Sunit Jadhav’s Journey of Bodybuilding

Every successful bodybuilder goes through a process which starts with preparing himself/herself mentally to go through a transformation. For this transformation, it is very important to have a positive and motivated approach, without giving up until the goal is achieved. 

One of the commonly made mistakes is trying to bulk up in a short period of time or finding shortcuts to look beefy! 

Bulking up is an old term which was used in the 60s by some of the older bodybuilders who wanted to put on size fast. However, gaining size and weight has to be done the right way with the correct type of weight and quality muscle. Even though this might take longer to achieve, it would look much better and would last longer.

Bodybuilding as a career has been gaining importance in India in recent years. However, the process of bodybuilding isn’t easy and many fitness enthusiasts tend to make mistakes that can cause injuries keeping them out of the game for months. 

Sunit Jadhav is one of the best examples we have in India who makes us proud in the fitness industry. Here’s a short article on his life story, his struggles and how he managed to reach his goals.

How did it All Begin?

His journey began from his school days. During his 10th standard’s summer vacation his dad pushed him to join the gym and inculcate the habit of getting into a fitness routine. His father’s motto was to get his son into something more focused instead of wasting time like kids do in their vacations!

However, the younger Sunit then used to find going to the gym very boring and was hesitant in getting into the gym routine; and he also used to avoid it because working out would leave his muscles sore. He wasn’t a regular gym goer, after exercising for a month or two he quit the routine and got busy with his college schedule.

But then, as any other teenager, he noticed that his college mates who used to exercise regularly had a fit and appealing physique and a personality which stood out from the rest.

This thought inclined him towards getting back to the fitness routine and here on his journey towards bodybuilding began.

Getting Into Bodybuilding

Since his father was also a fitness enthusiast, Sunit had good genetics and his body started showing substantial results in just 6 months. That’s when his coach- Mr. Nayan Paradkar advised him to consider bodybuilding competitions. Sunit was unaware of ‘bodybuilding’ in general, but he accepted his advice and thought of preparing himself for the competition which was being held in the near future, then. 

And very soon, to his own surprise, he stood 9th in that bodybuilding competition. This motivated him and gave him a boost to train further for bodybuilding, there was no looking back from thereafter!

From then till date, it has been more than 16 years since he is a professional bodybuilder.

‘Overcoming Challenges is What Makes Life Meaningful!’

During his initial days, he was working on a salary of just Rs. 2500 for four hours of training. Things weren’t easy back then, but he didn’t give up, gradually his salary started increasing to Rs. 10,000 and so on. Maintaining the body and helping his family financially, together was a difficult phase. 

Moreover, a few years before his Mr. India Championship, Sunit was facing a major financial crunch in his personal life. However, his wife stood by him as a rock and completely supported his bodybuilding career regardless of these difficult times. 

Bodybuilding as a career is definitely not easy, and financially it is an expensive field. But, Sunit has been extremely focused and driven towards making his way through all the ups and downs, to continue his passion for fitness.

His secret mantra in life is to be extremely focused, dedicated, driven and passionate about your goal, without getting distracted. He says, “If you work hard, make sure you don’t get distracted and stay focused on your goal. You will definitely achieve what you dream for!”

Here’s his message to India’s young bodybuilders, “There’s no shortcut in bodybuilding, you have to be consistent and climb various levels of fitness step by step. You might face losses if you opt for shortcuts here, so make sure to take the advice and suggestions of your trainers, seniors or masters because their experience can be helpful to you in many ways.”

Sunit Jadhav Makes Us Proud

Here’s a list of some of the many competitions Sunit has won and made us all proud:

Bodybuilding sports achievements-

International Achievements: 

1. Won Gold Medal in 100kg. Amateur Olympia 2021 and Overall Champion- held in Goregaon, Bombay Exhibition Center, NESCO from 3rd to 5th December, 2021.
2. Won Gold Medal & ‘Champion Of Champion’ Title in (90 Kgs Category) ‘Mr. Asia Championship’ held in Balewadi, Pune from 2nd to 7th October, 2018.
3. ​Won (Overall Champion) of ‘Mr. Dubai Indian International’ Invitational Competition held in Dubai from 29th to 30th January, 2016.
4. Won Bronze Medal in ‘Mr. Asia Championship’ (90 Kgs Category) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 29th October to 5th  November, 2015.
5. ​Won Bronze Medal in ‘Mr. World Championship’ (80 Kgs Category) held in Mumbai, India on 9th December 2014. 

National and State-Level Achievement: 

