Pawan Sehrawat Loves A Good Lunge

One moment, Pawan Sehrawat glides on the violet kabaddi mat. Under the indoor stadium lights, it almost looks like he leaves behind a trail – like a comet – as he attempts to score a point, stretching his arm out to get the faintest of touches on the opponent. 

The very next moment, he is airborne. Executing a soaring jump over onrushing opponents, using their shoulders and back as launching pads, who must hold him back from reaching the midline to score a point. He lands on his toes and scampers across the midline. Poetry in motion.

Sehrawat is one of the standout stars of the Pro Kabaddi league, the professional kabaddi tournament that recently finished its 11th season. The league is second only to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in terms of its popularity and viewership in the country. 

In a stellar career so far, Sehrawat has amassed more than 1,300 raid points and represented the Telugu Titans in Pro Kabaddi's latest season. There is perhaps no  better proponent of a fit kabaddi player than the 28-year-old from New Delhi.

Kabaddi players go through a series of exercises depending on their role in the team. A defender must have a solid grip, ready to grapple an opponent to the ground. Raiders or attacking players, like Sehrawat, rely more on speed and agility to score points.   

How does a kabaddi player stay fit? Apart from an exercise and kabaddi regime, Sehrawat—who stands at 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighs 84 kg—cuts down his sugar entirely during the competition in order to stay in top shape. There is, however, one guilty pleasure he relishes now and then. “I drink a cup of tea every evening around 4pm. It is not the best thing for an athlete but it’s something I really like,” he tells Esquire India over a Zoom interview, where he talks about a renowned Indian wrestler who inspired him and his fondness for lower body exercises.

Esquire: What is your fitness routine and is it different during the off-season?

My routine is different when the competition is going on and the off season. When I’m not playing, I can focus on my entire body and work out at 100%. But during the league – or even if I’m playing nationals – I can’t risk an injury.

During the off season, I wake up by 5-5.30 am because I have a training session at 6. If I’m training in a stadium, then a bit of stretching and light running warms (4-5 rounds of a 400-metre stadium) the body up. If I must focus on my speed, then I do sprints and stairs. Sprinting on an inclined surface is also good for a session that focuses on speed, so is running with some weights on. If you are not at a stadium, you can even do an inclined run on a treadmill. I train for at least 3 hours in the morning.

For strength training, I spend a lot of time in the gym — this includes all exercises and stretching. Evenings are usually fixed for a mat session (of kabaddi). This is for a period of 3 hours as well. On the mat, I try to do at least 40-50 raids. But I also work on my defensive duties, whenever the coach asks me to do so, during this time.

What are some of the fitness dos and don'ts you follow?

Before I had my ACL injury and surgery a few years back, I used to run less. I perhaps used to do a smaller warm-up. But all that has changed now. 

Can you list your top 4 favourite exercises?

I really love lunges – I try to do them even in the hotel room or wherever I get some space. Pull squats are also great. Chest press. The last one would be sprints because it gets you outdoors.

How do you manage your diet and what does it consist of?

When one is home, then naturally you end up consuming more sweets and ghee than they would ideally like. But all that goes out of the window once we are in the season. Pro Kabaddi is a demanding tournament. So, my diet must be fine-tuned accordingly. I start my mornings with almonds or badam ragda (a nutritious drink made with nuts, seeds, dry fruits and sometimes spices). This has zero sugar.

I only have fruits for breakfast. Some days I have chickpea or oats, whichever has lesser carbohydrates. Poha is also a good option for a light breakfast. For lunch, I stick to roti or a bowl of rice. Apart from my evening cup of tea, I have my dinner.

I must keep a track of my protein intake as well. This can come from chickpeas or paneer, and some protein supplements. 

Who is your fitness inspiration? 

I really like (former Indian wrestler) Sushil Kumar. When I used to train at the Chhatrasal Stadium as a youngster, I used to see him do 40-50 rope climbs in one go.

What's the one piece of advice you would give someone who is starting their fitness journey?

For someone who wants to play kabaddi professionally, I’d say they must come with a lot of time, discipline, fitness, and focus. All these elements combine to make a great athlete. This stands true for any sport.

For someone who is starting their journey: they should know that their body will pain for the first 7 days. But on the 8th day, the body will get a hang of it. Every day you wake up after that, your body will feel fresher and more complete. You must be willing to go through the initial pain and hard work.