Mohanlal’s trainer, Aynus Antony, spills the beans on the actor’s high-intensity workout videos that have been trending on social media
The first time Aynus Antony met Mohanlal, he was floored. “I forgot that I was to train him. It took me a couple of minutes to regain my senses,” he says.
Having trained the actor for four years, Aynus says he is still in awe of the superstar. “His energy is remarkably high. There is nothing Lalettan [Mohanlal] cannot do. He never asks questions; never doubt and never says no to working out, however strenuous the session might be.”
Mohanlal with his fitness instructor Aynus Antony
Mohanlal has been sharing videos of his high-intensity fitness regimen — from lifting weights, doing battle ropes to bench press — on social media, motivating fans to “keep exercising every day for a healthy mind and healthy body”. His routine workout sessions last about one-and-a-half hours, says Aynus, adding that they are often at the end of a day’s shoot.
“On a normal session, we start with warm-up and stretching. Core conditioning and balancing are absolutely essential too. We also add progressively overloaded forms of resistance training on most workout days,” Aynus says.
Aynus’ tips on fitness
- A balanced diet — fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, complete proteins and healthy fats like fish oils and flax seeds
- Hydration — Drink three to four liters of water a day
- Fat loss — Think of food as fuel and stop calorie counting
- Walk — At least 5,000 steps a day
A friend introduced Aynus to Mohanlal in 2018 when he was shooting for Priyadarshan’s period film Marakkar. “We had to build his core strength to increase stamina for the character, since there were a lot of action scenes involved. It helped that he was extremely flexible, but we did special cardio workouts for two muscle groups.”
Mohanlal usually discusses his characters with Aynus, who helps him get physically toned for the roles. “While marakkar required strength, Drishyam needed him to be fit. He played a family man and there was no need to have a bulky body,” says Aynus, adding, “He understands the plan I have for his fitness and works towards it.”
“Lalettan is known for being the first to reach the sets during a shoot and probably one of the last to leave. He shows the same dedication for his workouts as well. During the shoot of marakkar, Lalettan came in at 10 pm. In between, I saw him dozing off. He was exhausted after a long day and yet showed up for training. It was only after I told him that we could take it easy that he left,” says Aynus.
The duo works out together every time Mohanlal visits Kochi. “I am amazed by how Lalettan keeps up with me in terms of stamina,” says 28-year-old Aynus. “I am inspired by his impeccable work ethic. He always pushes himself to do more.” Aynus, who started working out since he was 13, has built a career as a celebrity fitness trainer who has clients around the world.
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