Spare a thought for the push-up, that most humble of body-weight exercises, and almost certainly the best known. It is as simple as exercise gets — lie on the floor, support your weight with your arms, lower to the ground, push back up, and repeat — it can be done almost anywhere and it is hugely effective, building strength and definition in the arms, chest, and shoulders. It also works the core, if you’re doing it properly. And if you want to challenge yourself, just do a few more. It is, I would suggest, a perfect exercise. And why mess with perfection? On the other hand, why not?
Which brings me neatly to the Hindu push-up, a dynamic variation on the basic move. It’s not new, having been a core training move for Indian wrestlers since at least the 19th century. Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt, an undefeated giant of the sport (he was known, deservedly, as The Great Gama) purportedly did 3,000 Hindu push-ups every day as part of his savage training regimen.
The basic push-up is hard for beginners and even if you do them regularly, adding reps is tough, but the Hindu push-up is much harder, so I would not recommend this move for newcomers. However, if you’re up for it, it will improve your flexibility and work your back, glutes and legs in addition to the benefits listed above. If you do Pilates or yoga, you will probably find this a little more comfortable, in terms of form, at least.
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