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Cross-training has taught me that your biggest competition is who you face in the mirror. It has completely changed my life and shaped my identity.
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Cross-training has taught me that your biggest competition is who you face in the mirror. It has completely changed my life and shaped my identity. From being a chubby kid who never fit in, to going on to winning fitness competitions, modeling, acting and living my life the way I always envisioned it, I have my pursuit of cross-training to thank for it.
Very quickly it helped me shape my identity and my attitude towards life, one rep at a time. Cross-training is not just about lifting heavy weights or doing a bunch of workouts, Cross-training is a dedicated fitness discipline aimed towards increasing your endurance, functional strength, stamina, and mental focus.
Be it singing, dancing, art, painting, not to mention the numerous academic tuitions. I was putting on weight while being stretched thin among so many activities which never gave me the time to even think about taking up a fitness activity.
My brother was always the fitter one. He was very good in sports and would end up on the podium winning some award or another all the time. Be it sprinting, hurdles, sack races, any and every races. He used that speed to become a really good football player. Meanwhile, I couldn't even do one pushup at that time.
It started with Bharatanatyam for me. I joined dance classes as a kid, and the moves and poses of Bharatanatyam were not easy for me. Our dance teacher would ask us to hold the half squat, and my knees would wobble and buckle trying to maintain the pose. He’d incentivize us to hold the perfect pose with the aid of his cane, it made for a compelling argument but I’m not sure it helped me squat any better. Regardless, that was my first brush with squats, something I’d grow to love.
Being on the heavier side of the scale, going for runs or lifting weights seemed like insurmountable. I wasn’t aware of how one is supposed to take up activities with gradual progression, and no one starts by just lifting heavyweights out of the blue.
We’d go out to a park nearby and he’d usually walk, but with my tiny legs I’d trot along to keep pace. Getting moving like that gave me a chance to experience the joy of working out, even though it was just a trot in the park.
I began to look for any reason to get moving, I did not want to be overweight all my life and have to roll around like a ball. My school was a 10-minute walk away and I used to hide from the school bus, just for an excuse to walk to school. I feel that I’ve been meandering in many directions growing up, not just the aforementioned activities. It wasn’t until I discovered the discipline of Cross-training that I began to channel my energies constructively.
The purposeful way they move, like their bodies, are built for functional motion. I’ve read that several athletes have been inspired by watching certain animals move. Although I wasn’t moving much myself at that time.
I went on to study at IISWBM, that was a turning point for me. A lot of times, taking up a new activity which comes to define you is not about a conscious decision. Sometimes the right opportunity just opens up in front of you. For me, IISWBM gave me that opportunity, outside of the classrooms. The college had a gym, where I met a friend who knew what was what when it came to fitness, I ended up joining his gym later. I asked to be trained and was panting with exhaustion in no time. It got to a point that I'd feel like running away when I saw my coach because the sessions hurt so much initially.
I relished the challenge of the workout and how it pushed me to my limits, which weren’t very far at that time. It's got to a point where I feel that the only limits are the ones we place upon ourselves. It has helped me make good decisions, like pursuing a healthier lifestyle, eating healthier and taking better care of myself. Cross-training inspired me to bring positive changes in my daily life in many ways.
Just like that, the ripple effects from Cross-training have made many positive changes in my life and in of those around me. My brother and mother have been inspired by me, he's joined a gym and she's started jogging.
.The more I interact with people through Decathlon, be it a teammate or someone looking for something to kick start their fitness journey or someone looking for the right equipment to challenge themselves further, the happier I feel as I can relate to where they have been. And I know how them dedicating themselves to this discipline will bring about ripples of positive changes in their lives.
From working out regularly to winning Cross-training competitions like the Powerlifting & CrossFit events at Grind Xtreme Sweat 2018, I've never stopped being amazed by the positivity which this can bring to my life. What I love the most about Cross-training is I can get a quick workout anywhere, anytime. It has expanded my horizons as a person and taught me how to overcome obstacles. As a girl, we often hear that lifting heavy weights will cause us to bulk up. That's not true at all, I can lift 80 kgs and I still don't look very muscular, just fit.
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Through the X-Fit Battle at Decathlon Salt Lake on 10th and 11th Aug, I want everyone to get a chance to experience the thrill of competition as I have known. To know your limits is to know you have none. Too often we tell ourselves that we might not be strong enough or fast enough. One shouldn’t go through life not knowing what we are capable of. Everyone regardless of their age or level of fitness should get to know the feeling of being in a competitive environment and how it brings out the best in us.
Come on and give your best in the X-Fit battle, you might just surprise yourself with what you are capable of!
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5 Good Reasons To Do Cross-TrainingWhatever your level, beginner or top athlete, you can try your hand at cross-training exercises
Cross-Training Has the Ability to Lift Anyone's Physical Health By Debdatta SenCross-Training: An important part of a well-rounded workout routine. Here's an experience shared by Debdatta Sen on how cross-training helped him not only to walk again, but also to live & feel alive each day.
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