By: ASJAD NAZIR
HOW KRISHNA SHROFF WENT FROM A FAMOUS BOLLYWOOD FILM FAMILY TO BECOMING A FABULOUS FITNESS ICON
HER father may be a cinema legend and her brother a popular leading man, but muscle-bound fitness icon Krishna Shroff is equally heroic.
The daughter of Bollywood great Jackie Shroff and sister of action hero Tiger Shroff is a massively popular fitness influencer, who has become a strong symbol of girl power. The founder of gym chain MMA Matrix and fight-promotion company Matrix Fight Night regularly sets social media ablaze with her athletic photographs, which have inspired others to get in shape. She recently starred in a music video and hasn’t ruled out a career in front of the camera like her famous family members.
With restrictions being lifted and everyone eager to lose their lockdown weight, Eastern Eye caught up with Krishna Shroff to discuss her fantastic fitness journey, top health tips, secret to staying motivated, famous father and the art of being fabulously fearless.
What first connected you to fitness?
It’s always been in my blood. Even though I was overweight for a majority part of my childhood, I was a super athletic kid growing up. I excelled in various sports. The first time I stepped foot into a gym and discovered fitness, though, was when I was 23. There’s been no looking back since and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
How would you describe your amazing journey towards becoming a fitness influencer?
I feel nothing but gratitude. Fitness has changed my life. It’s given me a confidence and a sense of security I didn’t have in the past, as well as an identity away from the norm. It’s empowering to know that I’ve created a niche for myself through what I truly feel passionate about, and at the same time, have been able to inspire the youth of our country by helping them lead an overall healthier lifestyle.
Where have you got your drive from?
It’s pretty easy being driven if you’ve grown up in the household I have. It’s not easy being able to keep up with, let alone match up to, a sibling like mine; however, I use that as inspiration and motivation to stay disciplined and work towards my personal growth every day.
Tiger’s level of fitness is extraordinary. How much do you both inspire each other?
I can’t speak for him, but like I said, he 100 per cent inspires me to be better than I was yesterday, every single day.
What made you found Matrix Fight Night and tell us something about that?
Matrix Fight Night is a fight-promotion company my brother and I founded together in association with our fitness studio, MMA Matrix. In just two years, we’ve managed to become India’s biggest MMA promotion company and a platform for our athletes. We’ve had four shows between Mumbai and Delhi, and managed to go global with two international shows in Dubai. We’re about to have our comeback show with MFN 6 being back in Dubai this September. MFN has showcased our top Indian MMA athletes, as well as given a platform to amateur fighters, in order to showcase their talent on a bigger stage.
Tell us about your gym?
MMA Matrix was founded by Tiger and I in December of 2018. It was a passion project that has taken off immensely in the span of these two and a half years. In the midst of a pandemic, we’ve just recently managed to sign our seventh franchise. MMA Matrix is a state-of-the-art facility for our Indian athletes to use in order to take their skill set to the next level, as well as a fitness haven, dedicated to inspire and motivate the youth of our country to lead a healthier lifestyle for themselves.
What key fitness tips would you give?
Fitness is a very individual thing. What works for me might not necessarily work for someone else and it’s very important to understand that. Focus on your own path ahead and do something that will bring you closer to your goal every day, and I promise you that nothing is unattainable.
What advice would you give to those beginning their fitness journey?
Pretty much the same thing I just said. Fitness is a game of trial and error, so don’t be afraid to take risks in order to find out what works best for you.
How important is diet?
Diet is key. You can work your ass off at the gym every single day and put in the work, but if you’re not disciplined when it comes to your nutrition, that effort won’t matter. Your diet is 70 per cent and your training is 30 per cent of the game in order to see growth or any kind of transformation.
What are key mistakes people make when it comes to health and fitness?
When it comes to training, the biggest mistake people make would have to be ego lifting. I see people at the gym trying to lift too heavy before getting their form and technique right. When it comes to nutrition, there’s just so much lack of knowledge. The most important thing that people don’t understand is that your body needs all nutrients for overall well-being. Carbs don’t make you fat and fats don’t make you fat. Overeating makes you fat.
What is the key?
The key to a successful diet plan is portion control and incorporating all the things your body craves in order to avoid ending up binging and to keep your cortisol level down (a stress hormone that causes bloating).
What according to you is the secret of staying motivated?
It doesn’t take much. Once you make fitness a lifestyle, there’s nothing quite like it. It’s a blessing to be able to train. Your health is truly your wealth. Without it, nothing in this world matters – no amount of money or fame. Once you begin to see physical changes, your mentality automatically switches and it’s one of the most empowering feelings in the world.
What is your own favourite exercise to keep in shape?
My favourite type of training would have to be strength and conditioning. I love compound lifts, as they engage the maximum amount of muscles at a time in your body. If I had to pick just one favourite, I would have to say the squat since it’s all about the booty these days.
Does your level of super fitness intimidate guys?
If it does, they probably wouldn’t have the balls to tell me it does considering I intimidate them, so no, I haven’t heard that yet. I do get a lot of appreciation for my level of fitness from them though.
Your father Jackie Shroff told me he is constantly learning from you and Tiger. What are the key life lessons you have learned from him?
Countless, but a couple of the biggest that have stuck are – silence is golden. Speak less and listen more because the only way you’ll learn, and grow is by observing and absorbing from others. I also love and absolutely admire my father’s kindness. He’s capable of making every person, no matter who they are, feel extremely special.
What is it that you most admire about your father?
What I previously mentioned, as well as the fact that he’s able to adapt to any person or setting. I’ve never heard a negative thing about him. (Laughs) Even my own friends think that he’s cooler than me.
What does the future hold for you, and do you have any plans to try your luck in acting?
As of now, I am extremely content doing what I am doing, and I will continue to learn and grow every day. As for acting, it is definitely not on my radar at the moment; however, I would say – never say never.
You have a fearless approach to life. Where does that inner power come from?
That’s not entirely true. I’m an over-thinker and a perfectionist, so there’s always a slight fear before dwelling into any new project; however, my belief in my preparation gives me that certain confidence that you’re probably talking about.
What inspires you?
My brother! Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always seen Tiger do all these largerthan-life things and it’s never stopped since. I’m extremely competitive, so watching him and being within such a close proximity to all of it has definitely motivated me to push myself and be better every single day.
Instagram: @kishushroff
