Every morning at 5.30, when much of the town is still asleep, civil police officer and bodybuilder Vishnu AV is already at the gym, getting ready to clinch his next medal.
By the time others begin their day, the 34-year-old from Niranam has completed his workout and is ready to report for duty at Koipuram police station. The routine has helped him balance work and passion, making him the reigning 60-kg state champion at the Keralam police’s state bodybuilding championship for the second consecutive year.
After winning the title last year, Vishnu represented Keralam at the national-level championship in Haryana. He is now preparing to return to the national competition next month, determined to repeat his performance.
"I make time for what I am passionate about. When everyone else is still asleep, I go to the gym and work out," says Vishnu.
But the gym alone does not earn him the medal. It is the result of a tightly controlled routine in which food, training, rest and duty schedules have to fall into place. Vishnu follows a predominantly protein-rich diet, including boiled chicken, eggs, spinach and curd. His wife, Reshmi Raj, plays a major role in preparing and monitoring his diet.
Reshmi, who also runs a virtual gaming business at a mall, manages the family's routine alongside Vishnu. The couple have a three-year-old son, Thejav. For Vishnu, family support has been as important as training in maintaining the discipline required for competitive bodybuilding.
His diet becomes stricter as competitions approach. He follows a zero-carb regimen during the final phase of preparation, while using controlled, systematic carbohydrate intake at the appropriate stage to manage body weight and help him enter the 60-kg category. "Reaching the 60-kg category itself requires careful planning.
Ahead of a competition, weight gain and subsequent control are part of the strategy, with carbohydrates introduced systematically," he says.
The biggest challenge, however, is not following the routine but fitting it around police duty. Guard duty, changing shifts and staff shortages can leave little room for a fixed training and meal schedule. Vishnu often carries food prepared at home, but even then, there are occasions when he cannot eat at the scheduled time because of duty.
Tracing the sporting journey
Vishnu's sporting journey began soon after he joined the Keralam police in 2020. He initially became part of the Kerala Police Boat Club and took up dragon boat activities. For two years, he also participated in the Nehru Trophy boat race. He later moved into rowing and represented the Keralam police at national-level competitions, including in single sculls.
Bodybuilding eventually became another sporting pursuit. Unlike athletes who can devote most of their time to training and recovery, Vishnu had to prepare for competitions while remaining available for police duties.
On some occasions, he completed guard duty before travelling for a competition. When duty requirements threatened to disrupt his preparations, colleagues stepped in and adjusted schedules to support him. Their cooperation, he says, has helped him continue competing despite the demands of the job.
Vishnu also acknowledges the encouragement from senior officers, particularly district police chief R Anand, who has consistently supported his sporting activities. Anand's own interest in sports, including marathon running, has helped create an encouraging environment for police personnel pursuing sporting ambitions.
Vishnu had entered the police service with a desire to remain physically fit, but his experience on the job has also given him a different perspective on why maintaining fitness can be difficult for police personnel.
"It is not that police officers deliberately neglect their fitness. The pressure of duty and unpredictable working hours often make it difficult to follow a proper diet or maintain a regular workout schedule," he says.
Between police calls, challenges to remain fit and family responsibilities, Vishnu continues to chase the goal of staying fit enough to serve and strong enough to win.
