Inside Sanju Samson’s intense 2-month fitness routine

Sanju Samson, the Indian cricketer, recently shared a glimpse of his intense two-month fitness routine on Instagram. The routine is described as a comprehensive program aimed at enhancing strength, speed, coordination, and body control - key attributes for a cricketer. Dr. Gazanfar Patel, a senior consultant at Wockhardt Hospitals, provided insights into the various exercises Samson was performing.

Patel emphasized that a cricketer requires more than just strength. The routine appears to focus on agility, coordination, and the ability to control body movements during rapid changes in position. Running drills contribute to cardiovascular fitness and movement efficiency. Jumping jacks add a full-body workout, improving coordination and agility. Lateral pull exercises work the upper back and shoulder muscles, crucial for maintaining shoulder stability.

Barbell shoulder raises/pulls are designed to build upper-body strength. A unique exercise involves holding weights while stepping onto a chair, essentially a weighted step-up. This exercise targets one leg at a time and challenges the hips, knees, and ankles to generate and control force - a valuable skill for cricket. Other exercises focus on the quadriceps and glutes, building lower-limb strength.

A seated balancing exercise serves as a core-stability drill, requiring abdominal, hip, and lower-back muscles to work together in maintaining balance.

The relevance of balance and stability for a cricketer was highlighted by Patel. Cricket involves repeated acceleration, sudden stops, jumping, landing, twisting, and changes in direction. Strength alone is insufficient. The ability to control that strength is vital for joint protection, and good core and lower-limb stability can enhance movement control and potentially reduce the risk of common sports injuries affecting the knee, ankle, hamstring, and lower back.

Regarding the feasibility for others to replicate such workouts, Dr. Patel cautioned against copying the weights or intensity from a professional athlete's training. Instead, workouts should be scaled according to the individual's age, fitness level, technique, and prior injuries. For the average person, maintaining correct form and gradually progressing should be prioritized over lifting heavier weights.