Indian badminton champion Saina Nehwal is reminding fans and followers how important a regular workout routine is—even if you’re not an Olympian. Nehwal, 34, shared a video of herself wearing black shorts and a blue shirt, doing an intense mat workout in her home. “Workout is good 🔥🔥make sure all of you do some amount of workout to stay healthy and fit … ☀️❤️ #morning #workout #fitness #yonexbadminton,” she captioned the post. Here’s how the athlete stays so strong and fit.
Nehwal is proud to represent her country as a female athlete. “The outlook towards sports has changed since our success at the Olympic stage,” she told HuffPost. “Families encourage their daughters and children to take up sports. And I hope there will be many more Saina Nehwals and Sania Mirzas.”
Nehwal works out under the eye of her coach. “I work out six days a week, following a schedule prepared by my coach to suit my body’s requirements,” she told Hindustan Times. “A typical workout includes running, weightlifting, cardio and training of the muscles in the arms and legs in the morning. I also have court practice, in the evenings. I actually prefer working out in the evenings.”
Nehwal makes sure to get at least six hours of sleep a night. “Food and sleep are as vital as exercise,” she told Hindustan Times. “Controlling the quality of your food becomes especially important as you exit your 20s. I generally have cereals, pulses, some non-veg, curd, seasonal fruits and salads every day. I observe a complete ban on unhealthy oils, and avoid sugar, sweets, fatty and fried foods as much as I can.”
Nehwal has deep respect for her fellow competitors. “I am friendly with all the players of badminton but on court our attitude change as we prefer not to lose because of these relations,” she told HuffPost. “The one moment that stands out, and I rate it bigger than World No 1 rank, is the medal I won at the London Olympics, 2012 and the Indian national anthem being played in the background. I can’t express the feeling I was going through at that point of time.”
Nehwal streamlined her training regimen to be as beneficial to her sport as possible. “For me fitness is about having free movements during matches, and accruing no ailments,” she told Hindustan Times. “In my teens and even up to last year, I never worried about how much I exercised. I enjoyed it all – outdoor exercises, indoor workouts, weightlifting etc. But now I am more focused on what’s essential for my sport. I have reduced my running, for instance.”