It’s an all-out pursuit of fitness for Pune kabaddi star Ankita Jagtap during the lockdown

Currently, locked down at her house in Bharti Vidypeeth, Katraj, Jagtap is focussed on fitness training and spares some time for prayers and cooking

Ankita Jagtap, Kabaddi

Ankita Jagtap (HT PHOTO)

Under 25-year-old kabaddi player, Ankita Jagtap, Pune won the 67th Maharashtra state kabaddi championship at Chiplun Ratnagiri in December last year and she earned a place in the state team for the kabaddi nationals. This is third time that Jagtap managed to secure a berth in the state team after 2017 and 2019. Jagtap, an all-rounder who plays for Rajmata Jijau Kabaddi Sang, Shukrawar peth, is one of the brightest players in the sport from the city.

Currently, locked down at her house in Bharti Vidypeeth, Katraj, Jagtap is focussed on fitness training and spares some time for prayers and cooking. With a tight schedule, she has made sure that it keeps her busy during the lockdown. Rajesh Dhamdhere and Jaywant Warghade – coaches of Rajmata Jijau Kabaddi Sang give Jagtap and her other teammates a daily fitness training routine to follow.

Morning session

My day starts at 7am. I train on the terrace and my focus is on workout for the legs which includes free squat, lunges, jumping jacks, varieties of jumps and stretching. The session continues for an hour and 30 minutes. Then, I have a heavy breakfast and take some rest. Later, I help my mother in cleaning the house and then, in cooking. Times passes soon while doing household chores and I love to try to make new recipes.

After lunch, I spend some time on the mobile or watch television news channels to stay updated about the Covid-19 situation. I also rest for an hour. At 5pm, I prayer everyday. During my prayer session, I read books like Shri Guru Charitra and Shreemad Dasbodh. The reading gives me a lot of positivity and peace of mind.

Evening session

Back on the terrace for training, I stretch and then, the evening session is dedicated to upper body workout like dips, triceps dips, push-ups, push down, abs and burpees. The session is usually between 6pm and 7:30pm. Then, I play with my dog, lucky, for an hour. After dinner, I read. I love reading autobiographies and recently, I read The Breadwinner, Mrityunjaya, Not Without My Daughter and The Virender Sehwag Story. Every day reading 20-30 pages of any novel is my routine and it is my favourite hobby since childhood.

This is a tough time for all of us and we are following government orders. I am keeping a positive mindset and prefer to read the newspaper and watch television news over social media posts as there are many fake news which are circulating online.

Gym

I miss hitting the gym, but more than that I miss my friends and the kabaddi ground. We do keep a track of each other through video calls, but playing together is bonding on another level. Our coaches are taking care of our fitness.

Hobbies

Reading books and cooking.