GYM101- Intro to working out. Part 1: Introduction

There are a lot of websites on workouts and this is not like those. Almost all of them are by foreign experts, not Indians, and definitely not by or not for students. This post is exclusively for Indian students.

I'll keep posting stuff on workouts in this blog every now and then. Obviously, I cannot put everything a beginner needs in one post. Will take some time, so keep visiting. 

The differences between us and the Pros- ( You can skip this part)

1. Recovery- A pro body builder or lifter does very few other things, hence takes a lot of rest after each workout. Students don't have this luxury. Especially going to classes in hurry, skipping breakfast, staying out late night, not getting enough sleep and the most important, sitting for long hours in classes in a very uncomfortable position, all these are things that are not supposed to be done.

2. The diet- pros don't eat rice and idli and dosa, they take high protein food. Indian diet, more specifically south Indian, has a lot of fat and sugars and relatively low protein content. The food we take doesn't help much in recovery or in building mass.

3. Intensity- Pros go with a goal whenever they workout. They have a well planned workout and don't pick whatever weight they find. Most students who start working out in the gym probably start because of wrong reasons- reasons like "my friends go there", "I wanna build a 6-pack", "I wanna build huge biceps".. and most are really not ready to go the hard way. I've seen many people go with full intensity in the first few days and then drop out and things like that.



Now some very basic stuff, things to be done even before you get into a gym.

Body fat:
                                  If you have a lot of fat in your body and you start working out, you just put on fat but not muscle. Many big guys feel they've got some muscle when it's really fat. This is not something I'm guessing, it is suggested by pros- loose your fat before you start working out. The best way to loose your fat is cardio- jogging, quick walking, swimming, skipping, treadmill.. all of them would help. Will soon post more on this.

Basic strengthening exercises:
                                 Try doing some pushups and chinups. If you can't do pushups or chinups, you really have no business going into the gym. Check out youtube videos on how to do pushups or chinups. Many guys just give up when they have to do pushups or chinups and instead do dumbell exercises for biceps or some other arbit muscle- doesn't help. For some 2-3 weeks before you go into a gym, do a lot of pushups, chinups, free hand squats (again, check in youtube) and a little stretching. A couple of sets of abs workouts would also help. Don't go too heavy, just take it easy. This is only to get your muscles ready for other exercises.

Tune your mind, set your goals:
                                The biggest mistake many make- they go to a gym but really don't know why they're there. Old people go to a gym to get some cardio. Fat guys go to loose fat. Athletes may go on endurance training. Some go for fitness, some go for strength, some for endurance, some (like me) go to get some peace of mind and some to build muscles. You need to be clear about why you're going- your workout has a direct bearing with what you want to achieve. For God's sake, don't go into a gym just because your friends are going.



@ Beginners who want to start working out in a gym:
Work on the three things I've mentioned. Will put my next post soon. Cardio is very very important, especially for beginners. It increases the effectiveness of your body to use stored fat and also reduces the resting heartbeat and increases blood circulations... forget all that, JUST DO IT. Will try to put a post on how to do proper cardio workouts....
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do when you join a gym is to know the gym coach. Never hesitate to ask him what or how to do.
Good Luck

Education vs career vs interest

Different people hold different opinions on these stuff. I'd focus more on students getting into an IIT.

I dare to say that half of the students in IITs have no clue what they're doing there. Most mug for a course only to get a nice grade, not to learn something. What surprises me is these people go on to work as the best engineers from the country.


The government of India has invested a lot of cash into the IITs. But what happens is, there are too many people who're not into engineering. Just too many guys get finance jobs and stuff. A lot go to get an MBA. The basic reason for establishing these IITs is not justified. And the government doesn't seem to worry about it.. instead, they put more IITs. I've read this line a lot of times, "Is the juice worth the squeeze?". Putting more IITs to train more people to get into some financial institutions or to work for some American dumpyard is really not worth it.

