Ankit Baiyanpuria: From a food delivery boy to India's social media fitness influencer

IANS

New Delhi, September 12

Ankit Baiyanpuria, a former desi wrestler from Bayanpur, Sonipat, is making waves by redefining personal growth through his 75-day hard challenge.

Raised by labourer parents, Ankit's journey to fame began on social media just a couple of months back driven by his impeccable workout techniques and distinct routines that not only focus on physical health but also incorporate mental well-being, with readings like the 'Bhagavad Gita'.

In 2022, a dislocated shoulder during his mud wrestling days forced him to shift gears. He took to Instagram and started sharing his fitness journey. It was after researching fitness that he came across Andy Frisella's '75-day Hard Challenge'. Today, Ankit completes a full 75 days of diligently following this challenge. So much so, that he has amassed more than 2.5 million followers in just 28 days!

The '75 Days Hard Challenge' mandates progress selfies, a strict diet, plenty of water, and daily readings, alongside outdoor workouts. With his unique greeting, 'Ram Ram sarya ne,' Ankit forges a deep connection with his Instagram audience.

He shares daily routines, healthy diets, and rigorous workouts against the backdrop of his village, resonating with audiences worldwide and fellow Indians.

His content has gone on to inspire renowned celebrities like Badshah, Flying Beast and others, who have applauded his efforts.

His transition from trying content on YouTube back in the days, when he uploaded a Haryanvi comedy, to a fitness influencer was catalysed by the Covid-19 lockdown after three major injuries that propelled him to put a stop to his wrestling career.

Coming from a background of scarcity, Ankit's story underscores the power of determination and is like no other. He's gone from doing odd jobs, including being a Zomato delivery boy, to becoming the biggest social media fitness influencer.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Ankit talked about the 75 Days Challenge and what motivated him to take this up, his newfound fame, and what lies ahead.

Ankit, your journey throughout the 75-day challenge has been nothing short of remarkable. Can you share some pivotal moments or experiences that stand out?

My entire journey has been amazing. There are no particular moments as such because the routine was the same every single day for 75 days. However, I have truly enjoyed this process because of the kind of results it has given me. It wasn't easy at all initially to complete the challenge daily but after a few days it got easier and I found myself pushing my boundaries to do better each day. Some days I would feel like giving up but then I kept my determination and tried to do better each day. One of the experiences that I would like to share is when I cramped my thigh during a workout, I was in immense pain and couldn't do any work. However, I continued with my other daily challenge work and recovered well.

When was the exact moment you decided to embark on this challenge that has now made your account the fastest growing and most inspiring with almost zero negative comments from your followers?

I used to do mud wrestling in my early days, and I was a professional wrestler competing in the ring. In 2018 I faced a slip disc but I didn't give up and continued with my journey after considerable recovery. Again in 2020, I faced a serious knee injury but it was in November 2022 that I dislocated my left shoulder and had a rotator cuff tear while wrestling and took myself out of the ring. I started my recovery with a physiotherapist in Sonipat, and soon after I continued the exercises on my own.

It was during my personal research on fitness that I came across the video of American entrepreneur Andy Frisella's 75-day Hard Challenge, I decided to implement and introduce similar techniques in my workout.

Before this challenge, I used to post Haryanvi comedy videos (Khagad) on YouTube and I had around 5,000 subscribers. I decided to post a short video on Instagram, reel type which is much more engaging and almost familiar to the audience. In the initial days, my videos didn't get much response but soon I started getting responses from all over India, They loved my workout videos and started practising themselves too.

I have a great love for my followers and consider all of them as my friends. They all are like me coming from a rural background and wanting to achieve big in life, that's why they are with me.

Tell us more about your childhood, where you're from your family and your education.

I come from a small town in the Sonipat district of Haryana, named Bayanpur. I completed my higher education in my town only and currently am doing graduation from Sonipat. In my family, father and mother are work as a daily wage labourers. To make ends meet I have also done multiple jobs like labour work, worked as a Zomato delivery boy, etc. My village follows the tradition of 'dangal'. That is where I got wrestling from.

Having a background in wrestling, how do you think your wrestling experience has influenced your journey, and do you ever find yourself missing the wrestling ring?

I have done professional wrestling for a few years. As I mentioned, I have also wanted to pursue it further but due to my injury, I wasn't able to go back to the ring. I am in my recovery period right now, but do hope to make a comeback and also to play for India in the future, and yes, I do miss the ring a lot. It has been an integral part of my growing-up years.

Going beyond the physical aspect, can you shed light on how this 75-day Hard Challenge has impacted you mentally physically and spiritually?

I think it is the most important part of my life. ‘The Bhagwad Gita' showed me the way towards spirituality and it helped me a lot in mental calmness. Physical strength is something that can be achieved but mental strength comes from spirituality only, so that's why it is the most important factor in my challenge.

Your followers look up to you for motivation. From 1 million to 3.7 million in 28 days! What powerful message or motivation would you like to impart to them, something they can truly imbibe in their own personal journeys?

Thank you. Even I am shocked at gaining 2.7 million followers in less than a month. I'm so grateful. The only message I would like to give to my followers is to not only look for physical strength; mental strength is much more and it only comes through spirituality. So read ‘Bhagwad Gita' and try to perform meditation.

As you continue to make headlines, what exciting endeavours or projects can we expect from Ankit Singh in the near future?

Right now, I only want to complete the challenge, make my comeback in the ring, and play for India in the near future. 

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