500 Hindu Squats & 500 Step Ups: First Day Without Doing The Bands In Months

 Hey guys, how's your Thursday going? Hopefully well. For me, I'm a little sore but after what I did yesterday and before bed last night, I'm surprised I can still get up and function LOL. Thought I'd take a break from the Dopa Bands for a day and might again today focusing on mainly Isometrics but if I have an urge, I'm not going to fight it. For the first time this year, I didn't do a anything with the Bands and maybe in a way it was worth it. 

I have done close to 60,000 total reps with those fuckers and might finish 100,000 by the end of the year but for right now, just focusing on those little moments. Took the day off from them yesterday and maybe again today because there are times where we have that bit of a burnout and need to switch things up. Not giving up on them, just give other things a chance to experiment and have fun with. So with that in mind, figured I'd share with you my training and thoughts on moving forward.

Weather has been on an emotional rollercoaster lately, it'll be sunny and warm for a few days up in the 70's, then out of nowhere, rain and cold under 50 for a period. It's weird as shit. April Showers bring May Flowers that's for sure. So, in the morning, I got in some neck mobility work and loosened up my joints, decided you know what, fuck it I'm going to do 500 Hindu Squats using my Spider-Man deck of cards. Shuffled, got my head in the game and got it rolling. Finished the deck in 20:18. Been a minute since I've done 500 and even longer since I've timed them. I'll take it and for not doing that many in a while, it's not terrible but still needs work. Shit, I used to be faster than that years ago but in that moment, I still was able to do them.

Throughout the day, it was just casual chilling, interacting and went for a walk in the cool rainy weather. It was great, felt at peace and just let the mind relax. No bands, no needing to figure out if I should do a circuit or intervals, just set them aside for a while and get something else going. There's never anything wrong with that. 

Was starting to feel sore so, being the crazy bastard I' am (even my wife calls me that) I thought I'd get in 500 Step Ups to get the blood flowing a little better to help reduce some of the soreness. It worked because I woke up this morning feeling really good, sore but literally only in the thighs, nowhere else and it's not even that high of soreness. Out of a 10, maybe a 4-5 which is pretty surprising to me, I thought I'd be at a 7 or at least an 8. Guess my conditioning really has been paying off. 

The bands have been a stepping stone for me and they're one of the reasons why I've been able to keep up with a lot of things lately. They're part of who I' am now and for more than 4 months in a row doing them every single day, they've helped my cardio and long term strength in amazing ways. Doing 10's of thousands of total reps in a short period of time is no easy feat and the mental strength to keep up with the kind of routines I was doing was insane. a day or so off of them or a little longer is not going to kill me. There's tons of things I can do in the mean time but when I'm ready, they'll be right there just waiting for me to kick the shit out of them. 

In terms of moving forward, it's important to remain disciplined and doing what's possible for you and continuing the journey. We all have different paths but where we are going can be mysterious and exciting at the same time. Yes the bands are just a tool, great ones at that but they're only pieces of a much bigger puzzle. They're not the end all be all, nothing really is no matter who may say it differently. You do what's best for you and smash those goals like the Hulk smashes the Chitari. Learn what's possible, switch things up from time to time and kick ass in your endeavors. 

Be amazingly awesome and I hope you kill it. 

Hindu Squats: An Ancient Conditioning Exercise Worthy Of Learning

 

How's it going everyone? Hopefully you're having a great Sunday. A couple of my 500-rep circuits with the band recently has had at least one addition to the training, after completing the exercises with the Dopa Band,  I would drop it and switch to straight Hindu Squats for sixty brutal seconds. Legs burning, heart hammering, and it made me remember that this isn’t some trendy bodyweight hack. This is pure, time-tested might straight from the akharas of old India. If you’re chasing conditioning that actually lasts, Hindu Squats deserve a permanent spot in your arsenal. They build legs like tree trunks, lungs that never quit, and a mental edge that turns pain into power. Round after round, doesn't get easier, just more interesting.

Let’s travel back in time together shall we? To a time where the Great Gama, the Lion of Punjab, wasn’t just a wrestler, he was a legend who went undefeated his entire career. How? The man hammered out up to 5,000 Hindu squats and 3,000 push-ups every single day before breakfast (As the legend goes). No fancy gym. No machines. Just dusty earth, his own bodyweight, and unbreakable discipline in those traditional wrestling pits. Pehlwans in the akharas trained the same way for generations: bethaks (their name for these deep, explosive squats) to forge the kind of lower-body endurance that let them grapple for hours without gassing. Gama stood 5’7” and weighed 260 pounds of dense, functional muscle. He didn’t look “shredded” for Instagram, nor did he look like some meathead like the Liver King, he looked like he could run through a wall and keep going. That’s the historical blueprint. Real strength isn’t trendy; it’s ancient.

From a conditioning standpoint, Hindu Squats are straight fire. Unlike regular barbell squats that lock you into a fixed path, these bad boys are dynamic. You sink deep, heels lift, arms swing back for momentum, then explode up onto your toes. Quads, calves, ankles, and hips all get hammered in one fluid motion. Do them for high reps—hundreds, not sets of ten—and your heart rate skyrockets into cardio territory without ever stepping on a treadmill. Balance, coordination, and mobility improve fast because you’re training a full ROM your body was built for. Knees stay healthy when you control the descent. No equipment, just you vs. gravity. It’s old-school volume that builds the kind of stamina modern gym rats chase with fancy apps and still never find. If you do have certain issues like with ankle flexibility or can't go all the way down to touch your heels with your glutes, go as low as you can and work with that. 

Here’s something inspirational, straight from the heart: Hindu Squats teach you that true power comes from within. You’re not just moving weight—you’re creating the same unbreakable spirit as Gama. Look into your mind's eye. You’re twenty minutes in, thighs screaming, and instead of quitting you smile because you feel the shift. That’s the moment you level up. It’s like going Super Saiyan—raw energy exploding from the inside out. Or healing like Wolverine after a beatdown: battered but coming back stronger every time. No shortcuts (though my Dopa Bands make a killer addition). Just consistent, gritty work that turns average into legendary.

So ditch the bullshit. Start with a few sets of 10-20 a day. Build up to 500 (either in a row, in sets or use a deck of cards). Feel your legs wake up, your lungs expand, your mind sharpen. Ancient warriors knew the secret. Modern conditioning proves it still works. You’ve got the blood of conquerors in your veins, now go fucking earn it.

Keep killing it. Be amazingly awesome and do your Squats.

Shoot me a comment or use the contact form and let me on your training and how you're doing. Looking forward to hearing from you. If you would also like to add me to your social media, here's my LINKTREE where it has all my socials. 

Edit......

Here's a great comment I received on Facebook that was very inspiring. Sometime after I posted it. Thank you very much to the person who said this. Well appreciated.