I can only think of one exercise that has entirely changed my life- the Hindu Squat

[1haroldl]

@tomas5tex Takes me about 20-30 minutes to get 500 out. How long it took me to condition up to that is hard to gauge. When i was 15, it took me a few months. I am great body type for this though- long legs, flat feet and gigantic achilles tendon.

Recently, I had been doing 100 every other day or so, but felt the need with all this inflation to get ripped again. So I started the Church of Gama Challenge to help me push all the way up to 500 after doing 250 a couple days before.

Cardio truly in my thirties is determining my level of energy for the rest of life which yes, hindu squats can increase phenomenally.

 

[dawn16]

@1haroldl You are blowing my mind right now! I'm 48 and have lived a normal life. How have I never heard of this before? Thanks for posting this. You've just opened a door for me!

 

[1haroldl]

@dawn16 Nothing brings me greater gratitude! Thank you for your kind words

 

[tomas5tex]

@1haroldl What’s the church of gama challenge? If it’s a Hindu squat challenge I’m in.

 

[1haroldl]

@tomas5tex Do 500 Hindu squats or as many as you can until failure/exhaustion every Sunday! Yihaw!! LFG!

 

[tomas5tex]

@1haroldl Dang ok. Check back in a month for a progress update

 

[aliaconnors]

@1haroldl In the two videos you linked, the breathing instructions are contradictory - in/out vs out/in. Does it matter?

 

[summer37087]

@aliaconnors Not OP and not an expert on Hindu squats, but I can tell you that in yoga you usually breathe out when you compress the belly and breathe in when you change to a standing posture, so likely a traditional Hindu squat had the out/in breathing pattern.

As for whether it matters, I would try both and see what works better for you. Personally I always do yoga style breathing because I get light headed if I breathe out when switching to a standing posture, and because I like how breathing out works too help me compress my belly in folded postures. But if you're used to breathing out giving you a little burst of energy coming up out of your squat, you might prefer the other way.

 

[travisqtc]

@aliaconnors Exactly, in the first vid, he says to breathe in on the way down.

But in the second, he says to breathe out on the way down.

Uh, so which is it?

 

[aliaconnors]

@travisqtc Actually, in the Matt Fury link the description is exhale down, inhale up, so that’s two votes for that vs one vote for the opposite

 

[beautifulfeet]

@aliaconnors This is in line with yogas philosophy on breathing, I also think it’s better to breathe out in the way down because it naturally folds the midsection and breathing in (on the way up) helps to straighten in the mid section

Normally when it comes to working out though, the inhale is done on the less strenuous portion of the movement - and exhale done during the more difficult.

 

[1haroldl]

@aliaconnors Exhale on the way down, inhale on the way up. The first vid is off on timing I think. He breathes in and then squats then exhales almost inaudibly at the bottom.

Go with Matt Furey-style = the exhale compression, inhale extension, but again, work up to it. Listen to your body and find out what your flow is.

 

[prayerchaplainj]

@aliaconnors As a martial artist, I can loan some insight into this. During phases where you are exerting effort rather than recovering--say during the standing up phase in the squat--exhale. When crouching, inhale.

 

[markuso]

@1haroldl The Bioneer recently discussed Hindu squats on his channel, I found it useful

 

[1haroldl]

@markuso Dannnnnng solid video and fantastic form on this fellow. Thanks for sharing! This a fantastic instructional

 

[ace111]

@1haroldl If you want to up your game, switch up your squats. Look at the Bikram awkward series (he’s a shithead, not the point). Look into getting into a yoga squat and out comfortably. The Hindu squat is almost that, but in a yogi squat you keep your weight back more and heels stay down. Focus on holding all the different squats at different positions. Moving in and out slowly and with control

 

[1haroldl]

@ace111 Yes, I love holding that squat when I can't find a chair or want a break from standing. Who needs a chair anyway?!

 

[alex0211]

@1haroldl I don't think I understand the arm movements. What prevents this from being like kipping where you use your momentum to make the exercise easier?

 

[cwatts]

@alex0211 It makes the squat develop more muscles and diaphragm instead of just the legs and some back in normal squats.

 

[utvolford]

@cwatts Do you think there would be a difference between this and doing the squats with arms extended or arms extended with a resistance band through your shoulder blades?