With the expectations of 1.4 billion Indians resting on his shoulders, Neeraj Chopra has become a national icon following his historic gold medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics. As an ace javelin thrower, Chopra's journey to success is demanding, requiring rigorous fitness levels and a specific diet regimen to maintain peak performance. Known for his dedication to training and a strict diet, the Tokyo Olympic champion is all set for the match today.

Chopra's training includes extensive work with medicine balls and focuses heavily on strength training, especially for his arms and elbows. To ensure these areas are in optimal condition, he incorporates cable pull exercises that target the shoulders, elbows, and arm muscles. Strengthening his shoulders further, he performs front and side lifts with dumbbells. His core is conditioned through Swiss ball crunches and lying oblique crunches, while leg lifts with a focus on the hamstrings help improve his sprinting speed.

Chopra's daily gym routine also features exercises like squats, snatches, weighted lunges, and timed circuits. In a recent addition, he has incorporated the Tabata workout, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) regimen. This workout consists of a circuit of ten different exercises, performed for 20 seconds each at high intensity, followed by 10-15 seconds of rest. The Tabata workout is an excellent cardio circuit for burning calories and boosting post-exercise calorie burn, known as the afterburn effect. This addition to his routine was made after Chopra gained some weight during a short break following the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The intense training regimen demands an effective recovery system. Neeraj Chopra utilizes ice baths, contrast baths (alternating between warm and cold water), deep tissue release, and eight to ten hours of sleep daily to stay refreshed. His ability to sleep well aids this process. Alongside hard work, Neeraj has also gained the experience to train smarter—a crucial adjustment after undergoing elbow surgery in 2019. Elbow injuries can be particularly concerning for javelin throwers, as full extension of the elbow often isn’t regained post-surgery.

Chopra's diet is rich in fruits and proteins, essential for muscle building and maintaining a healthy body fat percentage. He supplements his diet with additional protein to meet his daily requirements.

Breakfast: Chopra starts his day with 3 to 4 egg whites, two pieces of bread, a bowl of dalia, and fruits.

Lunch: His midday meal includes curd rice, pulses, salad, and either grilled chicken or salmon fish.

Dinner: For dinner, Chopra prefers a lighter meal comprising soup, boiled vegetables, and fruits.

As he prepares for upcoming competitions, the nation watches with high hopes, eager to see more remarkable achievements from this sporting icon.

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