Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has been winning hearts and turning heads with his fit and muscular body for decades. From his shirtless look in ‘Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya’ (1998) to now, at almost 60, Salman still looks strong and sharp. So, what is the secret behind his amazing fitness? His trainer of over 20 years, Rakkesh R Uddiyar, once shared the inside scoop.Salman’s old-school workoutThe ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ follows a classic bodybuilding routine called the giant set. In an earlier interview with Live Mint, Rakkesh revealed, “Salman Khan follows an old-school, typical bodybuilding regime called the giant set. He performs about 10 different variations of chest exercises, such as inclines, push-ups, fly and more.”This means he does one exercise after another without stopping, except when moving from one to the next. Rakkesh explains, “We start with one exercise, and he moves to the next without a break. The only rest he takes is when walking from one exercise to another. This is a very intense workout called HIIT, with no rest in between. He doesn’t do heavy weightlifting but focuses on volume training. He will drink water in between.”No long breaks, just quick walksYou might think breaks are important, but Salman’s trainer says short rests are enough. “If you are walking from one exercise to another, it hardly takes 30 seconds, which is fundamentally enough rest. HIIT makes you sweat, tires you out faster and burns more calories in a shorter time.”Salman keeps his workouts short and sharp. “He believes that you should be done with your workout within 45 minutes to 1 hour; it is scientifically correct,” says Rakkesh.Training six days a weekThe ‘Kick’ actor is very consistent. “Salman Bhai usually works out 6 days, one day he takes rest. Somedays when he is shooting an action scene or dancing too much, we might compromise on cardio but weight training still remains, without a doubt.”He listens to his body and adjusts his training. “Even before I entered the industry, Salman had been training. He has been working out for the last 30-40 years. He knows and understands his body well. He listens to it. He trains aggressively when a body shot is required and takes it easy when needed.”Early morning cardio and weight training every dayThe ‘Dabangg’ star starts his day with fasted cardio right after waking up. “Early morning after he wakes up, he does fasted cardio. He finishes his weight training whenever he finds time– before the shoot, after the shoot, or even during the shoot. But, he has to get it done. Without weight training and cardio, he won’t sleep!”The power of ‘Ghar Ka Khana’The ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ star’s diet is simple but effective. He prefers home-cooked food made by his mother, Salma Khan. “He only eats home food, cooked by his mother. No matter what food you bring him, he would say, ‘Ghar ka khana do. Mummy ne jo banaya wahi khana lagao. Wahi khaunga (I will eat home-cooked food, made by my mom).’”His meals are balanced and healthy. “In the morning, he has porridge, eggs, and fruits. In the afternoon, he eats home-cooked food, either fish or chicken.”Salman is careful about what he eats. “Salman takes some rice and prefers more vegetables. His salads are a priority. When preparing for an action scene, he starts reducing his food intake two months in advance. Once the shoot is done, he returns to his normal diet. There is no particular diet plan. He is a healthy eating guy,” says Rakkesh.Cheat meals are allowed, but in moderationEven the fittest people enjoy treats, and Salman is no different. He has a cheat meal once a week but keeps it controlled. “He has a cheat meal once a week, but his calorie intake never exceeds 2000 calories. ‘Isse upar maine kabhi dekha hi nahi hai unhe khate huye.’”On the work front, Salman was last seen in A.R. Murugadoss’ film ‘Sikandar’, which also starred Rashmika Mandanna and Kajal Aggarwal. The film did not meet box office expectations. After its run in cinemas, it was released on OTT on 25 May.
