Squats (1)
squats
Mixed squat workouts - and the immense conditioning and flexibility benefits they entail.
Rahul MookerjeeI really need to add in squats as a category here!
I'll do so now - and then write this ...
- Back. Anyway, if there was ONE reason I wrote Squat 101 - it wasn't so much that NO good book - well, that comes close to mine - existed out there in terms of squats, and going deep, no pun intended, like NO-ONE has ever gone or delved into the subject before - well, it was that, but another huge reason was this, and I keep saying this - LOTS of people focus more on Hindu squats than the good ole bodyweight squat, mostly to the detriment of the latter.
And this is a huge mistake, one I've covered in my books, writings - yes, even the "free ones" - on my sites.
Look, to keep it simple, and yet again - do both.
The bodyweight squat done right works the hips and hamstrings and butt like no other movement can - the Hindu squat is more thigh and calf specific.
Dont get me wrong, both work the other parts of the body too.
But those of you with naturally weak hamstrings will notice you ain't getting much of a hammie workout at all with Hindus ... (becuase your weak hamstrings cause other muscles to overcompensate).
Similarly, a lot of you with strong hamstrings naturally will use those more when doing Hindus.
Stretching, and opening up the hamstrings, and back of the body - I cannot emphasize it highly enough.
Pull-ups as well.
You work the BACK if you want to look good on the front, and FEEL good.
If you want to be HEALTHY as a horse.
You BACK it up - there is a reason for the expression.
And with squats, some people question if "I've done 100 Hindus at a good tempo in proper form". Do I now need to do bodyweight?
Ideally hell yes.
Ideally you knock out another set of 100 bodyweight.
And keep going.
But there are more ways to skin that cat.
And MIXED squat workouts is one of them - combining both forms of squats into ONE workout.
Do a Hindu, then 5 bodyweight , do 5 Hindus, 2 jump squats - and so forth.
Key is this - you do not, I repeat NOT - pause before you reach a set number, much like you would not if you're doing only type of squat in the workout.
This not only taxes your neuro muscular system a hell of a lot more as form is different, yet similar on both movements - but also taxes your MUSCLES differently - and better.
It improves rep counts beyond any sort of belief, because you're giving a muscle group a "relaxed break" - yet you're still working it.
(A secret I mention in Pushup Central and many of my other books, notably Battletank Shoulders - do 10 pull-ups in PERFECT Form (yes, getting chin over the bar, dead hang etc) - and then 25 fingertip pushups in perfect form).
And more ...
I just put out a couple of vidoes on youtube on this, so you'll want to check those out, one of those is at the bottom of this page.
And thats that.
Have at.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee