Prableen Kaur Gill on becoming Asia’s No. 1 streetlifter: ‘Strength training is a survival skill…’

In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, calisthenics athelete, Prableen Kaur Gill shared her journey from strength training to international competitions.

Asia’s No. 1 streetlifter and callisthenics athlete, Prableen Kaur Gill, has built her fitness journey around strength, discipline and resilience. From discovering strength training to practising callisthenics and competing at international platforms, her journey has been one of constant reinvention. In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, Prableen opened up about her toughest phases, preparing for competitions, nutrition, the pressure of being a champion, and why women should not be afraid of lifting heavy.

Prableen Kaur Gill’s journey

For Prableen Kaur, fitness has never been just about looking fit; it’s the milestone that changed her way of living, helped her heal, and gave a direction to life. On speaking about her journey, she recalled the night of heavy drinking when her mother had to help her change out of her clothes. The moment stayed with her and became the turning point at which she decided to build her life from scratch.

“While I started with strength training, my friend introduced me to callisthenics, and I stuck with it because it felt like meditation,” highlighted Kaur. Prableen emphasised that callisthenics is a skill that keeps getting harder at every step, and it made me feel better and stronger. “I always wanted to do something for my country, and now, as an athlete representing the country, I feel pride and a responsibility,” added Gill.

While being on the biggest platforms and representing the country at the international level feels amazing, it also comes with its share of struggles. From being an athlete and content creator to representing India on the international stage, what people often do not see is the effort and challenges that come with wearing multiple hats.

“Nobody sees the failures and setbacks I’ve had. I broke my ankle two years ago, and nobody saw what I went through mentally and physically to get back and achieve what I have today. People only see my confident side and the cool things I do in life. But I never had a choice; I had to become that way. My journey has made me this confident. No one sees the part where you have to fight those mental and physical battles and build yourself through them,” Prableen told HT Lifestyle.

Why do we need strength training?

Prableen also highlighted the misconceptions women often have about strength training. “The world is still in the process of understanding the importance of strength training,” Gill said. “Strength training is a way to build a healthier life, especially as you grow older. We are too comfortable with what is familiar and often never dare to push beyond what we are actually capable of doing with our bodies. Strength training is a life survival skill. It teaches you how to balance, control, and use your body effectively.”

She also pointed out that education and awareness around strength training are still lacking. “Even in schools, the kind of physical education that is taught is far removed from what actually needs to be taught. No one talks about resistance training or the logic behind the exercises we are doing. There needs to be more awareness about how and why we train, rather than simply treating exercise as another activity,” Prableen added.