India's mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton believes “fitness is an attitude.”
Speaking here on Saturday, he said, “If you are training because somebody tells you to train, then it's difficult. But if you're training because it's the right thing to do and you want to be disciplined, then it becomes easier.”
Upton added, “We recognise that fitness is not the culture in India. One needs the awareness. Once you have the awareness then you can start doing anything. Fitness is everything, from having energy to remaining injury-free to to be able to perform in back-to-back ODIs.”
He said players who understood training performed their fitness routines even when they were not with the team. “Players can continue the same routines when they go home, stay in touch by telephone and email.”
On Yuvraj
Upton said Yuvraj Singh, who lost his place in the Test side, faced a huge challenge from a mental perspective. “Some of the biggest mental challenges in a sport is: 1. you get injured; 2. you get dropped; 3. you have a low run of form. That's when the individual's character is really tested. There's a natural process you go through of disappointment and frustration, sometimes even wanting to give up. But to move through that as quickly as possible is what we try and teach.”
He was all praise for Suresh Raina. “He is one of the guys who goes about his business the right way, he does the right stuff. And a guy like that is going to prevail.”
