PANAJI: Ahead of the International Day of Yoga, which is celebrated globally every year on June 21st, the Indian arm-wrestling community explained the importance of Yoga in their own personal lives. With the advent of the Pro Panja League, Asia’s biggest arm-wrestling tournament, the Indian arm-wrestlers have been given a platform to express their talents on the biggest stage.
The stage is set for an exhilarating Pro Panja League Ranking Tournament to take place in Gwalior on July 24th, for which over 1100 arm wrestlers from all parts of the country have registered their names this year. While training and preparing for what promises to be a challenging tournament, several Indian arm-wrestlers spoke on how Yoga has become a daily part of their workout routines and why it is essential for all the arm-wrestlers to do Yoga.
“Doing Yoga every day helps me in maintaining my balance in life that helps me in maintaining consistency in my arm wrestling workouts and helps me in picking up wins. Yoga has positive effects on mind, body, and soul and it enhances my spirit to work harder in this sport,” said Delhi arm-wrestler Karishma Kapoor.
“In Asana practice, I learned to cherish each breath and to cherish each and every cell in my body. The time I spend on the mat is love in action, and the time I spend on the table is my passion,” Yogesh Chaudhary from Haryana, added.
“Yoga improves flexibility on joints and that reduces the risk of an injury,” Sameer VT, a prominent arm wrestler from Kerala explained. “It also helps in improving our mental health. With better mental health, an athlete can improve their focus and concentration and develop a presence of mind, which can be useful during competition.”
“I bend, so I don’t break. For arm-wrestlers, yoga helps in building up lean muscles which increase strength, their flexibility, and also helps them to relieve their anxiety,” said Gujarat’s arm-wrestler Saniya Shaikh.
“The breathing technique that I practice through yoga helps me during my match. Starting my day with yoga helps me remain calm and focused throughout the day and especially when I have to be patient during an arm-wrestling bout,” Parampreet Kaur, an arm wrestler from Punjab added.
Pro Panja co-founder Preeti Jhangiani, who practices Yoga everyday, also explained why it has become an integral part of her journey and career so far. She also explained why Yoga should be imbibed as a daily habit by each and every individual.
“Yoga has always been an integral part of my journey. For me, it’s Yoga day everyday because Yoga is a way of life as it has taught me so much more than just peace of mind,” she said.
“Aligning the mind, body, and soul with a daily practice of breathing, stretching, and meditating is a step towards holistic healing and happiness. My Yoga time is my me-time, and of course, consistency is always the key. Yoga will always be fruitful in giving a long-term relief and should be imbibed as a regular habit of keeping fit,” Jhangiani added.
