Hindu Squat
The Hindu Squat is the first exercise to perform when starting the workout. It is the exercise that is executed in the largest number of repetitions. It is the main cardiovascular exercise of the three. This high repetition, high tempo version of squats develops the hips, thighs, calves, and lower back – and lung power. By starting the workout with the Hindu Squat you get a bit of a warm-up, which is necessary before trying the other more demanding types.
There are many versions of this exercise. The proper one is the one in which you go all the way down:
– Begin with your hands pulled into the chest, feet a shoulder's width apart and toes pointed forward. While keeping the back straight, squat down with your legs, bringing your arms down and behind you for balance.
– Come up onto your toes at the bottom of the exercise maintaining a straight posture. Then swing the arms forward while pushing back up off your toes.
– Continue to rise until you are back in the standing position. The arms should move up until they reach chest level during this phase. Once you have completed the squat, pull your hands back into your chest and start over.
You sould do it in a fast and explosive action. Breathe out while going up and in while going down. You could also do it the other way round – breathe out while going down and in while going up. I have tried it both ways and it is just as good.
The full hindu squat described above can be hard on your knees. However, if you do it right it can actually strengthen your knees and it will give you explosive power. One mistake to avoid is not to “bounce” on your calves but to do it in one fluid motion.
The stance for these squats presents a challenge to one's balance, so there's a real danger of tweaking a knee or an ankle if you become unstable. You could achieve better safety by foregoing the movements of the arms, and do these squats with one hand on a chair or table for safety.
There have been reported instances of injury due to the hindu squat but there is a great majority that gets huge benefits from them. In the end it is up to the individual. If you see that the exercise does not agree with your body, don't do it.
If you do it carefully and avoid mistakes you can eliminate a lot of the risks.
The Half Hindu Squat
While the full hindu squat may be more suitable for a proper workout and also provides a better breathing technique, you can try the “Half Hindu Squat” if the full one is too hard especially when you are new to the program. After achieving good progress with the half squat your knees might be better prepared to try the full hindu squat. I have included the half squat in the site (see above) which is safer for the joints.
You do it by keeping your heels flat on the floor, shoulder width apart and perform a half squat in one fluid motion. The movement of the hands that you see in the video is essential for keeping the right balance and posture. Keep your back straight and try not to bend forward. If in the first days of exercising you experience joint pain, you may even substitute it with a static version where you just keep the squat position for a couple of minutes.
With time your tendons and ligaments will become stronger and you will be able to perform more intense workouts and also try the full squat.