Shah Rukh Khan’s trainer Prashant Sawant talks about King Khan being fit at 50
Lisa Antao (DNA; January 31, 2016)
When one is in charge of training one of the biggest movie stars in the country, that’s a huge repsonsibility. Prashant Sawant has been training Shah Rukh Khan for around 18 years now, and even accompanies the Badshah on his shoots abroad. Besides SRK, he has worked with many celebs like Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt to name some. So when and how did he come about to train SRK? “After Koyla (1997), SRK had suffered a knee injury. He would come to the gym to workout and saw me around, got talking and that’s how I began training him since then,” recalls Sawant.Fit at 50
“SRK is fit even at 50 as his metabolic rate is good, he works out well and he’s like an athlete. He wants to look good and he’s dedicated towards his goal,” states his trainer.
Diet
“He is not a foodie so keeping track of what he eats is easy. He follows a high-protein, low-carb diet, and likes grilled chicken, tandoori chicken and salads, and doesn’t indulge in junk food. Even if he’s on vacation, he doesn’t let go of eating healthy,” adds Sawant.
Getting fit
Was SRK fitter when he was younger or is he fitter now? Hasn’t his age slowed him down a bit? “I’ve not seen a great difference in his fitness levels back then and now, his fitness levels have more or less been consistent. He was fit back when he was younger and he’s fit now as well. Age hasn’t affected his stamina,” declares Prashant. “I make him do lots of circuit training, high intensity workouts, cardio, etc. He works out for 45 minutes, usually four times a week but it can also go up to seven days a week depending on the look for his films,” adds Prashant.
Working out, six-pack abs and bonding with Aryan
The actor always listens to his trainer. As for his workouts, the 50-year-old begins with a warm-up, then the main workouts with chest workouts, using machines. He likes doing chest, back and ab workouts. Special strategic workouts are chalked out by Sawant, if SRK requires a six-pack for a particular movie. “And because he’s already fit and the base is already there, he doesn’t need to struggle to get six-pack abs,” says Prashant. There’s no fixed time during which SRK works out. Says Sawant, “His funda is simple: He likes to work-out when his mind is free, after he’s done shooting. Usually around 2 am to 3 am. He sleeps for about four to six hours, and that’s enough for him. SRK loves spending time with his kids, and since the age of two, Aryan has been hanging around in the gym while his father is working out. Now Aryan has grown up and wants to build a good body and so he too, has been training along with his dad since a year. This way, they get to spend quality time together.”
