The streets of Mumbai slowly came to life as the first rays of the sun began to spread across the city.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, the air was still cool and refreshing, and a few early risers could be seen going about their daily routine.
People gathered in parks and along the coasts for their morning exercise. Some people were jogging, while others practiced yoga or aerobics. The sound of laughter and chatter blended with the soothing sounds of nature to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Meanwhile, shopkeepers were preparing their stalls for the day. The aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the air as chaiwallahs opened their stalls, ready to serve the day's first customers. Vegetable vendors were arranging their wares, while flower vendors were setting up their stands.
With only a few cars and buses passing by, the streets were still relatively empty. But the city was slowly waking up, getting ready for another busy day.
Ayaan's eyes fluttered open as he yawned deeply and took in his surroundings. It took him a few moments to remember where he was and what he needed to do that day.
He jumped out of bed and dashed down to the bathroom as soon as he awoke.
Ayaan rolled up his sleeves and reached into the corner for the cleaning supplies. He meticulously scrubbed the toilets and washrooms, determined to leave them spotless.
He meticulously wiped down every surface, ensuring that everything was sparkling clean.
After that, he got out of the washroom and made his way to the gym area. He picked up the cleaning supplies and began wiping down every surface. He moved on to the windows and scrubbed them until they were spotless.
By the time Ayaan finished his cleaning, an hour had passed.
Suddenly, the sound of the gymnasium gate unlocking caught his attention, and he turned to see the old man walking in.
The old man arrived with several bags of supplies and placed them on the ground before inspecting the washroom and gym hall.
"Good, now come here."
Ayaan went towards the old man as he started pulling out some clothes, a brush, toothpaste, a comb, and some other basic supplies.
"These are all yours; go put them in the room and first brush your teeth. After that, go and run around this whole area outside twice before coming back here to the gym."
"Thank you, coach."
As soon as he entered the room, he rushed to put away his belongings and quickly returned to the washroom to brush his teeth.
Ayaan emerged from the restroom wearing a brand new tracksuit, a gift from the old man. He was overcome with gratitude for the man who had given him so much.
He stepped out for his morning run, feeling motivated and energized, determined to work hard and repay him in the future.
Ayaan realized as he jogged through the vast area that it was much larger than he had anticipated.
Along the way, he noticed several people engaged in various physical activities. Some were on their way to school or work, while others were running while talking on their phones and occasionally striking strange poses.
Continuing his morning run, he came across a lovely park where he noticed a group of people practicing yoga.
He couldn't help but notice a few girls who were filming themselves while dancing in strange poses.
"Is this some kind of new exercise?" he thought.
He finished the first lap and started the second, slightly out of breath but determined to finish before heading back.
After some time...
Ayaan hunched over, gasping for air, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He'd just finished his second lap and was back in the gym.
Sweat ran down his face, matting his hair to his brow. He straightened up, wiping his face with the back of his hand, and felt the burn in his legs.
Despite his exhaustion, he felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him as he realized he had pushed himself to the limit.
"Good. Now do half an hour of skipping."
He briefly glanced at the old man before shifting his gaze to the poster of the Octagon hanging on the wall behind him.
Ayaan nodded to the old man and made his way to the skipping rope, eager to begin his training.
Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and his breathing became labored after 30 minutes of non-stop skipping.
"Slowly breathe in, hold it for a few seconds, then exhale it slowly. Do it repeatedly." The old man advised as he did the same.
*Huff*…*puff*
He gradually began to take deep breaths, holding them for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. He repeated this pattern, trying to calm his heavy breathing.
"Now cross your leg and sit on your bum like this."
The old man sat down, crossed his legs, and motioned for Ayaan to do the same. Ayaan mirrored his posture, taking a seat on the ground.
"Now meditate, calm your mind, and clear your thoughts."
They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, not moving an inch from their positions for thirty minutes.
"Good, now this will be your daily schedule before breakfast: two laps of the area, 30 minutes of skipping, and then 30 minutes of meditation after that breakfast."
"Okay, coach."
"Go eat your breakfast."
The old man motioned towards the cabin and told Aayan to eat his breakfast.
He discovered four egg whites, two slices of whole wheat bread, and a glass of low-fat milk on the table. The elderly man reminded him not to eat anything else and then left him to his meal.
Aayan finished his breakfast and went outside to join the old man who was reading the newspaper.
The old man eventually put the paper down and suggested that Aayan warm up with some extra skipping before they started their workout.
They began to loosen up their bodies, stretching and moving their muscles before assuming their positions to start throwing jabs.
The old man demonstrated the proper stance and advised the boy, "Pay attention and keep your center of gravity in line when you take your stance."
"Now throw a jab like this and pay attention to my footwork."
The old man demonstrated to him the fundamental technique of throwing a jab in boxing, along with the appropriate footwork.
"Now you do it; with your dominant hand, throw a jab."
Ayaan acknowledged the old man's instruction and assumed the basic stance, executing a jab with his right hand and stepping forward with his right foot, promptly pulling it back.
"Good, Now do it again and again. Also, make sure to drop your shoulder a little and pay attention to your body."
After throwing some jabs...
The old man introduced Ayaan to another punch, the straight right hand.
"Now this comes under heavy hitting.
"Let me first show you how it's done.
The old man took a fighting stance and unleashed a straight right hand. Ayaan noticed how the old man twisted his body slightly at the waist and heel, giving the punch more power than before.
"Now try it, I will guide you."
Ayaan had to take the basic boxing stance, with his feet shoulder-width apart and his lead foot slightly ahead of the other, to properly execute a straight right-hand punch.
His hips were turned away, creating a smaller target, and his knees were slightly bent. His front foot remained flat on the floor, while his back foot's heel was slightly elevated.
The old man made sure he aligned his chin with his shoulder and kept his remaining fists in a defensive position while keeping his gaze fixed on his shadow opponent.
Ayaan began the right cross with rotation in his back leg, ensuring that the rotation of his foot traveled through each joint in the knee, hips, and shoulder, building momentum until it exploded forward from his body, as he did with the jab.
He squished the grape between his toes as he turned his knee and hips towards his opponent. As he moved toward his opponent, he rotated his upper body and arm, turning his knuckles over 180°.
He channeled that power through his body, from lower to upper and out, all the while keeping his left hand under his chin to protect his head and provide a consistent defense.
"Good, now try this, left hook."
The old man threw a left hook as Ayaan concentrated on the movement.
"This is the combo, jab, straight right, and hook. Do it again and again."