Packing a Punch

“My day begins with a morning run at 6 am,which is followed by a heavy breakfast. It used to be different during my training days – the morning run was followed by a very light snack of biscuits and a two-hour long intense workout session,called endurance training to improve my stamina strength and running. It was then followed by a breakfast of a minimum of four eggs,bread,butter,jam,fruits and milk. While now I maintain the same routine as far as my breakfast is concerned,I have reduced the quantity of the various products,” he says. Working full-time at his industrial unit at Hadapsar,Pingale says that a heavy breakfast ensures that he remains full till lunch time,which is a lighter affair.

During his boxing days,he would train for a second time from 11 am to 1 pm. “The second session would consist of hand and weight training. That is mostly done to improve the efficiency of the punches,to be thrown at opponents. It is a very demanding training method for which any boxer needs to ensure that he or she is able to endure it,” he says. Lunch for him is a simple affair of home cooked vegetables,dal,rice and chapatis. Back in the old days,it consisted of roughly the same meal along with non-vegetarian dishes and fruits. He says,“Training facilities in the state are yet to develop,and as a result,we do not see many boxers from the state making it to the national and international scene. Even earlier,everything that used to be done was more of an effort on the part of the boxers and less on the part of the state federation. Maharashtra,which used to be amongst the top two states as far as boxing is concerned,has now slipped in ranking to sixth or seventh.”

Pingale says that beverages like tea and coffee slow down the body metabolism and should be avoided as far as possible. “Meditation and breathing exercises help a lot in ensuring that the daily work load that we endure is balanced out and that there is a harmonious association between the body and the mind. It also keeps you fresh and stress-free.”

Pingale’s third session was actual boxing. “In the evening,we would have a proper boxing practice. It included sparring,learning new boxing techniques and also practising them in the ring.”

A dramatic change that has taken over his current lifestyle is the reversal of his dinner habits. “Earlier,dinner was the heaviest meal that consisted of unlimited non-vegetarian food,soups,vegetables,rice,chapatis and dal. Now it is only about eating a very light meal comprising one vegetable and a couple of chapatis,” he says.

Pingale, who won five gold medals and one bronze medal and participated in two Asian Games and one Commonwealth Games,is a 1993 Arjuna Award winner. “Coaching young boxers is my way of giving back to the game that gave me so much. Battling all odds and landing that knockout punch on all your problems to eventually win is what boxing is all about,” he smiles.