As HumFitTohIndiaFit trends, we get two fitness experts to weigh in on whether our celebrities are getting it right
Urmi Kothari is the founder of Kinetic Living and has trained the likes of Rohan Joshi (AIB), Sarah Jane Dias, Dayana Erappa, Kaneez Surka, Kubra Sait and lifestyle influencers like Shereen (@loveandotherbugs) and Ayushi (@styledrive) and Cindy Jourdain,
The Sun Salutation by table tennis player Manika Batra
Did she get it right?
There are many versions of a sun salutation. The form is not up to the mark. Considering she is not a teacher, she is doing what she knows. But I won’t recommend someone copy this video.
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Who should be trying this?
If done correctly, the sun salutation is the best form of full body wake-up activity that anyone can do. It can be tweaked to make it more intense or more meditative. It should definitely be modified: less backward bending for people with stiff backs when they are just beginners and gradually build the range. People with knee issues can avoid deep lunges.
What are the benefits?
Energetically, it reduces stress, and improves focus. The number of breaths in dynamic and static movement in sun salutation are in the ratio of 1:1. Therefore it is a great way to connect mind, body and warm it up for the rest of the day. Physically, it opens the shoulders and entire back of the body with downward dog and activates the spine muscles with cobra pose.
What are the precautions one must practice?
One should get a good yoga teacher. Gaze is very important. Don’t throw the neck back. Don’t sink into the shoulder joint in downward dog, only so that you can touch the top of the head to the floor.
Deadlift by badminton player Saina Nehwal
Did she get it right?
The form was great.
Who should be trying this?
Anyone who wants to build strength and has done at
least six to nine months of consistent bodyweight training should try.
What are the benefits?
It strengthens the lower back, hamstrings and glutes. Depending on the structure of the workout, it is great to develop strength and power in the hips for increase in almost all sports performance. It is one of the best functional exercises as well. It’s also part of the three main lifts in power lifting
What are the precautions one must practice?
People with back issues like slip disc, scoliosis or nerve issues like sciatica should be careful and perform this under guidance. Always cool down after your workouts.
Back walking by PM Narendra Modi
Did he get it right?
I am unsure what he is trying to do. If it is just walking backwards, it looks like he is leaning back and I am not sure why. Normally, you should stand or walk straight in neutral spine.
Who should be trying this?
Everyone should try this. We are so used to walking in one plane, in one direction that it is very important to prepare the body and mind with different directions in movement, planes and coordination.
What are the benefits?
It improves balance, reduces fear, increases trust in oneself and improves spatial awareness awareness of your body in space.
What are the precautions one must practice?
If you are a heavy person or suffer from vertigo or your balance is weak in general, then practice slowly. Practice on a softer surface first.
Fitness drill by cricketer Gautam Gambhir
Did he get it right?
The form was great. This is a skill drill.
Who should be trying this?
This is a very sports specific drill but which, I feel, should be done by everyone across all age groups. The sitting position can be modified even to standing or a more supported seated position, if one is unable to balance the way Gautam is doing it.
What are the benefits of this exercise?
This improves reflexes, agility, neuromuscular coordination. Using two balls makes it even harder because it demands even more quickness. It also improves hand to eye coordination. Gautam’s position is also working his core since his feet are in the air.
What are the precautions one must practice?
For novices, keep them in a more comfortable stance. Start only with one ball.
Push-ups by Union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
Did he get it right?
His form is very good, he is also able to speak at the same time which shows comfort. The repetitions are executed at speed which bring a conditioning element to the exercise and makes it harder to keep lumbar integrity.
Who should be trying this?
Anyone can attempt to build strength with a push up. You can start on your knees at the beginning and work progressively to your feet.
What are the benefits?
Performing push ups this way will bring your heart rate up and get a nice pump to the working muscles.
What are the precautions one must practice?
Be mindful of where your elbows are tracking, they should travel directly behind you and not to the side. Do recruit your latissimus dorsi also known as your lats on the way up by squeezing your elbows closer to your body as you press away from the floor.
Planks by cricketer Virat Kohli
Did he get it right?
His form is very good, his knees are a nice height off the floor and the drive forward towards the elbows has power. His body remains parallel to the ground throughout and there is a nice 90 degree angle at the shoulders and elbow joint.
Who should be trying this?
This is a nice exercise for everyone to attempt as long as they resist gravity and push away from the floor through their forearms, shoulders, chest and upper back avoiding any type of arching in the lower back. It will lit your obliques on fire and work your glutes, adductors and abductors.
What are the benefits?
All these static holds are great stabilisers and anti-rotation exercises allowing smaller muscles to fire up and act as synergists to create stability and bring about good
motor control.
What are the precautions one must practice?
Teaching points here are: keeping a neutral spine at all time avoiding sinking at the hips and shoulders, not holding on to the breath but exhaling as the knees drive to the side to meet the elbows and lastly replacing your footprints every time.
Push-ups by Shesh Paul Vaid, DGP of J&K
Did he get it right?
His form is very good, you can tell he’s a military man. The elbows are staying tight to the body, the arms are fully locked at the top, the plank is active in the top position and the depth of his push ups is nice and low.
Who should be trying this?
Everyone can try this. There are many modifications for beginners and people with physical restrictions. It is one of the hardest bodyweight exercises to execute properly, but push ups will strengthen the entire body and give people a lot of satisfaction once they up their repetitions count.
What are the benefits?
Chest and triceps are working together to lower and press the body up. The abdominal belt is responsible for keeping a neutral spine and strong core throughout the movement and the pelvic region and legs have to stay active in order to keep form intact. It is an all-around strength builder which requires no gym membership.
What are the precautions one must practice?
It’s easy to sink through the shoulders and arch the spine, loose what we call the active plank position. People also forget to shift their shoulders on top of their wrists, which would compromise their shoulder joint and stop them from increasing their depth and repetitions.
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