Earlier today I created a video on the unsung benefits of Hindu squats.
I haven’t written or spoken about this benefit too much before because I always thought it was obvious. But I’ve grown weary of all amateurs who are telling people that Hindu squats are for your “quads.”
They’re not.
Hindu squats give your quads some work, but they are not supposed to be the primary mover and shaker in this exercise. If your quads are blasted after 20-25 repetitions, then you’re doing something wrong.
If you can last for 40-50 repetitions, this is an improvement, but it’s still nothing to brag to grandma about.
You cannot get to hundreds, much less thousands of consecutive repetitions of Hindu squats, you cannot develop the springy elasticity of the body, if your quadriceps are the main body part you are working. If they are, you’re stuck in “muscle-think.”
True, what I am stating is a mind-bender for many.
The bodybuilding industry has polluted the minds of so many for so long that it’s nearly impossible to imagine outside the box. It’s not much different than believing in the four food groups, the food pyramid or that moderation in all things is good for you.
Misinformation galore.
Years ago, I spoke with a martial artist who insisted that doing more than 25 Hindu squats in a row was “boring.” I told him that a fighter who cannot concentrate his mind for longer than 25 repetitions lacks mind power and concentrated focus. He couldn’t dispute me on this one.
Think of it in terms of skipping rope. How good is a fighter who can only last for 25 jumps? Or one who is bored after 25 reps.
Physical training is also mental training.
Greatness comes from practicing the “same old boring exercise” until you realize it’s not boring at all. It was your mind that was polluted.
One exercise may save your life, or give you a reason to live.
One exercise can turn your world into a whirld.
Just as the secret to meditation is focusing on one thing, the same is true with exercise.
It all gets back to the power that is unleashed by focusing on one thing, or one exercise, such as Hindu Squats.
Focus on them until you learn how to do them without getting a “quad pump.”
When you’ve nailed this one thing, you’re a rare human being.
Your mind is now a powerhouse that can’t be beat.
KATN.
Matt Furey
P.S. By the way, in Expect to Win – Hate to Lose, I wrote about the monk that I met in Japan, who was declared a Living Buddha after running 1,000 marathons through the mountains of Mt, Hiei, in seven years. After doing so, he asked to do it again as he believed he could do much better. It only took him six years to run 1,000 marathons on his second go-round. The same old boring exercise turned this man into a living saint.
