No panga with fitness

After cricket mdash which is regarded as a religion in India mdash kabaddi propelled by the Pro Kabaddi League is what has the nation hooked Currently in its seveshynshyth season the league which has been instrumental in promoting the homegrown sport has some serious actionpacked matshyches and lastminute nailbitingturnarounds Interestingly the league has thrown up a terrific mix of homegrown and overseas players who are deeply passionate about the sport and fast gaining a sizeable fan following of their own in the countryLast week The Guide caught up with three top players during the Mumbai edition of the league to discuss their diet and fitness regimen mdash and what keeps them goingBreathe in stretch outSpeed and agility is an essential factor in a gruelling sport like kabaddi Therefore working on the core strength becomes crucial Take for instance 27yearold raider Siddharth Desai a smalltowner from Chandgad in Maharashtra who was bought by Telugu Titans for the highest winning bid of 145 crore He hits the gym at 5 am and swears by strength training When there was no gym in his village Desai used to help his parents in the field Until a few years ago he exercised so that he could have a physique like his idol actor John Abraham Now its what helps him keep his form His regimen includes chest shoulder and lower body exercises on alternate days three sets of 20 reps each You have to focus on all the parts while exercising to get the best results mdash its the first rule of sports fitness he sharesHit the outdoorsDoodh dude It is important to keep moving stay fit and eat healthy My idols are my brother Rohit and coach Jaivir I also admire Virat Kohlirsquos strength and perseverance If you want to pursue the sport follow the game closely stay fit rest and have milk mdash lots of it Rahul ChaudhariFunctional training often comes handy for kabaddi players Top raider Rahul Chaudhari aptly called the Raid Machine prefers working out outdoors while breathing fresh air Off season youll find him engaging in farming at his home in Uttar Pradesh He holds the record for most raid points 825 in the leagues history and was also a member of the Indian National kabaddi team that won the gold in the 2016 South Asian Games Chaudharis mantra is to keep moving come what mayTo maintain his form during the season he wakes up at 6 am to head for his twohour fitness routine of stretching running and game practice My coach makes me do sprints and pushups for one minute followed by 20second rest time We do sets of 25 and even 50 sometimes Running for about 30 minutes is what gives me the cardio rush I need and its a great exercise for the legs too Even off season I run for 30 minutes every day he sharesCoaching matters I am largely inspired by my Iranian coach Gholamreza Mazandarani To win at the game you must first find a good coach enjoy your practice and love your sport mdash it reflects in your game Fazel AtracahliIranian import and U Mushymba player Fazel Atrachali is not so diligent about waking up early but that doesnt hamper the efforts he puts into his practice Depending on the practice and season I wake up at 6 am or 12 noon but I make sure I hit the gym and work on my leg strength shoulders and muscles to stay in form I go for runs too but my focus is on practising the game mdash 90 percent of your performance depends on it he believesBreakfast for championsIt is hard to believe that 26yearold Chaudhari was once obese His journey from fat to fit involved cutting down on fat and increasing pure protein in his diet Now he swears by milk and consumes about two litres of it every day Diet contributes almost 50 per cent to your fitness so eat healthy never fatty says the Tamil Thalaivan proudly His breakfast is heavy and comprises fruits mostly apple and banana and vegetarian protein chana and sprouts almond muesli and almond paste in water Lunch is papaya chapati veggies paneer and dal makhni dinner is the same but in smaller proportions He finishes the meal with milk againDesai too believes in eating well Diet constitutes 70 per cent of your fitness and exercising makes for the remaining 30 per cent he adds He eats more protein and less carbs Breakfast is four egg whites oats and 200ml of milk Lunch is mostly chicken and chapati while dinner is on the lighter side with salad and a protein shakeTwenty sevenyearold Atrachalis diet is simple Breakfast is honey milk eggs and bananas while lunch and dinner are always about chicken and rice I love my chicken so I dont need protein shakes he laughsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates