Hustle for Strength

For fitness model and trainer Jitender Rajput, there are no shortcuts to a Hulk like physique. For him, fitness, just like any lifestyle, is all about attitude.

By Mehul Reuben Das · Apr 2019 · 8 min read

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The son of an amateur wrestler, Jitender Kumar Rajput, may have won India her first gold medal in the Olympics. However, he believes that he has a higher calling, that of training people for a fit and better life. As a trainer, he has worked with some of the best emerging talents of English football and taught an entire continent that just having washboard abs and a gargantuan chest is not fitness. Agility and strength are equally important. In a day and age when Instagram is full of ‘health and fitness experts’ Jitender Kumar stands out, not just because of his Hercules like build, but because of what he teaches fitness enthusiasts on his platform. These edited excerpts show, how, for vegetarians, it is actually easier to bulk up, why one should just stay away from steroids and what happens when you don’t focus on while working out.

How did you get started on your journey to be a fitness model and trainer

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My journey towards fitness has been the golden period of my life. I was a kid when I started wrestling, because of my father who was also wrestler. He taught me wrestling and wanted me to become a professional wrestler, but I didn’t like it as a career choice. I was inclined towards being a fitness trainer and a fitness model. I eventually started my own gym. Today, it has been more than 21 years, since I have been a part of the industry. One can say that fitness has become an integral part of my soul.

What is your fitness routine? Do you have a set regimen?

Since I have my own gym, I work out as per my convenience. In the morning, I train with weights, and in the evening, I focus on functional and cardio work outs. I like to keep my regimes flexible and work out to maintain an overall symmetry. If I feel that my arms have grown bigger and bulkier, I will work on my chest and legs to balance that out. I will work out hard for six days of the week and on the seventh, will take a day’s rest and spend time with my family. Even during my days of rest, I ensure that I get some physical activity. So I usually go out for a run.

As a vegetarian how did you bulk up, considering that there is a conception that bulking up without meat is quite impossible?

I do not agree with this perspective. With non vegetarian food, people mostly get their fats and protein from their food. With a vegetarian diet, they get protein, as well as carbs. Vegetarians have the ability to get bulkier quicker than non vegetarians, provided they eat right and work out regularly, because they consume more carbohydrates as compared to non-vegetarians. I am a pure vegetarian. If, like me, a non vegetarian consumes 2000 calories a day, they will get the calories mostly from lean proteins and some fats, whereas my diet will inadvertently include some carbohydrates. Consequently, I will bulk up quicker and easier, because I am eating protein, carb and all the necessary things.

What are your views of diet supplements and protein supplements?

I have been using supplements and I believe there comes a time when you actually need it. If not, then there’s no harm. However, I also believe that if you are going to use supplements, buy them after having a word with your dietitian and trainer. Also, buy it from a reputed store, as they will always have the good ones in stock. They will inform you about what will work for you and what won’t. Plus, if you are buying from a genuine and reputed place, you won’t have to worry if you have been given a fake one or if the supplement will have adverse effects on your body.

You have trained athletes as well as regular people. What would you say has been the key difference?

Normally, most of the regular people that I train, either just want to bulk up, get a particular physique or manage their weight. Most athletes on the other hand, have very specific goals that they on, like developing their agility, their flexibility, or their stamina. I have mostly trained footballers from England and other European countries. They have a different physique when compared with regular people, primarily because their focus is completely different.They plan according to the requirement of their sport. Also, for them, appearance hardly matters. I haven’t seen them focusing on things like having washboard abs, but rather on things like flexibility.

What is that one fitness myth that people today believe in, but is detrimental to overall and long term fitness?

Although there are many, thinking that a great physique can be achieved just by spending time regularly at the gym is one myth that needs to be dealt with seriously. Having such an idea about fitness and having a toned physique is harmful because of two reasons. First, when people don’t get the results they are looking for, in the unrealistic time frames they have set for themselves, they tend to get demotivated and give up. Second, they may get desperate and start using steroids which is even worse. People need to have patience. And set realistic goals for themselves. It took me years to get the physique I am carrying today and even now, I am constantly working hard to maintain it.

What according to you is one exercise that affects all the parts of the body?

There are some compound exercises, which cover a lot of areas, but no exercise is going to work for your entire body. You need to mix and try new things. For me, and most people, deadlifts, pull ups and squats, work great and have a better impact, but they will not work for everything. You need strength training as well as cardio training.

It is often believed that as one bulks up, one tends to lose agility. You on the other hand seem unaffected by this phenomenon. How do you stay agile?

I have seen this in many people, and yes, it is in fact true. People focus too much on bulking up and as they do, their bodies tends to becomes very rigid, to the point where they start walking in a weird manner. This happens because after working out, these people feel that they don’t need to stretch their bodies. Also, they don’t cool down or relax their muscles. As a result, the elasticity of their muscle decreases and it gets jammed in a certain way.

What kind of a diet do you follow?

I mostly consume plant-based foods. I try to avoid saturated fats from my diet as much as I can. I have a big bowl of fruit salads, and two big bowls of sprouts, tofu and broccoli and some seasonal vegetables. This is what I eat in an entire day. Apart from them, I will have some peanut butter, a protein bar and my supplements, like whey protein and BCAA(Branched-chain amino acid) and some multi-vitamins.

Nowadays, people focus a lot on intensive weight training, and particularly on lifting heavy weights. What are your thoughts on that?

I believe that moderation is the key. If you are lifting 200 kgs, when your capacity is 150 kgs, you might be giving yourself the satisfaction that you have actually achieved something and might even think of going a little higher. However, you are placing yourself in a very precarious position. You are increasing the chances of an injury substantially, and might pull a muscle and injure yourself, or even worse, get a disc from your spine, slipped. Your body knows best and you should listen to it. Go for the weight that is easier for you to carry. If needed, increase your number of reps or sets. Or, you can add a little weight to it, say 10 or 20 kgs, not more than that.

How would you define overall fitness?

I don’t think that you can define fitness like that. It is a combination of a number of things. It starts with your mental peace, having a healthy body and a healthy heart. People who believe that a person who is fit will have a physique like Hercules or the Hulk, are mistaken. Fitness is determined by a number of little things that you do everyday. Are you getting enough sleep, how your cardio activity is, are your joints fine, are you able to run or are you capable to climb a certain number of stairs without losing your breathe – little things like that determine whether you are actually fit or not,

What advice would you give to people who are just beginning to work out? What all should they consider?

Take care of what you are eating and stay hydrated, irrespective of what you plan on doing. I have come across some people who have started using pills and tablets which promise to give them great abs and a muscular, chiseled physique, quickly. These pills and tablets actually dehydrate your body a lot and will only be beneficial for a short term. In the longer run, the wreak havoc, destroying ones internal organs. Don’t focus on short term goals. Rather, focus on what you want to achieve in the longer run.

As a trainer, what annoys you the most?

When people, especially men, don’t focus on their work outs and stare at women who come to the gym. Or for that matter, to a nearby stadium or even the park for a quick jog. It’s fine if they want to waste their time and get nowhere, but I cannot stand someone who acts as a hindrance for someone who wants to work hard and better their lives