Health benefits of prostrations

trendybuddha

What are the health benefits of doing prostrations? Can doing 216 prostrations equal a work-out?

BhikkhuJayasara

being someone who does bodyweight training I may be able to help a bit. That depends on the type. Do you mean the full on tibetan ones that people do for 100 miles?

those would give a decent stretch, some ab(stomach) work, and some quad(thigh muscle) and calf(lower leg muscle) work. pretty low impact but still exercise. Also if you do them with enough speed you have some cardio involved.

they kind of remind me of an exercise I like to do called the Burpee. This is where you start standing, bend down with hands to the floor, kick back to a push up, then the feet come back under you and you leap up as high as you can.

there is little to no benefit for your upper body in the prostrations other then a bit of a stretch at the apex of the prostration.

you can see the body parts involved in this video

how

I think the more interesting questions. is
When is a prostation, not a prostration?

trendybuddha

Yeah, I mean the full on tibetan.

robot

how said:

I think the more interesting questions. is
When is a prostation, not a prostration?

When you are doing it to get ripped and look awesome!

BhikkhuJayasara

how said:

I think the more interesting questions. is
When is a prostation, not a prostration?

well technically it's ALWAYS a prostration.. I'm assuming you meant when does the prostration have some sort of meaning for the mind as opposed to just being a physical action?

being a Theravadan I never really do prostrations, even at the Monastery I don't go nutty with them like some do, every time you get up, sit down, etc. I prefer to only prostrate when I feel a good meaning behind it, like when I have insights or experiences that continue to confirm my confidence in the triple gem etc.

trendybuddha

Come on guys, I am obviously not doing it to look good. I just wondered if there were some health benefits also. I think that is a fair question.

robot

trendybuddha said:

Come on guys, I am obviously not doing it to look good. I just wondered if there were some health benefits also. I think that is a fair question.

Just kidding around.
I've been watching Asians doing it all winter and I am still trying to figure out what the benefits are. It is mostly worship as near as I can tell.

how

Oh no trendybuddha, all of us here are about looking good..
& may I first compliment you on your avatar handle.

This apparently doesn't apply to you but since I'm already typing...

Why waste time on repetitive spiritual tasks when by multi tasking,
one can boost those meagre personal returns.

Meditation for gain/
walking meditation to really get somewhere,
mantras with personal affirmations,
retreats for rehab,
seshines for weight loss,
breath focus for that competitive business edge,
Sangha gatherings as speed dating,
and now the full prostration workout.

The possibilities are endless...

It's time to make Buddhism work for me.

sharonsaw

There are definitely health benefits to prostrations, though it is more like an incidental benefit rather than a deliberate one. I have heard that prostrations are good for monks who usually lead sedentary lives. I know an elderly monk in his 80s from Gaden monastery who does 300 prostrations a day without fail and he looks very sprightly and healthy!

trendybuddha

Maybe I am a bit too sensitive today

seeker242

trendybuddha said:

What are the health benefits of doing prostrations? Can doing 216 prostrations equal a work-out?

I would say most definitely. Heck, even doing 108 can make you break out sweating and wake up with sore legs the next morning.

Dakini

Tibetan women say prostrations are great for maintaining a trim mid-section.

Invincible_summer

trendybuddha said:

What are the health benefits of doing prostrations? Can doing 216 prostrations equal a work-out?

The term "work-out" is extremely vague and subjective. For me, running 10km is a "work out," while to some that would be a "warm-up." Doing 50 pushups could be a workout for most, but impossible to others.

But, IMO, I wouldn't expect to lose much weight from doing prostrations if that's what you're wondering.

ThailandTom

Jayantha said:

being someone who does bodyweight training I may be able to help a bit. That depends on the type. Do you mean the full on tibetan ones that people do for 100 miles?

those would give a decent stretch, some ab(stomach) work, and some quad(thigh muscle) and calf(lower leg muscle) work. pretty low impact but still exercise. Also if you do them with enough speed you have some cardio involved.

they kind of remind me of an exercise I like to do called the Burpee. This is where you start standing, bend down with hands to the floor, kick back to a push up, then the feet come back under you and you leap up as high as you can.

there is little to no benefit for your upper body in the prostrations other then a bit of a stretch at the apex of the prostration.

you can see the body parts involved in this video

I think they do this in the army (if I am right tin thinking what you refer to). Start standing, jump down so hands and feet are on the ground crouching, then extend your legs back so you kind of leap into a press-up position, then quickly leap back to crouching and jump up repeat. Doing that quickly is good cardio I have found.