Fit bit 

A DJ, marathoner and taekwondo trainer...meet Dr Mahesh Mylarappa who loves to experiment with different fitness routines while he attends to medical emergencies

BENGALURU: An early morning run, followed by kickboxing training, and then a match of football. This is what Dr Mahesh Mylarappa, who is working as a consultant emergency medicine at Manipal Hospital, Hebbal, followed as a fitness routine while pursuing his post graduation in emergency medicine in Kolkata around 2011. However, one morning, things turned out to be a little dicey. While Mylarappa and his friend, an emergency consultant, were running around the playground, some miscreants took objection and stopped them from entering a particular area of the ground. When the miscreants ganged up against the two and got into a physical fight with them, what followed was a scene from any action movie. 

Dr Mahesh Mylarappa
Dr Mahesh Mylarappa

In response, Mylarappa and his friend, both kickboxers, used the martial art to give them a “good bashing”. Mylarappa, is a first-degree black belt taekwondo trainer who considers the martial art as an act of ‘self-defence’ and ‘discipline’. However, certain situations in life have prompted him to use it wisely. “Actually, my interest in taekwondo increased after watching Transporters. I immediately signed up for the class the next day.

Beyond responding physically, taekwondo has taught me how to diffuse an uncontrollable situation without using physical force,” says the 37-year-old, who has been practising the martial art for the last 16 years with the Taekwondo Association of Karnataka. He begins his day with a 20-minute martial art practice at home and then heads to hospital. He manages a host of medical emergencies, including accidents, heart attacks, strokes, falls, paediatric emergencies, snake bites, among others. 

What also supplements his martial arts’ training is running, swimming and cycling-- which also makes him a triathlete – something he has been pursuing in the last four years. From participating in half-marathons to full marathons and long-distance cycling, Mylarappa juggles between fitness and emergency work. “Besides helping myself keep abreast with health, I love to talk about having responsible fitness goals with my patients. I also guide fitness enthusiasts who visit me with lower back aches, twisted ankles, in training wisely and advising against overdoing workouts,” says Mylarappa, who has also clocked in over 120 marathons in 2017-2018 in Bengaluru. 

What also keeps Mylarappa busy is music. Not as a singer but as a DJ and dancer. Mylarappa is a professional DJ who completed his advanced DJ training course from ILM Academy in 2011. “I am a hardcore music enthusiast without any bar on the language. As a post graduation student in Kolkata, I used to perform in many night clubs and at private parties. However, these days I do only private gigs for my close circle,” says Mylarappa, who loves to play techno and trance music. But how does juggling between so many passions complement his medical work? “I ensure I start my day by practising taekwondo. I give my body enough oxygen to breathe, muscles to relax that will help me kickstart the day’s work. In any given medical situation, my temperament and stress levels are balanced,” says Mylarappa. 

Smash hits

  • 2007 Started practising taekwondo
  • 2008 Received a yellow belt promotion 
  • 2008 Bagged a bronze medal in the 23rd national and the 3rd international ITF Taekwondo championship 
  • 2016 Gold medal in 13th south and west India ITF Championship
  • 2017 Running marathons 

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