Having previously interviewed several members of the clan, it’s easy for this reporter to decipher that it’s not easy to take carbs out of the diet of the Kapoors. Ranbir Kapoor, however, seems to be cut from a different cloth. The actor, who “is very disciplined when it comes to his eating habits”, follows a Ketogenic diet, a pattern that his trainer, Shivoham, says works well for his body-type.

“He looks good and responds well to it. Some people don’t have the mental temperament to manage a carbs-free diet. He does. We give him enough protein in every meal, and good fats like avocados and nuts,” says the trainer, who began working with Kapoor 18 months ago, and is set to amp up his routine for his next, Animal.

Shivoham agrees that Kapoor isn’t known to be the typical “gym-goer” who enjoys hitting a personal record day-after-day. But small changes in his routine has made the actor approach his lifestyle differently. “The job at hand was to make him gain muscle mass. He had been following free-hand functional training exercises, so he had a decent foundation. We, however, had to move him onto a weight-lifting [plan]. He is a tall guy, with broad shoulders. If one has even a little muscle mass, and the kind of definition that he does, they can look [sufficiently] big on camera. He benefited from compound movements performed in accordance with the CrossFit patterns. He never did a single burpee, because this wasn’t competition-training, but we found other ways to make sure his cardio-component [was addressed]. For instance, between sets, I’d make him do minute-long jump-rope sets. Combined with lifting, this approach helped him enhance his fitness levels.”

While Kapoor has an active lifestyle, and has been involved in sports, he had to approach weight-lifting with caution. Shivoham followed a two-step method to make the transition seamless for him. To begin with, he kicked off his training sessions with a fair share of gymnastics work. “If you need to build muscle mass, you need to push heavy weights, and having a strong core is a prerequisite for that. Olympic ring work, gymnastic work, and bar work was incorporated so that he could build core strength before he began to lift.”

The second factor that the trainer paid heed to was mental stimulation. “Introducing variety is a great way of building muscle mass without making a routine boring. He’s not a gym-person, so in order to make him fall in love with exercising, I had to understand [his] temperament. Within the first few sessions of working with someone, it’s easy to understand what the person likes and dislikes. One can judge that while some people don’t mind pulling off higher repetitions with heavy weights, some can put in their best work in seven reps, while others can pull off 12 reps. Understanding that is a challenge.”

Via the 45-minute sessions that he would get with Kapoor amid his shooting schedules, Shivoham has been able to help the actor develop a fondness for training. “While he could do pull-ups before, he can execute them more efficiently now. His ring work, which can be quite difficult, is good, and he can pull off 25 handstand push-ups in one go,” says the trainer, adding that he also helps him manipulate his diet ahead of a body shot.

“For a close-up, we need to make certain that his face looks chiselled, so we ensure that the water balance in his body is maintained. Eliminating carbs helps us minimise retention. When he has dancing shots, we ensure he stays hydrated. Now, he also understands how his body reacts to different foods. So, he knows what he needs to do when he’s shooting.”