Farah Khan’s trainer on her fitness transformation: ‘Then came a time when a person not interested in coming down from her 35th floor penthouse…’ | Fitness News
In recent years, Farah Khan has impressed fans with her fitness transformation — a journey that started while filming the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Happy New Year in 2014. Recalling his association with the choreographer-filmmaker, fitness trainer Yogesh Bhateja said: “I was introduced to Farah ma’am through Sonu Sood sir during Happy New Year. He was pushing her to work out. Everybody has their choice. The word ‘gym’ demotivates a lot of people. But she did come. Her society has a gym. We started working out there. Then came a time when a person not interested in coming down from her 35th-floor penthouse started working out twice daily. She realised in two months that she was enjoying it. The body is changing. Everybody wants to look nice, after all,” Bhateja said.
He added that they soon started hydro workouts as her society also had a pool. “Most people enjoy in water. We used to do hydro workouts at 4.30 pm and gym in the morning at 9.15,” Bhateja told Youtuber Gunjan on her podcast.
However, the end of the training period, Khan felt bored. “In level 3, there was a time when she said she was getting bored, which was obvious. So, we tweaked her gym schedule to accommodate climbing stairs instead of walking on a treadmill, which tends to get boring. The first day, I remember, we climbed only two floors. The idea was to try and add one floor every day. Last we counted, we climbed 28 floors. That’s how she got transformed,” Bhateja shared.
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Hydro workouts do help (Photo: Freepik)
He added that she also controlled her diet and “used to eat limited and correct meals.”
Curious, we turned to Mitushi Ajmera, a nutrition and senior master fitness trainer, to learn about hydro workouts.
Hydro workouts are water-based workouts such as aqua-Zumba. “These are low-impact workouts that use buoyancy and water resance. It can still be high-intensity cardio or strength training without straining the joints, as seen in jogging and running. These workouts are recommended for people suffering from arthritis or injury and are great for rehabilitation,” said Ajmera.
Adding that these are often recommended for the elderly to build strength and balance, she continued: “Another benefit of this workout is that it maintains the body temperature, as water has a cooling effect.”Story continues below this ad
It’s a good form of resance training as the water provides multi-directional resance, so you can use your body movements without lifting heavy weights. “It benefits cardiovascular conditioning; for example, water jogging or running can elevate the heart rate. Swimming is also an excellent cardio activity,” said Ajmera.
You can achieve a better range of motion and flexibility since it’s safer in water as it is gentler on the surface. “This kind of workout can be very beneficial in improving sleep quality since water has a therapeutic benefit, helping you relax and reducing anxiety. Athletes often use hydro workouts to recover from sporting activities, as water helps in blood circulation,” said Ajemra.
How to start?
*5-10 minutes of gentle warm-up like shoulder movement, spinal tw, or a jog*If you want it to be more of a strength training, do lunges or squats for warm-up, and if you want it to be cardio, then the warm-up should include faster movements*End the warm-up with some lightweight stretching.Story continues below this ad
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
