The actor also explains why mental training is as important as physical fitness
Upala KBR (DNA; March 20, 2017)

Vidyut Jammwal, last seen in Commando 2 is a martial arts expert. The action star tells us why he feels more than physical fitness, having a strong mind, is a necessary component of being fit.

Don’t let negativity in!
People ask me about my physique and how I maintain it. I tell them it’s more in the mind. There’s a saying that an entire sea of water can’t sink the ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world cannot hurt you unless you allow it to get inside your head. Fitness starts in the head before the mind and mental training involves 70 per cent of being fit. I believe if you want to achieve something very big you need to change everything you know. It’s only and all in the mind. There are different ways to train. I know people who go to gyms or do yoga, but that’s all about developing the muscles. The flexibility of the body only comes with a flexible mind.

Change the way you think
In Commando, I had done everything I could in the action genre so there was a great responsibility to change my thought and beliefs for Commando 2 and come up with something unique in action. For those who have never run a marathon before, I suggest taking small runs and long walks to get prepared. Change the way you think. One of the most important elements to complete a marathon is to visualise the whole route repeatedly and run it in your head every day. If I have to run from Worli to Bandra, I have to visualise doing it five times every day in amazing ways to develop my mind because our mind gives up much before the body does.

According to me, a fit, healthy body is the best fashion statement one can make. If you are really fit and healthy you don’t need to try too hard with your clothes because then everything will suit you. I have a suggestion for people running their second, third or tenth time.

Be your best self
Don’t think about stuff like what will people think, if I don’t complete the marathon or I don’t come on time. We always think of our reputation first but our character is already developed and is more important than our reputation. Character is what you really think of yourself and reputation is what people think of you.

Challenge yourself
To keep my mind strong, fit and healthy, I consciously try and do something completely different from what I have done earlier. Eg. if I usually brush with my right hand I switch to my left from the next week, or if I sleep on the left side of bed for a week I change to my right the next week. You have to keep changing because if you get used to things then you won’t be able to challenge yourself.

Know your body
I believe in discipline but not that which has been bestowed by other people. You don’t have to wake up at 4 am or 8 am to train. It doesn’t matter what time you do it — the basic principle is that you must spend time doing what you love. Look at different kinds of training. Don’t follow an example. Many beautiful women don’t look so good after losing weight. Know and believe in your structure and what the cells in your body want as every cell in your body has divine intelligence.

Human fitness
While I have run 10-12 kms I have never run for a professional marathon. I ran with Dr Ashish Roy when he ran at a marathon as a contestant at the age of 82. Running for a marathon requires a very different kind of training as you need to have the strongest mind to complete it. While running for a marathon even if the body gives up, the mind should not. Once you can control your mind you are sorted.

Control your mind
I was not surprised to hear about DNA’s ICan Women’s Half Marathon. I have known great women athletes who have run marathons and I am very impressed and proud to support such initiatives. They should have three marathons every year for women and men.