Now the students. I've seen some guys who take a lot of pride in saying they're non-geeky IITians.. they think they're cool coz they bunk classes and they don't mug for exams and stuff. I say, they're stupid. What the duck is that guy doing in an IIT if he's not really interested? He can do something more useful, or atleast more economical than wasting 4 years of his life in a place that forces him to do what he doesn't want to.

And the more painful part- this guy who came into an IIT just because his parents forced him to , or as in a case mentioned by a friend, for "extra credentials in his resume", he has actually screwed the life of a guy who might be the next Abdul Kalam. Forget the Abdul Kalam part, atleast a guy who's genuinely intersted doesn't get a chance because of these ********s. 4-5 years pass by and this guys doesn't realize that what he's being taught is "the most important" stuff he needs to know to work. Many don't care to answer this simple question, "Why am I even here?"

The IITs have a good tradition, help in developing the guy's personality, blah blah blah.. They're really good. But they are no fun parks. Not places where a guy comes to spend 4 years of his life and then go do something he likes to do. Everything put into these guys, the cash from govt, the facilities, the effort from Profs, all is just wasted when this guy gets a nice score in CAT.

The irony: Most of the so-called "smartest people in the country" have absolutely no clue about what they're doing for 4 of the most important years of their life

IITJEE 2010

I was reading a regional newspaper today and I could see two coaching institutes put a full page ad. And then I turn a couple of pages and there's something printed about some toppers from AP. There was a special mention of an institute from Patna that has got all of its students qualified in the JEE. The institute is special coz it's not a corporate coaching institute, but teaches backward(economically, I guess) students. Also in the newspaper was a breakdown of the number of seats in each IIT and then the number of students from each region who qualified and all... nothing very unusual about all that. But I read something that seriously shocked me.

A guy whose AIR was less than 20.. he says he is really interested in the civil or administrative services. A guy is interested in business, probably something in the real estate side.. Some guy has absolutely no idea of what he wants to do in life. A girl wants to do an MBA.
Here are some students who are allegedly some of the smartest in the country. The so-called "cream" of the country.. and they don't know that they don't need a B Tech or they don't need to screw 4 years of your life learning what an engineer needs to know if he/she wants to get an MBA. If I wanted to get into the civil services, I'd definitely be learning stuff related to that and wouldn't even want to write the JEE. If I wanted an MBA, I'd have gone for a degree in management, not in engineering.

It doesn't end here. I know that what you would've wanted in life wouldn't always coincide with what you are. But these "wonder kids" say they 'want' to do something that's no way related to engineering, and yet love to get into an IIT. I'm really surprised to find people like this- they can't realize that 4 years of mugging at some IIT would do very little to contribute to what they're going to be, and yet they emerge as the "toppers" in a national exam that's supposed to test a student's (whatever).
The only line that came to my mind when I read all that.. "What the Duck??!!!!"

More arbit stuff.. around 470 thousand students appeared for the JEE... and 80 thousand were from AP.. more than 1 out of 6....

Latest... I don't mean to offend someone, but this stuff seriously sucks...
Another topper's statements..

"I had dreamt of entering IIT from Class VIII,” he said. “I worked hard to realise my goal for the last five years. I am delighted that I made it to the IITs. It is a dream come true."

Just didn't want to put the name.. To think about getting into an IIT.. makes sense. I'd love to put an app to MIT or Stanford, obviously because there are a lot of resources and oppurtunities. But "dreaming" about getting into an IIT for 5 years.. bulls**t. what's more.. this guy "wants to join IIT-Mumbai but has not decided which stream to opt for." This is just an example. Again no offense intended, but this is how most people out there are like. Dream about getting to a place but clueless about what u'll do there....

I can only wonder.. these guys are almost 18... ready to vote, to decide who leads the country. Yet the actions look so immature. Would love to see some comments.


P.S: No offense intended against any individual, only against the people, as a group, and against the system :P