1. Won Gold Medal (90 Kgs Category) and ‘Champion of Champion Title’ in ‘Mr. India’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu from 29th to 31st March, 2019.
2. Won Gold Medal (90 Kgs Category) and ‘1st Runner Up’ in ‘Mr. India’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Pune, Maharashtra  from 23rd to 25th March, 2018.
3. Won Gold Medal (90 Kgs Category) and ‘Champion of Champion Title’ in ‘Satish Sugars Classic’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Belgaum, Karnataka from 15th to 17th Dec, 2017.
4. Won ‘1st Runner Up’ in ‘Talwalkars Classique’ All India Invitational Senior Men’s Bodybuilding Championship held in Sion, Mumbai on 28th November, 2017.
5. Won Gold Medal (90 Kgs Category) and ‘Champion of Champion Title’ in ‘Mr. India’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Gurugram, Haryana from 2nd to 4th March , 2017.
6. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs Category) and ‘Champion of Champion Title’ in ‘Mr. India’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Roha, Maharashtra from 11th to 13th April, 2016.
7. Won Silver Medal (85 Kgs Category) and Most Improved Body Builder in ‘Mr. India Senior National Bodybuilding Championship’ held in Gandhidham, Gujarat from March, 2015.
8. Won Silver Medal (80 Kgs Category) in ‘Mr. India’ Senior National Bodybuilding Championship held in Pune, Maharashtra from 24th  March, to 26th March, 2014.
9. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs category) and ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Federation Cup’ held in Ludhiana, Punjab from 4th March, 2014 to 5th March, 2014.
10. Won Gold Medal (80 Kgs Category) and was adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’; Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Andheri, Mumbai in, 2014. 
11. Won Gold Medal (85 Kg Category) and was Adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’; Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Wadala, Mumbai in 2015.
12. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs Category) and was Adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’ Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Kolhapur in 2016.
13. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs Category) and was Adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’; Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Thane in 2017.
14. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs Category) and was Adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’; Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Bandra (Mumbai) in 2018.
15. Won Gold Medal (85 Kgs Category) and was Adjudged ‘Overall Champion’ in ‘Maharashtra Shree’; Maharashtra State Bodybuilding Championship held in Titwala in 2019.

Future Plans in Bodybuilding 

After winning the Gold Medal in 100kg Amateur Olympia 2021 and Overall Championship (held in Goregaon, Bombay Exhibition Center) and receiving  IFBB Pro card; Sunit is now training under the well-known Pro Creator and Olympia maker- Hany Rambod; who has also trained 7 times Olympia winner Phil Heath. Sunit will soon travel to California to get trained under him and to prepare for the Pro Competitions.

Sunit’s Financial Planning for Bodybuilding

Time and again Sunit has been mentioning that bodybuilding is an expensive field, for the bodybuilder himself. Preparing for competitions needs thousands of rupees per month as an investment for the body. The expenses include protein intake, supplements, different dietary requirements etc. depending on your body weight. For example- a man weighing 50-60kg would need to spend Rs. 35000 – Rs. 50,000 per month on the expenses. 

If a bodybuilder needs to spend so much during the competition months, that means he/she needs to earn double the amount during the off-season. Sunit makes sure to earn enough money through personal training in the off-season so that he is financially prepared for the upcoming expenses during the competitions.

He says, “Waiting for sponsorship or picking up a loan puts a burden on a bodybuilder, pre-planning can help in managing the expenses not just for the competitions but also to support personal/family expenses, without regretting later on.”

Personal Workout Routine

Getting prepared for a top-level bodybuilding competition requires a low, moderate and high-intensity cardiovascular workout routine. A well-planned workout routine paired with the right diet goes a long way in helping him get the ideal muscular and aesthetic body.

He focuses on one muscle group during one workout. For example- one day he will focus on quadriceps, on the second day on hamstrings and calf, and on the other day it would be deltoids. Sunit works out 2 times a day- 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening each time. During competitions, he does an additional 1 hour cardio by jogging outdoors. 

Sunit advises to concentrate on your own body and physical appeal as a trainer, because people sign up for the training session looking at the trainer’s body. So, your body should speak for the hard work and training you put in.

He takes a limited number of clients/students for personal training because he believes if he takes in more students/clients then he might not be able to dedicate enough time for each one of them in his busy schedule and that would not help them in reaching their fitness goals. Rather, concentrating on limited students dedicatedly can be helpful for them.

His Bodybuilding Diet

Sunit’s meals mainly consist of planned food items that effectively aid him with his workout goals as below. His diet is usually divided into 6-8 meals per day. While preparing for competitions his diet is usually broken in 8 meals per day and on other days it is 6 meals per day. 

Sunit’s diet is high on protein with around 1 Kg Chicken or 40 eggs and 600 grams of chicken per day, where he makes sure to utilize that amount of protein by working out to that level. During competitions he eats 900 grams of Tilapia fish. Whereas, in the off-season, he incorporates carbs into his diet. Following is the break-up of his diet:

• Egg whites for Fast and slow digestive protein for muscle recovery.
• Tilapia Fish is a freshwater fish and is the best source for lean protein.
• Semolina for fast digestive carbs for glycogen refill.
• Cashew and almonds for healthy fat to prevent catabolism in sleep.
• Fruits and salad for digestive enzymes and fiber to boost metabolism rate.

Quick Advice for Supplements

Supplements such as Whey Protein, Glutamine, Amino-Acids, Multi-vitamins, and micro-nutrients should be taken by bodybuilders or people preparing for bodybuilding. Pre-workout supplements may turn out to be an addiction, and he advises to go in for the workout without a pre-workout supplement and exercise to one’s full potential.

Simple post-workout carbs and proteins can be incorporated in the post-workout diet, such as bananas or eggs.

Sunit aims to become an International Champion to make India proud and leave a mark in the fitness industry worldwide. His story has been extremely inspiring and motivating not just for fitness enthusiasts but for every Indian. We are proud to have him on board as our brand ambassador and look forward to continuing to bring the fitness revolution in our country together!