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A mind, muscle chess game

Photo: T. Saravanan

Rhythmic Streching out to stay fit

The flexibility and extreme agility of the fencers and the fitness level achieved by the players of this ancient game of swordsmanship always struck me. I am also tempted to gain some quick reflexes and reach the fencing floor inside the Race Course grounds one fine afternoon.

With my restricted knowledge about the game – mostly gathered from scenes of hard fought duels in historical movies — I stay calm inside the arena as the cling clang noise of swords clashing take centre stage. In no time I am totally immersed in the elegant movements of the participants and suddenly the district fencing coach G. Nagasubramanian breaks my trance.

“Fencing is purely a mind, muscle, chess game where all the three laws of Newton have to be applied with stretching and sudden spurt in speed playing a vital role. Both mind and body have to be in perfect shape to achieve desirable results,” he explains.

I realise it is not easy to play this game of simultaneous moves — my mind has to be in extreme alert to tackle and keep record of rival’s moves and at the same time plan out a perfect attack.

To be in a good frame of mind, Mr. Nagasubramanian, advises 15 minutes meditation daily followed by warm up exercises and a running session.

Since fencing demands a lot of energy and puts shoulder muscles under immense stress, the coach suggests me to do specific drills to strengthen the area. I am asked to hold both hands together and then push it in front, lift upward and then bring them down backward.

After I do this routine for around five to seven minutes, I move on to the next routine that is to walk on the toes. Like a trained ballet dancer, Mr. Nagasubramanian demonstrates this workout, which seem easier to watch rather than done. The following exercise is even harder as he asks me to walk on my heel. “These exercises will strengthen your leg thereby improving your balance that will ultimately help you to endure,” he reasons out. There are also workouts to cut down the flab on my abdomen and hip. I bend my body sideways and in front repeatedly to touch the toes to reduce the appendages. To strengthen my ankle, he directs me to rotate it clockwise and anti-clockwise.

Last on the fitness regime is the running. He assesses my running pace and increases it by 40 per cent as I move on. “If all these routines are faithfully followed in strict accordance with the proper diet, you might lose anywhere around 600 calories every day,” he says. The real action starts only after this workout session. But I am not yet ready for it. For further details dial 9994452031 for Mr. Nagasubramanian.

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