Every now and then, fans and especially males always wonder how Bollywood actors get so shaped up and look so good on-screen!

 

Some even say certain actors ‘abs’ look super fake and that the actors never work out. Well that’s all wrong! We wanted to clear that up as one particular guy has been the man behind these workouts and diets. A man who never dreamed of being able to train some of the biggest actors in Bollywood and starting his own gyms where actors can train and work out. And now today he is one of the Bollywood’s well known trainers! We sat down with Prashant Sawant, the Trainer behind the Bollywood ABS! A Personal trainer to Shah Rukh Khan,Ajay Devgan,Abhishek Bachchan,Varun Dhavan and many more! Growing up in a 10 ft-by-10 ft room in a Dahisar chawl along with nine others in his joint family, career planning or guidance were concepts alien to Prashant and his two brothers. Now today he runs gyms, trains and is on his way to start a new family!

Besides Shah Rukh, he also trains celebrities like Hemant Trivedi, Aftab Shivdasani, Vipul Shah, Sharman Joshi and Nikhil Dwivedi. Check out our interview with Prashant Sawant.

“A personal trainer is like a doctor,” said Prashant. “You need to understand that you’re playing with someone’s body. So, you need to understand that person’s body completely.” – Prashant Sawant

How did you land your first deal when you started training with Bollywood Celebs?

Prashant Sawant: I started training 20 years back. I was a fatso back then but I wanted to get into the correct physique so I joined a nearby gym and within a year transformed my body. I was so mesmerized with the transformation that I decided on starting to train people to bring about the same transformation that I had witnessed.

I got a trainer’s job and started training people. Everyone liked my way of training , my way of understanding their body and working towards their desired physique..things were pretty much the same until one day when I got a call from SRK’S office that he was coming down at the gym and that he wanted me to train him. I was startled but trained him anyways. He liked my way of training and my perception of what fitness is. He had a knee surgery back then so I planned the workouts keeping that in mind while making it a point to ensure that he achieved his goal and demands. Shahrukh was very impressed by that and from that point onwards started training with me.

If not training or working out, what does Prashant Sawant do in his spare time?

Prashant Sawant: Well, I don’t really get spare time but whenever I do I indulge in reading and improving my knowledge about fitness, I plan different result oriented workouts and work towards the development of my personal training studio “bodysculptor”. I even like working out in my free time.

You recently trained SRK for HNY, and many people were denying that his abs weren’t real and he recently he showed at GOOGLE HQ it is True and showed off his abs , what was your first reaction to reading the story in the news about how folks thought it was not real (his abs)?

Prashant Sawant: I was actually very shocked and disappointed in the beginning but when you have truth by your side what have you to worry about? I personally know SRK for the past 20 years and we really have worked very hard to achieve his current physique. SRK had a shoulder injury because of which we were doing rehab training and when he was just about to recover he met with an other accident on the sets, where he again hurt his shoulder and knee. That moment and time was very disappointing for us but we didn’t loose hope , we were determined.

And so we started training again. Rehab and different and difficult types of workouts along with the correct eating pattern . we have trained at odd hours and at odd places but never missed our workouts.

SRK is the perfect example , for anyone who wants to achieve fitness . even at this age he never complained about anything but rigorously followed his workouts and has achieved his perfectly defined set of abs . I am proud of being his trainer.

When you started of training actors in Bollywood – what was one common tip you gave to everyone?

Prashant Sawant: Determination and commitment is the key word here. I have trained many celebs and call it my good luck none of them have ever gone back off what I ask of them. They follow their workouts and maintain a proper diet and we together work it out to achieve the demands of their roles.

Many people always ask how do these actors stay in shape all the time and whats the secret. Give us a few tips on what one should do if they want to build that 6 pack ab? And for ladies what should they do?

Prashant Sawant:  Workout at least 4 times a week and maintains a healthy, balanced and a nutritious diet. There isn’t anything magical about an actor staying in shape , they work towards it constantly. they workout in all conditions. On, off, before , during shoots at 2 in the morning or at 4. They rigorously follow their diets too. That’s what is keeping them in shape. You can achieve that too, provided you work towards it. Six packs are a dedicated effort. The trainer, training and the eating pattern all matters when it comes to achieving this ripped avatar.

What is your normal diet plan for anyone who wants to get into shape? Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner?

Prashant Sawant: 

1. breakfast : oats and eggs along with a fruit (calcium with vitamin d3 100-1500 IU)
2. lunch; grilled chicken breast with whole wheat pasta and veggies ( MULTIVITAMIN )
3. dinner: chicken stir fry with broccoli mushroom and snow peas ( OMEGA-3 TAB )

When you work out with an actor have they ever gave you tips?

Prashant Sawant: No , I always discuss the workouts with my clients according to their demands and we all share a good rapport so there hasn’t been a time like that.

If you wanted to train a Hollywood actor, who would it be and why?

Prashant Sawant: I would consider myself lucky if I ever get the opportunity to train in Hollywood . I would personally like to bring about a transformation in Leonardo Di Caprio and Tom Cruise and help them achieve that benchmark level of fitness; as of SRK’S.

What motivates you to become a trainer?

Prashant Sawant: I HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR 20 YEARS. I have handled different clients, apart from training celebrities I have also trained a person who had just got up from coma, people who have had severe back problems, who were obese and also people who have undergone multiple surgeries, seeing the progress that they make and how healthier they become , how my training brings about a transformation in their lives all of this makes me feel blessed and motivates me to train better.

So we also hear that your wife is a trainer and you met her at the gym. How did that happen, falling in love at the gym! Best way to catch a girls attention.

Prashant Sawant: That is the best thing that has happened in my life. Maya is also a sports nutritionist apart from being a trainer. She has been with me through my ups and downs. We initially started off our career’s together and started our personal training studio “bodysculptor”; and over the time feel for each other and are now happily married.

We read that you and SRK worked together on a game plan for his role in Om Shanti Om as he was wanting to bring back his look and you have been working with him over the years. Tell us how the plan occurred and how did he approach you?

Prashant Sawant: Training SRK has been a 20 year-long affair. He was working on Chak De and at that time and we were trying to get him the ripped look, and we had this ultimatum that if we didn’t get the desired body we will not enter the gym and so we dedicately started the training. SRK trusted me and my training blindly and he once told me that he has this dream of having 6 packs abs at 40 and I was determined to make that dream come true!!

If you weren’t a trainer what would you be pursuing?

Prashant Sawant: I would have probably been working on a ship if not training.

What do you have in store as far as 2015 goes and any international program training projects for people who live outside of India?

Prashant Sawant: We want to train nationally as well as internationally. I am planning on meeting people in the US and UK to train them on appointment, also we are planning online courses on our website and developing apps and fitness programs to help people achieve fitness.

Tell us a bit about how you started the gyms you now own, what inspired you to open these up?

Prashant Sawant: SRK inspired me. He was the one who actually coerced me and helped me raise “bodysculptor– a personal training studio “

Lastly, where can people find all about tips and ideas for workouts on Prashant Sawant?

Prashant Sawant: At “Bodysculptor”

On our website or @bodysculptor.prashant@gmail.com

Phone no : 022 65210505

So if you want to look the shape then follow his steps and be sure to follow Prashant on Twitter!