Over the years, badminton as a sport has gained recognition like never before. This can be attributed to the exemplary performance exhibited by the country’s ace ferries on the global platform. Sports icons like PV Sindhu have a variety of achievements to their credit, the most glorious being that she is the only Indian woman to win two Olympic medals.
This is where the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship (JBC) steps in, taking the lead in nurturing the right talent at the grassroots level. The initiative works to make the dreams of young children of humble origins, who are between 7 and 17 years old, come true.
There is also the JBC Training Camp – an online badminton academy through which children can hone their badminton skills and receive training from the best professional coaches and nutritional advice to become the champions of tomorrow.
The journey of the best-known badminton players has been nothing short of a dream, but it has always been marked by various sacrifices.
We caught up with some PNB MetLife JBC winners to understand their fitness mantra, the diet they swear by, and more.
Fitness at the forefront
For someone who plays badminton, there is nothing more critical than being agile and quick, but that is something that only comes with practice. The strategies followed before a match and during a tournament are markedly different in most cases. But the important thing is never to compromise fitness.
Suhina Roy (13), U15 – winner and U17 – semi-finalist, has been playing badminton for the last 5-6 years. She was inspired to take up the sport courtesy of her brother, who was taking badminton lessons. Today, Roy is a force to be reckoned with and she plays her game very delicately.
Your session begins at 5:30 am every morning, with 15 minutes set aside for warm-up.
“My workout routine includes running, agility, and strengthening exercises, before I practice on the court. For agility, we usually do ladders, hurdles, fast footwork, and shuttle picks. Strengthening exercises mostly include weights,” he shared. .
Anvi Sunil Baravkar (8), U9 – semi-finalist, practices on court four or five days a week, during after school hours. On other days, she focuses on developing her motor skills: learning to play the piano, swimming, or shadow practice with a weighted racket and wrist strap are all on her agenda.
“In addition to spending time on the court, I do vaults, high bar exercises and throws with the table tennis racket at home,” he added.
Another player, Mahi Kolsawala (8), U9 – winner, runs hard every morning for about 10-15 minutes and goes on to other exercises. His routine lasts about 40 minutes.
“I stretch my whole body, after the warm-up. After that, it’s about 5-6 rounds of jogging. My cool-down routine includes relaxing my lower and upper body,” she explained.
Hazel Joshi (8), U9 – winner, who is being coached by her father, Bhargav Joshi, focuses on physical training twice a week.
“She mainly does quick footwork and shadow exercises, and to cool down, standing and sitting, full-body stretches and foam rollers,” she revealed.
A balanced diet
Fitness is important, but so is nutrition. Before playing a match, it is essential not to overload yourself, because it leads to slowness of movement. A nutritious diet should be consumed before the game, and even after it ends.
So what do these young players have in general? “I usually eat a healthy and balanced diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, chicken and eggs, and ragi – these foods are my staple,” revealed Adithi Sushanth (10), U11, winner.
Roy doesn’t follow a specific diet, but he tries to avoid junk food as much as possible. There are occasional treats that he loves, but that’s about it!
For Baravkar, a high-protein diet is what works. This includes boiled eggs, dried fruit, chicken, and fish. To stay energized, consume carbohydrates before your workout.
Joshi also believes in a simple diet that usually includes home cooked meals. Nuts and fruits are eaten in generous amounts, to keep you as alert and focused as possible.
Preparing Like a Pro
No match is easy – practice goes a long way to developing skills and improving the game. That is why these young women did not lose heart during the pandemic and continued to perfect their techniques.
“I had physical training online and played badminton with my father. My preparation remained just as strong during the pandemic,” Sushanth shared.
For Roy, too, his game was his focus. He continued to exercise at home during Covid-19 and never compromised on his fitness. In fact, to keep his full focus on badminton, he also enrolled in an open school. This helps her juggle both areas seamlessly.
Each step contributes greatly to achieving the greatest sporting dreams: the secret is to ensure perseverance and dedication!
This item is produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio.
.
