Fitness

A weight loss journey sans a nutritionist, gym, and a coach: How it all worked out

A weight loss journey sans a nutritionist, gym, and a coach: How it all worked out

If someone had told me two years ago that I would lose over 50 kilos without setting foot in a gym or giving up real food, I would not have believed it. But here I am—healthier, sharper, and more confident than I have been in years. My transformation, however, did not begin with a fitness influencer or a fad diet. It began in a hospital bed.Over the past decade, my body has been through an unrelenting series of medical challenges—each one demanding its own kind of resilience. From a heart attack to chronic infections, surgeries, and even a near-fatal road…
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Meet Shashaank Saravanakumar, a young para cyclist breaking barriers in Coimbatore

Meet Shashaank Saravanakumar, a young para cyclist breaking barriers in Coimbatore

Shashaank Saravanakumar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Fourteen-year-old Shashaank Saravanakumar may be soft-spoken, but on the road, his determination speaks volumes. A student of St Antony’s School, Puliyakulam, Coimbatore, Shashaank recently made his mark at the first Para-national Road Cycling Championship held in Hyderabad. Representing Tamil Nadu in the CII (Intellectual Impairment) category for juniors under 19, he completed the 12-km race in an impressive 43 minutes and 32 seconds, securing fifth place in a field of seasoned young riders from across India.But for Shashaank, cycling is more than competition. “Cycling means fun and happiness to me. Every ride tells…
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Exploring Coimbatore’s growing pickleball craze

Exploring Coimbatore’s growing pickleball craze

Amidst the thwack of shuttlecocks and the thump of cricket balls a new sound echoes across the neighbourhoods of Coimbatore: the lively, distinct pop of a pickleball paddle meeting its plastic foe. From gated communities to newly minted indoor arenas, the city is warming up to the paddle sport.Pickleball — a sport that fuses elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis — is fast becoming the racket sport of choice for many in the city. It is easy to pick up, affordable, and surprisingly addictive.For 40-year-old paediatrician Dr Charanya Anbuselvan, the sport has become more than a hobby — it…
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Picture of the week: the strength of women

Picture of the week: the strength of women

A group of women executing deadlifts as part of the International Women’s Day event held at Manaveeyam Veedhi in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday (March 8). Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran Last year exactly 18,887 crimes were reported against women in Kerala according to data collected from the Crime Records Bureau. A fitness club in Thiruvananthapuram that conducts deadlift events every Saturday at Manaveeyamveedhi made a difference this Women’s day by dedicating an open deadlift challenge titled ‘18,887’ only for women. Around 40 women joined the movement on Saturday morning and lifted their desired weights according to their abilities.…
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Backyard Ultra comes to Coimbatore: A test of endurance and strategy

Backyard Ultra comes to Coimbatore: A test of endurance and strategy

The endurance-testing Backyard Ultra format is coming to Coimbatore — and to South India — for the first time. The inaugural Coimbatore Backyard Ultra is organised by Prem SB and Nithin SS, the founders of the health and fitness startup, Battle Ground. It will take place on March 22, inside the Kumaraguru Institutions campus. With 58 participants, including ultra runners from across South India, this event aims to introduce the region’s running community to a format that pushes both physical and mental limits.Testing formatThe Backyard Ultra is unlike any other race. Participants must complete a 6.7-kilometre loop within an hour.…
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At the world’s highest frozen lake marathon, Chennai’s Major Amirtharaj NS makes a mark

At the world’s highest frozen lake marathon, Chennai’s Major Amirtharaj NS makes a mark

A snapshot from a previous edition of The Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon | Photo Credit: Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh Where the Greater Himalayas rise from the Indo-Gangetic plains to run along Pakistan and China lies a large salt lake on the roof of the world. The Pangong Tso in Ladakh, a sensitive border point at 13,862 feet with temperatures that plummet to -35 degree Celsius, is peopled only by a few locals, bar-headed geese, and crustaceans in its deep depths. The only constant that has survived for centuries in its thin air is Buddhism.On February 25, at this remote…
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We try Kendo, a Japanese martial art form, and learn the samurai’s secrets

We try Kendo, a Japanese martial art form, and learn the samurai’s secrets

At a practice session of Japanese martial art form Kendo at Combat Kinetics, Teynampet in Chennai | Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN A week since my first Kendo class with the Chennai Kendo Club, I find myself often zoning in and out of a larger cosmic zen.When things go wrong, I say ‘utsuke’ (meaning idiot) and when I wish to return to my quiet, I mutter ‘bushido’ (the way of the warrior) to centre myself.Elan Kathiravan, my sensi and the chief instructor of Aikido of Chennai, said that this is likely to be a consequence, now that I’m a Samurai and…
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We try a Mixed Martial Arts class in Chennai. Can MMA be your next fitness routine?

We try a Mixed Martial Arts class in Chennai. Can MMA be your next fitness routine?

Chennai’s interest in MMA catapulted with the popularity of UFC | Photo Credit: special arrangement Between many giggles, a couple of tiny wrestlers are warming up for the day at the 11-year-old Chennai MMA Academy in Nungambakkam. They sprint, do bear crawls, frog jumps and leech walks, and quickly move on to strengthening exercises without so much as breaking a sweat. I watch them in trepidation and awe.Until this momentous day, I am blissfully unaware of the sheer number of variations a warm-up ‘walk’ could have. I walk like a crab, crawl like a turtle, jump like a duck, and…
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Chennai| Pilates expert Namrata Purohit on this mind-body exercise, celebrity clients, and more

Chennai| Pilates expert Namrata Purohit on this mind-body exercise, celebrity clients, and more

When celebrity fitness expert Namrata Purohit started her first Pilates studio in 2011, there were only a couple of studios in the country. “Only a few people seemed to be aware of Pilates. But we quickly saw footfalls increase,” she recalls.Since then, things have rapidly changed. Her brand, The Pilates Studio which she co-founded with her father Samir Purohit has 32 branches across the country at present. Among the thousands of clients she has worked with are a slew of actors including Kareena Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, Ananya Panday, Sara Ali Khan, Ishaan Khatter and Arjun Kapoor.  A view of The…
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Discover the rise of pickleball among tennis players, its accessibility, affordability, and potential for growth in the sports industry in Chennai

Discover the rise of pickleball among tennis players, its accessibility, affordability, and potential for growth in the sports industry in Chennai

When four of Chennai’s leading club tennis players Vikram Seshasayee, Sooraj Viswanathan, G Rajesh and B Venkteshwar met up in November 2024, it was not to discuss tennis. The four of them were in final discussions about putting up Chennai Picklersss by Sports Den, a state of the art indoor Pickleball facility at Porur that would be open to the public round-the-clock. In recent years, a growing trend has emerged in the world of racquet sports. Tennis players, from professionals to recreational enthusiasts, are increasingly trading in their tennis rackets for pickleball paddles. One revealing statistic is that out of…
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