Taking off from his book ‘Why I Would Rather Be A Warrior Than A Weightlifter!’, author Yashesh Shethia reflects on how discipline and the mace reshaped not just his fitness, but the way he shows up in life, says Andrea CostaBir.
What was the moment or turning point that made you say, this story needs to be told, and led to ‘Why I Would Rather Be A Warrior Than A Weightlifter!’?
I can’t pinpoint a particular moment or time, but since I had managed to turn things around quite a bit, many of my friends and family kept asking me to speak about my journey, as it could help people who were in a similar situation as I was. Sometimes, it’s just a small spark that’s needed to drive a change. I am usually a private person, and sharing some of this wasn’t easy, but once I decided, things flowed.
Briefly tell us what your life and fitness routine looked like before the mace entered the picture?
I was walking, cycling and gymming. Cycling is something that I thoroughly enjoyed, but I had to stop doing it for medical reasons. And with the gym, while I liked it in the beginning, I got a little bored.
The mace isn’t a conventional choice — what drew you to it, and what kept you committed?
Actually, it was a combination of many things. But if I were to zero it down to two or three factors, I would say it was the boredom of the gym and all the free time during the initial phase of COVID-19. While I was scrolling on Instagram, I chanced upon a video of the mace — it was almost love at first sight. In no time, I had ordered a mace, the wrong weight, but that’s another story. Finally, I started learning from a couple of teachers, travelled to akhadas across India, and again met and learnt from gurus and ordinary practitioners, and I got completely hooked!
There is romance, there is history and there is our heritage – the Dhanurved, for example. It’s fascinating. And the gada (mace or mudgar, if you want to call it by a different name, based on the shape of the tool) is super effective – both for the body and mind. Besides just strength, it has helped ground me and gotten me closer to our culture.
Your book title is powerful — when you say “warrior,” what does that really mean in your dayto-day life beyond just physical strength?
Physical strength is easy; it’s the smaller things. Giving up on things or the food you love, saying NO to a night out, waking up early, and all of this is done not as a diet plan or a short stint, but making it who you are. A lifestyle shift. Temptations come every day – in the book I’ve written about rice being a garnish – that’s exactly how it is. One or two tablespoons, sprinkled over a curry! And for two to three years, there were no cheat days. One cheat day (if it’s three meals) can actually ruin an entire week’s hard work. After many years of a strict regimen, I now make rare exceptions. Very rare, though.
You now run online mace training sessions while living a meaningful life in Goa — how has this shift in lifestyle influenced the way you train, teach and live?
The mace has altered the way I live – I’ve become more patient, an easier person, and less reactive to stress. Most importantly, it’s calmed me down. And Goa has given me the space (and time) to do it. While I still consult on branding and experiential marketing, living in Goa has also allowed me to extend my training into retreats and corporate workshops.
You’ve spoken about your wife, Cherry, being a rock of support — how important has that partnership been in staying consistent and grounded through your journey?
You can’t do any of this alone – or maybe you can, but it’s tougher. It’s easy to drift away; one needs anchors – she is one – for changing the way one lives, food habits, social habits. None of this is easy. And when you have your partner who echoes your choices every step of the way, it becomes easier.
For someone who feels stuck in a routine, what’s one practical step they can take to start their own “warrior” transformation?
Start, and stick to it. It’s as simple or as complicated. There is really no other way. You owe it to yourself and the ones closest to you. Three words that may help: Discipline, discipline, discipline 🙂
