The actor shares his
When I started working out during my
Initially, one was only introduced to exercises with free weights at the gym. But now, you have calisthenics, sports, running and a blend of various forms of workouts that one can include in one’s schedule. Whenever I workout, I wish I could stretch like gymnasts. I also play cricket regularly and have been the captain of the Punjab team in the Celebrity Cricket league.
During the lockdown, I’ve been working out at home. I’ve borrowed the bench, dumbbells and bars from my gym. The first thing that strikes you is that when you’re at a gym, you move from one machine to the other, but now having managed with just a few things, you realise you don’t need as much.
An advice I would offer to anyone keen on working on their physique is to not take cues from others at the gym. People around you in the gym sometimes inspire you but they can also lead you to make mistakes. You may see someone doing heavy weights and may want to give it a shot even while your body may not be equipped for it and trying such stunts can lead to injuries [of the back or the hamstring] which may even become a lifelong concern. So when you’re working out at the gym, don’t try to emulate someone’s workout, particularly if that person has been at it for longer or is more regular than you at the gym. Try to understand your body and plan your schedule based on what your body needs. Try to set a timetable for yourself. Many just take up gym memberships for 3 months or 6 months which is pointless as it’s a life-long journey and a commitment that you have to make.
In terms of my diet, I’ve survived on paranthas and malai all my life, until I learnt about carbs and proteins. You have to eat healthy so don’t adopt extreme diet plans. Your body needs every kind of nutrient in the right quantity and you need to strike a balance. I am a vegetarian and don’t have cheat days but if I crave paranthas on a certain day, I will just have it. I also love rasgullas but have it rarely and when I do, I run a bit extra the next day to make up for it.
Sood’s favourite workouts:
Sonu Sood
█ OVERHEAD SHOULDER PRESS
The overhead shoulder press is a weight training exercise with many variations, typically performed while standing, in which a weight is pressed straight upwards from the racking position until the
How to do it:
The movement begins in the bottom (start) position. Stand with your entire body tight and rigid. Hold a
Dumbbells and kettlebells are pressed similarly, with one slight alteration. For some variations, the hands start in a neutral (facing-in) position at the bottom.
Start with the hands neutral in the bottom position. Rotating the arms parallel with the ears as you press makes use of the shoulder’s entire range of motion. The rest is the same. The elbows extend as the bell is pressed up and back.
Reps – 3 – 5 sets of 4 -8 reps
█ BARBELL CURLS
The barbell curl is an arm exercise that is also one of the most recognisable movements in bodybuilding. It helps build sleeve-popping biceps and allows heavier loading than many other curl variations.
How to do it:
Stand tall with your chest up and core braced, holding the barbell with your hands just outside of your hips, using an underhand grip.
Keeping your chest up and your elbows tight to your sides, initiate the move by raising your hands slightly so that you can feel your biceps getting engaged. While maintaining tension on your biceps, curl the bar up to shoulder height, then give your biceps a one-second squeeze.
Start to lower the bar slowly, keeping your biceps tensed and engaged to work as many muscle fibres as possible.
Once the bar is back in the start position, straighten your arms fully to tense your triceps to ensure that your biceps are worked through the fullest possible range of motion.
Reps – 8 – 12 Reps per set
█
The Hammer Curl is a quintessential weightlifting exercise that targets the biceps and forearms. The exercise is performed with dumbbells, and it strengthens the three largest muscles along the front of your upper arms. To gain all the benefits of the exercise, make sure not to lean back or swing the weights.
How to do it:
Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at arms length by your sides with your palms facing each other.
Keeping your elbows tucked, your upper arms locked in place (only your hands and forearms should move), and your palms facing inward, curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can.
Pause, and then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Reps – 15 Reps for every arm set
— As told to Kunal Guha
