500 Hindu Squats for Leg Power!

If you want to build explosive leg strength you need to incorporate Hindu squats (bethaks) into your exercise routine. Combat athletes are bringing Hindu squats into the spotlight, but they have been used by Indian wrestlers for centuries. They work your legs as well as your lungs and build concentration due to the focus needed to perform this exercise. Hindu squats develop incredible muscular endurance.

This inspired me to set a personal goal of being able to perform 500 repititions in 15 minutes. Every Sunday I am going to try to shave 15 minutes off my time. I did 500 squats in 1.5 hours. I used 10 sets of 50 reps. I would love for you to join me in this goal…so here is a description of the exercise and a video.

To perform a Hindu squat you stand with feet shoulder width apart bring your arms straight out in front of you (parallel to the floor). Then bring your arms inward as you squat and keep your back straight. As you near the bottom of the motion place the weight on the balls of your feet and come up on your toes. Exhale as you squat down (lungs compress). Once at the bottom of the motion, push your feet into the ground as you swing your arms forward and up into the air. Inhale on the way up (lungs expand). Try to perform as many reps as possible.

Check out Steve Maxwell’s video for a visual.

Start slow with this exercise to see how your body reacts, especially if you have knee problems. There is some controversy surrounding this exercise due to your knees coming over you toes. If not done properly this places unnecessary stress on the knees, but with proper technique Hindu squats will help strengthen the ligaments in the knees. If you feel pain, try the flat footed version instead or talk to your doctor.

Combining correctly performed Hindu squats with deep breathing will strengthen the entire body and build incredible lung power. Hindu squats give a vigorous workout even if you are an experienced squatter. People that can squat heavy weights struggle with 50 straight reps when they first try. Set your time and rep goal based on where you are today and where you want to be in the future. Health is a lifetime journey.