Opening Doorz

Opening Doorz Editorial | March 21, 2018

Adrian D’Souza on his workout routine, eating habits and spiritual quotient…

Workout Routine
I wish I could say I am a natural and don’t need to work-out regularly. However, even if I was a natural, at a professional level nothing replaces hard work. Having said that, I work-out five days a week. As a goalkeeper, my body needs to be agile and flexible so I work more on reflexes, agility, speed and core strengthening. While more focus is placed on ladder workouts, endurance and strength cannot be skipped; so it’s incorporated at least two days in a week. Like all top athletes, a goalkeeper also spends a good four hours a day of competitive training on the field.

Eating Habits
As it’s rightly said that to be in good health, follow the 80/20 rule— 80 percent concentration on diet and 20 percent on exercise. As professional players, we spend a lot of time away from home, so it’s very important for us to eat right and on time which is aligned with our training schedule. Breakfast being the most important meal of the day, post training I have eggs for proteins and bananas for energy. Oatmeal is also a good source and is easy to digest. Lunch is simple and light—a combination of chapattis and vegetables and lots of green salads. Have to avoid rice on days we train in the evening as well. Post training, dinner again is very light with salad, a bit of protein like chicken and some carbs in any form.  Most importantly, our never forget mantra is “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.” Water throughout the day!

Spiritual Quotient
My life mantra is simple: “Practice like you’ve never won… Perform like you’ve never lost.”  Mind over Body is the name of the game. For a goalkeeper, it’s 70 per cent mind and balance is physical. We have a strong need to stay focused and calm while facing the constant attacks of the opponents. Yes, being nervous is natural for any athlete but using that feeling and turning it into a perfect adrenaline rush on the field does wonders to achieve the right match temperament.  Music is an integral part of my life. As it’s rightly said, sports without music is just a game, music adds the emotion. I listen to music before every game; it relaxes me a lot. In my spare time I do watch a lot of movies of various genres but comedy is my favorite.

(Adrian D’Souza is a former India hockey goalkeeper who took on the rival forwards with his uniquely-developed ‘rushing out’ technique that foiled many attacks on the Indian goal at the international arena. A dare-devil, so to say, when it came to guarding his goal, Adrian is currently in Lucknow representing Air India at the 8^th National Hockey Championship.)

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