What Does It Take To Be As Fit As World Champion PV Sindhu?

On a super Sunday that charmed every sports fan, PV Sindhu worked her way to achieving glory. The 24-year old athlete defeated Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in straight sets 21-7, 21-7 to lift the women’s singles title at the Badminton World Championships in Basel, Switzerland. 

Earlier, Sindhu had won the 2017 India Open Superseries title by defeating Spanish badminton player Carolina Marin. 

In 2016, she won the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold Women’s Singles title after beating Scotland’s Kristy Gilmour in the finals. For her performance, Sindhu received the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awards the same year. 

The Journey of an Ace Badminton Player

Pursala Venkata Sindhu, a native of Hyderabad, India, started playing badminton at the age of eight. She drew inspiration from the success of Pullela Gopichand, 2001 All England Open Badminton Champion. She commenced her initial apprenticeship with Mehboob Ali at the Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications badminton court in Secunderabad. She later joined Pullela Gopichand’s badminton academy to enhance her skills further and trained diligently to reach her goal. 

What All It Takes to be Like Sindhu?

PV Sindhu’s journey has not been an easy one. The young athlete’s determination and passion for the sport and the dedication and amount of hard work she puts into her fitness will amaze you. A well-planned workout regime and a healthy diet are what keep her going. 

Here is all you need to know about PV Sindhu’s fitness –

Workout Routine

The ace badminton player is an early riser. She wakes up at 3.30 in the morning and begins training with her coach at 4.00-4.30AM, which continues till 7 AM. Then, she takes a short break to have her morning meal. Her next group session begins at 8 AM and goes on for a couple of hours. The third session begins at 11 AM.

A single training session can go up to a thousand shuttles and more. Sindhu trains for around 6-7 hours every day, six days a week. 

In the evening, Sindhu usually hits the gym and attends her running sessions that continue for about 2-3 hours a day. She follows a strict fitness plan, which includes 2-3 sets of ten 400 m run and a single 2.4 km run on other days to build strength and endurance.

Apart from that, Sindhu performs 200 sit-ups and 100 push-ups every day. This makes for 2400 abdominal exercise and 600 push-ups in a week to activate her abdominal muscles and core. 

Sindhu’s daily schedule also includes Parnayama, Kapalabhati, Yoga, and swimming. 

Diet Plan 

Sindhu focuses on balancing proteins and carbs in her diet. Her breakfast staples include eggs, milk, and fruits. For lunch, she enjoys a balanced serving of rice, vegetables and lean meat. 

Even during her workout/training regimes in the evening, the ace badminton player keeps a bowl of fruits, dried fruits and nuts, and a bottle of fresh juice close to her. Sindhu likes to keep it light for dinner and follows a no-carb approach – her dinner plate consists of grilled meat and veggies. 

To satiate her cravings, Sindhu does enjoy a cheat day in a month or two!

To keep herself motivated and focused on the game, PV Sindhu aims for a good amount of sleep, as it helps to clear her mind and concentrate on the big match. 

How We Can Stay Fit?

Like PV Sindhu, you too can work towards improving your fitness and quality of life by adopting some healthy habits and getting rid of the bad ones.

• Exercise more often – at least four days a week. It does not have to be hardcore strength training or heavy weight lifting. Doing a couple of free-hand exercises or cardiovascular activities can do the trick and help you live a better, fitter life.

• Ditch the junk food and eat healthily. Fast foods are rich in spices, salt and refined flour – all that is not good for your body. Frequent consumption of fried, processed food put you at risk of various health complications, like obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. Switch to healthier options – fresh fruits and leafy greens, healthy fats, lean protein, nuts and seeds, whole grains etc.

• Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol consumption

• Stay active – simple changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. 

Healthy living does not have to be that hard. With mindful eating, moderate exercise and healthy habits, you can stay fit and fine all your life.