COVID-19: Ajith Haridas wants shuttlers to maintain fitness

The chief mentor of Hatsun Badminton Centre says that for an intensive sport like badminton, fitness routine is a bit complicated given the situation, but players can still remain active.

At his home in Chennai, Ajith is planning new coaching ideas and strategies for each of his wards.

 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown is a harsh reality in most countries. For the elite sportspersons and especially those aspiring to make it to the Olympics, this period is very crucial. How well they make use of the available resources and time to maintain fitness is important, says Ajith Haridas, former national-level badminton player and chief mentor of Hatsun Badminton Centre (Thiruthangal, Virudhunagar District) — an exclusive residential badminton facility.

“The situation is unprecedented. If they [sportspersons] use [time] better during the lockdown, then they might be able to get better results. What they do at home will make a huge difference. It is not difficult to maintain fitness. If you want there are always ways,” reasons Ajith, who was a former national junior doubles champion.

The 45-year-old said that for an intensive sport like badminton, fitness routine is a bit complicated given the situation, but players can still remain active.

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“If you haven’t done much in the two to three weeks, it will take time, probably two to three months to get back to peak form,” he says.

Ajith adds the sport requires one to have the endurance of a long distance runner, the burst of a sprinter, the strength of a weightlifter and the flexibility of a gymnast. “For badminton, it is quite complicated for the requirements are not one or two. You need endurance like a marathoner but not at the same level. For each rally is different and there are ups and downs in every point. One needs to have tremendous leg strength, but not like a weightlifter, a bit supple. You have to be like a gymnast being able to get up [when you are down] and keep playing. You require strength, endurance, speed, agility and reflex,” he observes.

At his home in Chennai, Ajith is planning new coaching ideas and strategies for each of his wards (personally) of Hatsun BA of which Rithvik Sanjeevi and Siddhanth Gupta are the most prominent junior players. “Two and a half years of our hard work are beginning to show. Now we are planning to send our players to more international tournaments,” he said.