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The pushup is one of the most common and effective exercises out there. Anyone who works out does it, but let’s be honest – it can get real monotonous, real quick. So, what’s the alternative? Introduce yourself to Hindu pushups!
Indian wrestlers call it ‘Dand’. It’s a deviation from the everyday pushup and is believed to be a more complete workout. Just like the pushup, the Hindu pushup can be performed anywhere and is a great option for a home workout. Its benefits include muscle building as well as improved body flexibility.
It sounds like a complete package, and is a great compound exercise. But how to do Hindu pushups, and what are its benefits? Read on to know more.
Pushups can make your arms stronger! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
1. The first thing to do is to mobilize your muscles, so that there’s more fluidity in your exercise. Post that, get into a regular push up position. Make sure your arms are aligned with your shoulders and your back is straight.
2. Then, get into a downward dog position. Lift your butts in the air, and create a ‘V’ with your body. Bend your elbows, lower your chest and make sure your back is parallel to the ground. While you do that, make sure your knees are bent so that you are technically squatting in this horizontal position!
3. Arch your back – both lower and upper. Push your chest outwards and straighten your arms and try to create a reverse ‘L’ with your body. Engage your core and lift it too, and make sure your hips don’t touch the floor. Stay there for a few seconds, before you make your next move.
4. To complete the move, you need to return to the starting position. Slowly lower your stomach and lift your hips, push them back and engage your core and glutes. Straighten your arms and get back to the horizontal squat position.
5. Now, repeat! Do 8-12 repetitions in a set, with the aim of completing 3-4 sets per workout day. If you find it tough to do 8-12 repetitions, start with 3-5 repetitions in a set, and slowly work in increasing your strength to do more repetitions.
The entire time you do the exercise, make sure your breathing is in sync with your movements. Breathe deeply through your nose, breathe in while you are in the horizontal squat position, and breathe out as you straighten your arms and arch your back.
Also read: Tone your arms, belly, and legs in one go with superwoman push-ups
As with most compound exercises, the benefits of the Hindu pushups are plenty.
For starters, it doesn’t just focus on your chest or pectoral muscles. It helps to build and develop your shoulders, arms, quards, glutes, core and spine as well.
Building your strength is just one goal of this variant of the pushup, though. Building your flexibility and mobility is one of the larger goals of this movement – as well as working as a great restorative exercise for your spine and your overall posture. It also helps build muscle endurance, which helps you when you do other exercises as well.
Lastly, it’s important to know that Hindu pushups covers the ‘Three Pillars of Human Movement’. These include:
1. Encouraging good diaphragmatic breathing
2. Activating the ‘vestibular system’ with the help of head control
3. Engaging the contra-lateral pattern
Being a versatile exercise that can be done literally anywhere, the Hindu pushup is a great exercise to add to your workout for an overall better lifestyle. It’s a great movement that is increasingly finding its way in both Indian and Western workout programs.
If you’re unsure as to where it fits in your workout program or your life, you could consider seeking help from a fitness coach, who will offer you help to incorporate this exercise in your everyday life.
