It was a pleasure talking to Prince Yuvraj, a thorough gentleman and fitness consultant. He belongs to the royal family of Bhavnagar. Bhavnagar has a rich history as the port princely state of Gujarat, established by Maharaja Bhavsinhji Gohil after whom the place is named. Since ages, royalty has made many sacrifices in the service of humanity and the nation. Owing to such exceptional genetics, it can be derived that Prince Yuvraj has got determination, courage and dedication from his ancestors which is now topped up with his own vision and undeterred hard work.
Here are the excerpts of an insightful and inspiring interview session with him.
Welcome Prince Yuvraj! Since you belong to a Royal family, how do you manage your time between business, social responsibilities and your passion for fitness?
I prioritize my day and begin my day with my fitness regimen. Rest of the day I carry out my responsibilities with equal intensity because a lot can be done in a day if a discipline is followed and gelled well into a meaningful lifestyle. India has a history of Akhadas and primitive workout sessions, the richness of which has to be preserved and utilized to the maximum benefit by us. I look forward to transform health demographics of Gujarat with substantial efforts in due course of time. We are working to provide fitness training to police officers here free of cost and the gym is open for 24 hours for them. As people know that 71% of the population in the state is vegetarian and have nutrition issues and a proper health related guidance is necessary for them, a lot can be done here in the field of health and fitness. For new police enrolments, one hour practical training session every day is important to make them aware and able enough for the police force requirement.
Who is your support system at home?
My support system at home are the powerful ladies in the family – my mother, my wife and my sister. I look up to them and share a unique bond with each of them.
Who inspires you?
My maternal grandfather (Nana) was a Major in the army and has served the nation in the best of his capacity. I admire and respect him a lot. My Great Grandfather, Krishna kumar Singh Gohil was the 1st Indian ruler to hand over his princely state for the interest of democratic India after independence to Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel ji. He exemplified and many other princely states in India followed. He will always inspire me.
Who inspires you the most in Indian fitness industry?
Talwalkar ji! He is a living legend in Indian fitness industry and has dedicated a lifetime to it. He is 85 years old and still very fit. He inspires many not only in the country but across the world.
How did you develop passion for fitness? Let us know about your journey so far. What challenges did you face?
I have been a sportsperson earlier, a cricketer and have trained under Coach Mohinder Amarnath himself. So being fit has been a natural part of life for me, ingrained inside me as a pre-requisite for a sportsperson. Hence, it didn’t take much time to develop inside me, it has been always there. Yes, however, since I did my higher studies in Hotel Management from Switzerland, balancing my fitness goals with my focus on studies was a bit challenging in the beginning. I wished to give my hundred percent to both and I balanced it well in due course of time. First, I started training to be fit and healthy there when I was studying and later, it became a passion, I learnt more about it and it became one of my passions. I have been training for 10 years now. When I started off, there were many distractions and people were running behind shortcuts and quick results, I put effort to stay focused and patient to strike a right balance in the body. I targeted long term fitness goals and stay fit life-long which paid off and is going good till now. Right knowledge and awareness are the keys to it. I do take examples of and try to learn from the life and works of ace-masters in the fitness industry like Kaizzad Capadia.
What advice would you like to give to the youth of the nation who seek to make a career in the fitness industry?
Don’t try to copy another person because your body, your goals and your requirement is a lot different than others. Focus on improving strength, flexibility and mobility. Try a mix of everything as there are many aspects fitness training nowadays from fitness Akhadas to calesthenics to crossfit to weight training. One must balance, blend and practice accordingly. Always train under able trainers and coaches, take nutritional advice from experts according to your goals.
If I ask you to change something, what would you change in the Indian fitness industry?
I would like to change the mindset. We as an industry should be united and interdependent. Instead of shaming each other on social media, we must learn from each other, appreciate each other’s efforts genuinely and create an optimistic and synergized growth environment for everybody here. We must get inspired and create a healthy competition because no one nowhere grows alone!
What is your fitness goal, what do you train for?
I am not an athlete, I do not compete. So my fitness goals are focused on overall good health and strength in the body. I wish to stay healthy, fit and in good shape throughout my life. Hence, I advise all to target being fit and healthy in the first place and then move further with other goals. I don’t focus on looks, still they automatically follow once you lead a fit lifestyle.
People would like to know how do you train yourself for the same?
I start with Akhada and Yoga which is a part of my training. In the palace gym, I dedicate 2 days to functional training, 2 days to compound workouts and 2 days to hypertrophy specific workouts. As I said, my focus is on overall health and wellness.
One motivational line?
‘No Pain, No Gain!’
We couldn’t agree more with you Prince Yuvraj! Each word carried wisdom and came from a person who has tried, put personal efforts, learnt and has grown with experience. Bodyandstrength.com wishes you all the best in your future endeavors!
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The team is based out of Delhi and is connected to all the leading athletes, trainers and nutritionists. The purpose is to bridge the gap between common people and all fitness e..
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