpful for women experiencing menopause.

While not every study in the review showed a positive effect from yoga, they all agreed that yoga didn't have any bad side effects. This suggests that trying yoga for sleep is a safe first step before considering other treatments. Another review in 2019 also found that mind-body practices like yoga significantly improved sleep problems in previous research.

Yoga Asanas That Can Help With Insomnia

Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani)

Start by sitting sideways near a wall with your legs straight. As you breathe out, lower your upper body to the floor and lift your legs up against the wall. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides, palms up. You can use a pillow under your lower back for comfort. To stretch your inner thighs more, let your legs gently fall open while they are still resting on the wall.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Kneel on the floor with the tops of your feet flat. Bring your knees and feet together so your big toes touch. Sit back gently on your heels. Lean forward and fold your upper body over your legs until your forehead touches the floor or gets close. You can rest your arms by your sides or stretch them forward. Breathe calmly and stay in this comfortable position.

Reclined Butterfly Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)

Lie comfortably on your back with your legs and arms straight. Bend your knees and bring your feet towards your body, letting the soles of your feet touch. Gently bring your clasped hands to rest on your stomach. Stay in this relaxed position and focus on your natural, easy breathing.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

This is a great pose to end your yoga practice and can also be used for quiet meditation. Lie flat on your back with your legs and arms straight and relaxed. Let your hands be open with palms facing up, and allow your ankles to gently fall open. Take a deep breath and consciously relax all the muscles in your body. Keep your attention on your breath. To finish, gently move your fingers and toes, then slowly roll to one side and sit up.

Let's get real: Most of us are basically glued to our desks. With work, meetings, and screen-intense tasks taking up the bulk of our day, the side effects of a sedentary life have never been more apparent or more alarming. From creaking backs to cricked necks, stiff shoulders to compromised cores, the "desk job slump" is more than a buzzword, it's a contemporary health crisis but here's the million-dollar question- Can working out actually reverse all that harm?

How Sitting Impacts the Body?

We always downplay the extent to which sitting impacts our bodies—until the ache begins. Prolonged sitting results in contracted hip flexors, tightened shoulders, rigid necks, and flattened spinal discs. Throw poor posture and ergonomic-deficient chairs into the mix, and you have the makings of a musculoskeletal ache.

Long-term consequences extend well past aching muscles and joints. Too much sitting, particularly greater than 7–11 hours a day, has been connected with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, circulatory problems, varicose veins, and even early death, as a study at the University of California, San Diego, found.

Your eyes? They're not left out either. Screen time tends to cut back on blinking, which causes dry, irritated eyes and eye strain. And don't forget the wrists—typing, particularly without ergonomics, can create or exacerbate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Is the "Posture Fix" A Myth?

Before you're in a hurry to purchase a posture corrector or foam roller, it's worth asking: Is posture really the issue—or just a symptom?

Experts indicate that the need to "fix" posture isn't always driven by medical need. If you're not in pain or discomfort, you may not need to do anything drastically different. But if you are in chronic pain, there's a more nuanced conversation to be had.

Poor posture tends to be a whole-body problem, linked to the way your core works, how you breathe, and the alignment of your pelvis. That is, adding a brace isn't going to fix years of not moving or biomechanical imbalance. Rather, the answer is in movement.

Can Exercise Reverse the Damage?

Though regular physical activity is vital, more recent studies—and the UCSD report—emphasize that it might not completely offset the dangers of too much sitting. Even people who had reached everyday movement guidelines still had higher mortality rates associated with prolonged sitting time.

A 2019 study concurred, reporting that greater levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity didn't eliminate the heightened risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke that are associated with excessive sitting.

So, should you still exercise? Yes—think of it as part of an overall plan. Think of exercise as one support column of prevention, not a magic pill.

How Much Sitting Is Too Much?

The UCSD study establishes the danger zone at 11 hours a day, but other studies indicate that 7 hours is already too much. Scarily, sitting for over 30 minutes straight can send blood sugar and blood pressure through the roof.

So what's the medication? Shatter the sitting pattern regularly. Adopt sit-stand desks, schedule walking meetings, stretch on phone calls, or stand for commercial breaks during TV viewing at home. If your smartwatch buzzes hourly, it's giving you a blessing.

Posture-Friendly Movement Habits That Work

If you're slumped over your keyboard with the posture of a shrimp who's been boiled to death, incremental, mindful movement during the day can bring lasting change.

Instead of high-impact exercises that put more tension on a body already wound up, explore low-impact, posture-oriented regimens. Aerial yoga, Pilates, and functional mobility training are wonderful for reversing muscle tension and engaging the core.

Tight all the time or experiencing nerve discomfort? It's time to book an appointment with a physiotherapist or movement specialist. They can customize exercises for your personal biomechanical requirements and reveal postural imbalances that generic workouts will miss.

Don't simply "add" exercise to your inactive day—reframe your day in terms of movement. That involves working micro-movements into everyday tasks, rearranging your space to accommodate standing or stretching, and valuing functional mobility.

We are living in a time when convenience seems to outpower movement, but our bodies were meant to move—not be sedentary. Until workspaces and home spaces catch up, we have to take matters into our own hands and reclaim that movement wherever we can.

Exercise, including all its many benefits, won't repair sedentary damage on its own. The best approach is to split up sitting time, incorporate daily functional movement, and pay attention to how you posture yourself during the day—not when you're at the gym.

The next time your body is folding itself into your desk chair, keep moving in mind- you don't have to do a thing more than get moving to the extent that it matters.