If you feel that conventional pushups are too easy and boring for you then it’s time to introduce yourself to this excellent style of pushup “Hindu Pushups”. Hindu pushup can be a great alternative to your traditional pushups and will work as a game-changer in muscle building and body flexibility. Due to its compound movements, it’s a complete package with better muscle strength and endurance.
What are the benefits of Hindu pushups? Its an excellent compound exercise that benefits the whole upper body by targeting your Pectoral (Chest muscles), Deltoids, Triceps, Serratus anterior, subscapularis, hip and spine flexor, erector spine, etc. Other than the muscle worked, Hindu pushups work really well in improving posture and boosting testosterone levels.
Lets get deep into details of Hindu Pushups and its Benefits.
Origin of Hindu Pushups
Hindu pushups are a variation of pushup which got its name because of its huge popularity within traditional Indian wrestlers and Indian martial arts style.
Traditional Indian wrestlers are performing Hindu pushups for centuries to strengthen their upper body. Bruce Lee also incorporated Hindu pushups in his training regime and called them “Dands”.
A legendary and greatest Indian wrestler of all time “The Great Gama” used to perform 5000 Hindu squats and 3000 Hindu pushups daily.
What Makes Hindu Pushup Different?
The variable that makes it stand apart from any other variation of pushup is movement. It doesn’t just concentrate on eccentric movement. But it comprises of both eccentric and concentric in a single exercise, this gives your body an opportunity for better development, stronger joints, and muscle development.
As opposed to conventional pushup, Hindu pushups aren’t concentrating majorly on pectoral muscle. Instead, Hindu pushup is an incredible exercise to develop stronger shoulders, pectoral, arms, core, and spine.
As you move from the downward dog position to upward dog position, you are also lubricating your joints, Hindu pushup opens up your pectoral muscles, erector spine, hip joints. This will aid in better mobility and better strength.
Hindu pushup is a great option for the rehabilitation of lifestyle diseases as well, Hindu pushup is a perfect combination of strength and flexibility and that’s what makes it perfect for the modern lifestyle. While standard pushup position concentrates mainly on improving the strength of chest, delts, and triceps; Hindu pushup assists in improving body posture, greater spine flexibility, stronger joints, better endurance and cardiovascular health.
How To Do Hindu Pushups
Let’s learn how to perform Hindu Pushups perfectly.
- Get into the pushup position with your feet hip-width apart.
- Keep your core tight and straight back.
- Push your torso backward and move your butt up to form an inverter V. or you can say that get your body into downward dog position.
- Bend your elbows to move your upper chest close to the ground while still keeping the butt up.
- Now drop your butt down, so that your body will be in a straight line.
- Straighten your arms and push your chest in the upward direction, forming an Upward-Facing Dog Position in yoga.
- Make sure to keep your chest forward and keep your throat open. Shoulders blades pulled together with legs staying tight and active.
- Now push your torso back in the starting position and repeat the movement 15 times to complete a set
Benefits Of Hindu Pushups
These Hindu pushups are my favorite for a long time due to its unique qualities and benefits. This style of pushup stabilizes and strengthens joints, works on more muscle than any other pushup variations and they have been incorporated in strength training for centuries.
1# Improves flexibility
Hindu pushup is not just another form of pushup but it’s a combination of two renowned yoga poses that are upward facing dog position and downward dog facing position.
We are all aware that practicing yoga can improve body flexibility, practicing both upward facing dog position and downward dog facing position in a single exercise can give incredible results in your spine flexibility. Practicing this movement will help regulation of spinal fluid which will help is optimum lubrication between vertebrates.
You will experience stronger and flexible spine, hip joint, and shoulders rotator blades. This will make you less prone to any injury.
2# Excellent compound exercise
Once we specify the number of muscle groups you are working on with the help of Hindu pushups, we bet you won’t be able to stop yourself from performing this awesome pushup style.
Hindu pushup works from your upper to lower body; it works from your front to back. How? It’s due to an eccentric and concentric range of motions. Most of the compound exercise works rather on the upper body or lower body, or the work on body’s front portion or back portion. But Hindu pushups give you an opportunity to train your body from all around the corners.
That’s the reason ancient wrestlers and professional fighters used to perform thousands of Hindu pushups to get stronger while working on mobility.
We will be discussing the number of muscles get affected while performing Hindu pushups in the later phase of this article.
All pushups variations are versatile, that means you don’t need to have any equipment. All you need is a willpower and even floor.
Versatility is a quality that can help you stay regular with training. Persistence is a key to success and with no requirement for any equipment, you are promoting yourself towards a better lifestyle.
4# More power
The more muscle you indulge in single exercise the more powerful you get, through Hindu Pushup you are working on multiple joints and multiple muscle groups at the same time.
The muscle that you have been training with Hindu pushups are- Pectoral (Chest muscles), Deltoids, Latissimus dorsi, erector spine, triceps, Serratus anterior, subscapularis, abdominals, glutes Maximus, hamstrings.
Additionally, you are promoting body flexibility which will ultimately lead to fewer injuries.
5# Muscular Endurance
Do not confuse muscular endurance with cardiovascular endurance; they both are different, although training for one will help in strengthening the other too.
Cardiovascular endurance is all about your heart and lungs’ ability to continuously deliver oxygenated blood to sustain physical activity. Muscular endurance is about your muscle’s ability to exert continuous force without reaching fatigue.
Hindu pushup is a compound exercise that will improve the quality of your Deadlift, Bench-press or any other exercise by improving your muscle density and body’s flexibility.
6# Stronger spine
I was having a weak spine since the very early phase of life, I had a slip disc problem when I was just 16. This weak spine used to bother me every time I put myself into any rigorous workout sessions. I could not Deadlift more than 150 lbs due to my vulnerable spine.
Then one day I decided to practice Hindu pushup on a regular basis, and soon I reached the milestone of 500 Hindu pushup in a day. Now I could Deadlift at more than 450 pounds. Need any other reason to start doing a Hindu pushup?
Upward facing dog position and downward dog facing position are two yoga positions that concentrate on a stronger and flexible spine.
If you are struggling with the low flexibility of your spine then it’s time to start performing hindu pushups on regular basis. Hindu pushup will work on the overall development of the spine and hip joint.
Hindu pushup can be a great tool to prevent lifestyle diseases. Lifestyle diseases are any kind of illness that occurred due to the sedentary lifestyle. People have been eating unhealthy food, sitting in the same posture for long hours, walking less, and pollution are some of the reasons for lifestyle diseases.
Lifestyle diseases can be corrected with regular exercise and keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. Those who are too busy to exercise regularly can practice this single exercise for better posture, physical strength, and cardiovascular health. One of the common lifestyle diseases is slumpy-posture.
Slumpy-posture syndrome: slumpy posture occurs due to constant sitting for hours. Many of my clients have been complaining about back pain due to long hour sitting. Additionally, people are experiencing a change in their posture due to working long hours at the same place.
Hindu pushup can be a great answer to your posture problems. Its downward dog posture and upward dog posture will correct your body with better posture and stronger spine. Regular use of Hindu pushups also resulted in a reduction of back pain as well.
Muscle Worked while Hindu Pushup
Let’s have a look at the muscle worked while performing Hindu pushups.
How to maximize pushups efficiency
Performing pushups is one thing, performing great pushups that help you target your muscles accurately is another. Therefore, we are suggesting the following accessories for every fitness fanatic:
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