Athiya learns mixed martial arts to stay fit

Shetty has taken to MMA to stay fit; says it helps her de-stress and makes her feel “strong and powerful”.

New-age Bollywood stars aren’t just satisfied with hitting the gym as far as their fitness regimens are concerned. So, while some are opting for different types of workouts like Pilates and kickboxing, others have been indulging in parkour and mixed martial arts (MMA). Now, Athiya Shetty, too, has joined this club. The young actor is the latest to take up MMA training.

Indian Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty attends the Femina Awards ceremony in Mumbai on February 5, 2016. (AFP)

“Athiya has been training for a while now. MMA is very different from the usual workouts, so she is enjoying it a lot, and hasn’t missed a single session till date,” says an insider.

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Apparently, Athiya is training under the guidance of grand master Shifuji Shaurya Bhardwaj, who has trained special armed force commando units of various security forces, including the elite special forces, in the past. Shifuji had also trained Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor for their recently released film, Baaghi.

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“It might sound crazy, but if you have faith and if you believe, you can achieve so much. It’s all about training your mind,” she says.