Fitness culture in India in embryonic state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Carlo Buzzichelli doesn’t flex his muscles, when he says training should be tailored according to the physique and capabilities of the sports person and that coaches should not be too orthodox. A recognizable figure in the West, Buzzichelli is a strength and Conditioning (S&C) consultant for top-class athletes and fitness training centres around the globe. On his maiden visit to India to attend a workshop on strength and conditioning, being organised by LNCPE, Kariavattom, the 39-year-old S&C consultant is dismayed by the absence of a proper fitness culture in the country. “It’s a big country, but the fitness culture here seems to be in an embryonic state. This explains why finding a world class athlete here is a tedious task,” says Buzzichelli, who is also the director of  Tudor Bompa Institute- Italia, the pioneer institute which was launched by Dr. Tudor Bompa,an  expert proponent of  Periodization training. Buzzichelli says that the in periodization training, the workouts are structured into various periods or phases. “The volume and intensity of the training varies in each phase. Training should be tailored according to the physique and capabilities of the sports person. For instance, an athlete who had skipped the bed an entire night would feel that his ‘internal load’ is high while practising the next day. His physical load may be same, but the internal pressure would be immense. So it is senseless to train him like any other day,” Carlo continues, with a  sense of seriousness running across his face.When asked why India is still having a dearth in medal winning athletes, he had a note of caution in his words. “I wish I knew Indian situation better. All I could say is that coaches should not be too orthodox in following the traditional methodology nor should they turn mere listener to sports scientists who may not have played sports even for a single occasion. They have to realise what work for them and then should try to scientifically explain the methodology. That’s it,” he said.