NN:
How has Karate helped improve your lifestyle and health?
SS:
Fitness is a lifestyle and I believe so and strongly promote that too. Karate for me became the discipline and epitome of fitness, focus and grounded me to amazing level to cope with life in general. Karate made me believe to be strong, not only physically but mentally and spiritually. The strength that I gained physically made me more confident in my other professional arenas too. As a model a great body is a pre-requisite and karate just helped me stay fit and always stay ahead of the game. The focus of the fight before, while in it and post the fight is the true game changer and yes I fight to win, it is what my biggest lesson from karate is.
NN:
Five exercises that are a must for a Karate beginner?
SS:
A karateka has to have the art of basic stretching which is the most important. Running helps build stamina and endurance. Functional body weight training helps to balance body and posture while learning fighting technique. Push ups, squats and pull ups help a lot. Weight training helps strengthen the body which is very important for power and the execution of the technique with good strength. Meditation in any form helps to focus and even karate has kata which is like yoga or focus step movement which helps body balance and movement with great poise and grounding.
NN:
Your post workout meal?
SS:
Post workout body needs good amount of protien and water intake. My immediate meal is to have 2 bananas and some nuts. Then a quick small portion of boiled eggs with sauted vegetables is a quick fix. A good blend of oats, dryfruits, berries and milk sometimes post workout can really be a good energy booster.
NN:
Define Women Fitness. Why it is so important now, more than ever, for women to be more fitness conscious?
SS:
Women in the 21st century have become multifaceted. They are not only taking care of household chores but also working in the outside world and earning their living and have strong social life. To cope up with all these multiple roles and the pressures one has to be physically fit and mentally strong. Fitness helps to stay fit and keep up with all the stress. Also in today’s time women are so self-reliant that they travel everywhere pretty much alone so they need to be strong to protect themselves. Fitness helps in staying fit and strong and also fitness includes self defence in today’s times which really is the need of the hour.