Fuel the Olympic Fire: How does ace shuttler Saina Nehwal eat, sleep and train?
Saina Nehwal is the only female badminton player from India to have achieved the world no.1 ranking
Saina Nehwal is one of India's finest badminton players. She has represented India in three Olympics and won a bronze at the London 2012 Olympics.
She is the only Indian to have won a medal in every BWF (Badminton World Federation) major event - BWF World Championship, BWF World Junior Championship, and the Olympics. In 2006, Nehwal became the first Indian woman and the youngest Asian to win a 4-star tournament, the Philippines Open.
In 2014, she led the Indian team in the Uber Cup and returned with a bronze. Her deception, skill, and agility on the court make her one of the best players in the sport.
In 2018, at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, she won two gold medals; in the women's singles and the mixed team event. Recognising her achievements in the sport, the government of India has conferred the Padma Bhushan - India's third highest civilian award - on her. Apart from the Padma Bhushan, she has also won the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Arjuna Award.
Let us have a look at her diet and training regimen, which are the cornerstones of her success.
What does Nehwal eat?
The ace shuttler feels that breakfast is the most important meal and she makes it a point to have it on time.
She usually has a glass of milk, a couple of egg whites and brown bread. Protein shakes form an important part of her diet and she will have a couple of glasses throughout the day, mostly in between training sessions. Post-training she prefers to have seasonal fruits and salad.
For lunch and dinner, she has two rotis, pulses, boiled chicken, and curd. She has her dinner by 7:30 pm and is off to bed early as she is an early riser.
Usually, she takes in 2000-2500 calories a day but on matchday, the calorie intake doubles to around 5000. Ice cream is allowed only if she finishes with a medal in a tournament.
"I observe a complete ban on unhealthy oils, and avoid sugar, sweets, fatty and fried foods as much as I can," she said to Hindustan Times.
How does Nehwal train?
Saina excelled in the beginning of her career but with age, fitness has become a vital piece in the puzzle.
To get back her best game, she needed to be fit and she consulted sports physio Chris Pedra. Once she started training under his guidance she was a completely different player on the court and post-2016 she once again climbed back to the top 10 rankings.
From a general training routine that involved cardio and strength, she was prescribed a routine that is specific to her sport. There were many things she had to unlearn.
Nehwal started with exercises that involved jumping, balance, and change of direction. The primary aim was to strengthen the forearms and legs as they are used most in badminton.
"For me fitness is about having free movements during matches, and accruing no ailments. Enjoyed it all – outdoor exercises, indoor workouts, weightlifting etc. But now I am more focused on what’s essential for my sport. I have reduced my running, for instance.I work out six days a week, following a schedule prepared by my coach to suit my body’s requirements. I actually prefer working out in the evenings," she revealed.
She started doing lateral pulldowns and rowing to lose excess fat on her arms. In the next stage, she started doing military presses that are targeted to benefit the upper body muscles so that her stamina increases during long rallies.
Calf and heel raises are also a regular part of her routine to increase the healing and recovery apart from toning and strengthening the legs. Sleep is extremely important for her as she indulges in intensive training and exercise and on the seventh day she takes complete rest.