When people start training with Hindu pushups and Hindu squats, they are often surprised at how difficult these bodyweight exercises can be. I remember the first time I tried a Hindu Pushup. My body felt so unnatural and stiff and uncomfortable. I think I was only able to do 5 of them the first time. However, I kept it and in no time my muscles began to learn to work together as they were meant to. The movement you want to achieve is like an ocean wave rising towards the shore. The movement must be fluid. Even now I am not at the “fluent” stage for this exercise, but I am succeeding. Below are some more tips that I have collected that may help you when performing these bodyweight exercises.

One question they ask me is how fast or how slow should you do the Hindu push-ups? The answer is really yours. I recommend mixing it up a bit to get the maximum effect. So one day you can go as fast as you can while maintaining good shape. Another day I could go as slow as possible. Going slow is really difficult. Try it and you will see.

Another thing that people find difficult about Hindu push-ups is that they can bother their wrists a bit as this joint is generally somewhat weak. To avoid this problem when starting out for the first time, try to keep your hands at the 11 o’clock and 1 o’clock positions when doing the push-up. This should ease any discomfort you feel.

With a bodyweight exercise like Hindu Squats, it’s often not a bad idea to warm up your knees before starting. This is particularly important if your knees are tight or stiff for any reason. One way to do this is to perform the Hindu squat until you are in the squat position. Now, instead of going up, hold this position for a few breaths. This should help warm your knees a lot.

Another bodyweight warm-up exercise that you can do with your knees is called Bent Knee Circles. This is a wam-up that you might recognize from martial arts class. For this, all you need to do is keep your legs together and bend your knees a little. Now, place both hands on your knees and start moving them in a circular fashion. Go clockwise and counterclockwise. 10 in each direction should be sufficient.

One piece of advice that applies to both of these bodyweight exercises, not to mention others you could do, is that you ALWAYS want to use your mind. FOCUS on what you are doing. Turn off the music and television. The person who concentrates on what they are doing will get 10 times more from the exercise than the person who does not.

Focus your mind by counting and visualizing the reps as you perform the Hindu push-up or Hindu squat. By turning your physical training into mental training, you will also improve your focus in all areas of your life.