Building muscle power, listening to AR Rahman & hanging out with friends: G Sathiyan shares his cheatsheet to stay healthy

Table tennis star G Sathiyan says focussing on the neglected aspects of his sport has let him become a better and fitter player.

Body
“My trainer Ramji Srinivasan has a customised plan for me, one that focusses on speed and agility, which have been my strengths. We also work on developing the basic power aspect of my game, which is required at this level along with speed. I need to put in a lot of power into my strokes, and so we are working on building muscle power in the legs and core.


“It’s important to not push oneself too much as the season also features many tournaments. I am not trying to bulk up or lift heavy weights, which may result in injuries. I am trying to taper it down and keep the level constant.

“My morning fitness session lasts for an hour, from 7.30 am to 8.30 am. I then eat my breakfast, and practice from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm before breaking for lunch. There is skill and service training in the evening, followed by three more hours of practice, from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm. This cycle continues for six days a week. I follow separate programs during tournaments and training.

“We are currently concentrating on serving and receiving. This is often neglected in Indian table tennis, but it’s the only stroke that is within your control. I have realised that you won’t get to play your game if you don’t serve and receive well. That’s the boring part of sport. But to get better, you need to do the boring things well. I am also working on being more aggressive, putting the ball in play more.

“I love sweets, but I have cut down on these. I have curbed my chocolate intake as well, instead eating bananas between my matches. It’s important to eat well, in a disciplined and organised way. My dietician Ryan Fernando helps me be match fit.”

Mind
“I have a Delhi-based mental conditioning coach who helps me out with match specific things. He helps me go match by match and focus more on the process. This is new for me, and disassociating from the results is a major change. I have process-oriented goals instead of results-oriented ones. But these will make me calm and mentally stable. Not worrying about the results has helped me feel stronger and play better. My mind seems to be in sync with my body.

“If I am stressed about a match, I watch movies or listen to AR Rahman’s music. I also watch a lot of comedy movies or sport biographies, which take my mind off the court. Movies can be long, but a good song always lifts my spirits. I used to read books, but not as much after my engineering.”

Soul
“My soul is high on energy and always motivated (laughs). I still go out with my friends, and that has surely helped me feel good from deep within. I am also a big fan of coffee. I think coffee calms me, which lifts my soul. Coffee and friends are the ingredients that nourish my soul.”