Devrath Vijay on Varun Dhawan's training: Animal flow is a body-weight movement that focuses on transition

Varun Dhawan practiced animal flow to regain his strength post COVID-19

Devrath Vijay admits that when Varun Dhawan was tackling COVID-19, "he was in a pretty bad state". Testing negative for the virus after weeks was only one part of the battle. "He had told me that what people don't realise about this disease is that following the week or two of isolation, recovery is also compromised. In the initial few days that we began training, the hours that we could put in were dramatically reduced," says Vijay, the man responsible for teaching Dhawan the animal flow routine that has caught the attention of netizens. Dhawan is among the early proponents of the movement pattern that aims to replicate the way animals move.

"Animal flow is a body-weight movement discipline that [focuses] on transitions, and the positions you acquire when you are on all fours [palms and knees]. It drives attention to the muscles rarely targeted during traditional training. Flexibility enables you to increase muscle length. But this format also enhances mobility, and the ability to transition from one movement into another. One strengthens muscles and the joints in the end range [maximally stretched], and then trains them to facilitate movement directly. It gave us the opportunity to improve his movement quality, because he needed an athletic build for his next, Bhediya."

Varun Dhawan

Vijay was brought on board to enable Dhawan to acquire a lean avatar. And while he admits that the controlled movements associated with the regimen may not seem likely to bring about cardiovascular changes linked with weight loss, he says the actor has spent sufficient time learning the tropes to derive such benefits. "Like dance choreography, we broke the movements down to teach him the basics, like the bear or the crab [crawl]. After weeks of consistent practice, once the quality of movement improves and the moves are internalised, one can get into flows lasting 20 to 30 minutes, thereby building endurance." Vijay also trained him to sprint, conducted flexibility drills targeted at opening the thoracic and hip flexors, mayofacial release and deep-tissue massage. He also monitored his nutritional needs.

That Dhawan consistently trains and practices sports implies he could seamlessly learn the form, but achieving the desired result was time-consuming.

Devrath Vijay

"He has been hitting the gym, and has significant strength. But this required a different [set of skills]. It needed him to hold his weight in challenging positions, and then flow into other positions. Following his recovery, it was a suitable regimen to take to before making him jump into heavy weight-lifting routines. Since the focus in this routine is on breathing, spinal articulation and opening up the thoracic region, it increases the space available for the lungs. We noticed that he was recovering faster. I was training him regularly, and day after day, we could see him regain his strength."

Water therapy

When Waheeda Rahman wanted to seek treatment for a chronic lower back ache and issues related to spondylitis, she decided to head to the city-based AcqaCentric and give a go at water therapy. Apart from advice from friends, Rahman was coaxed to try the form when she read about its benefits.

"They make you walk up and down in lukewarm water, and it is a relieving experience. It reduced my pain significantly," says the actor, who saw benefits in as little as two weeks.

Having a medical advisor appropriately understand the issues plaguing a patient is half the battle won, she alludes. "I liked it so much that I even recommended it to Asha Parekh and Abu Jani, apart from other friends."

For the veteran actor, a lifetime has been spent practicing yoga. "I've spent over 40 years doing so and, apart from me, my family also practices it."

Tricks to maintain good health across decades, she says, can be reduced to the basics - coupling yoga with a good exercise regimen, and following an eating pattern that is disciplined. "I eat everything in moderation, but do not do so frequently. I love sweets, but must consume it [sparingly]. But, there is no point in being paranoid and refusing to eat too much."

Sticks and nan-chak

When Adah Sharma was encouraged to learn an art form for a film, she was certain she wanted to draw attention to an Indian one, instead of popularising a foreign form. "There are so many art forms in India that haven't been tapped into. What I learnt is the silambam, which, in North India, is called the lathi. After that, in the lockdown, I learnt to use the nan-chak. I was inspired by Bruce Lee's videos."

The flair with which Sharma tackles the equipment is worthy of attention. The actor attributes her ability to learn the skills to her training in kalaripayatu and MMA since the age of four, apart from a childhood spent learning Kathak.

"If you learn a dance form, you can learn other skills faster. Learning Kathak helped me develop hand-to-eye coordination. That co-ordination is what helped me learn these skills. My [mentor] would make us perform 100 circles each day, both clockwise and anti-clockwise. It is owing to that training that I built the kind of stamina that I have today."

Sharma admits that she has developed a "thick skin" after being bruised by the sport, but counts it among the most meditative experiences. "If your mind wavers, you will miss a move and hurt yourself. When you attempt such forms, it is your mental grit that plays a bigger role than physical abilities."

6 hours
Time invested by her in training for Silambam