Ukhrul fitness trainers on mission to keep youths fit, drug-free
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, August 26 2023: Drug abuse is a gigantic social issue that has left the society grappling with without much success for decades.

As its tentacles keep spreading, the issue of drug abuse has plunged many promising youngsters into a deep dungeon of addiction, helplessness and worthless existence.

This is where a team of four professional fitness trainers led by Leishangthem Robert Meitei, who is also the proprietor and master trainer at the Royal Gymnasium in Ukhrul town, stepped in and embarked on a mission to bring youths back onto the track of healthy and drug-free living.

Along with L Robert Meitei are Johny AS (Themrei Awungshi) of Ramsophung village, Yuvraj Sonar of Phungreitang and Wungreithei Lungharwo of Lunghar village.

For them, physical fitness is the door to health and prosperity in life and everyone is entitled to this privilege, only if one chooses to be.

It all started after Robert Meitei discovered about the International Personal Trainers & Fitness Academy (IPTFA) and the Silver Advance Personal Fitness Trainer Course, conducted by it, through some IPTFA officials during one of his trips to Kolkata back in 2021.He then invited Johny, Yuvraj and Wungreithei to join him in preparing and they all went through the course together earlier 2023.After successfully completing the course, the four new fitness professional trainers are now working to bring about positive changes in the arena of health, especially fitness and drug-free life of the youths.

According to 40-year-old L Robert Meitei, who has been passionate about building a healthy lifestyle among the youths, the prestigious IPTFA Course has provided a fresh impetus to the team.

This was followed by the IPTFA's announcement thatit has opened its training academy for the first time at the Royal Gymnasium, ostensibly in recognition of the gym's contribution in fitness arena and also the emergence of its new fitness trainers.

The development came as grist to the mill of the Royal Gymnasium which has trained over 1000 health and fitness enthusiasts including professionals like Solimla Jajo and Solan Jajo since 2018 .

"This is a historic development for us all.

Ukhrul is the second in the entire North East region to get an IPTFA academy after Assam,'' L Robert Meitei told The People's Chronicle in an interaction here on Friday.

He added: "Now, this is a place, which is only available in Ukhrul in the entire state, where every fitness enthusiast can avail the benefits of the course and subsequently, get a placement in any reputed company or gym and lead a healthy lifestyle".

With this, he informed that while people of all ages can avail the benefits of the fitness course, youths and students are a prime focus of his team.

"Nowadays, many promising youths have easily fallen prey to drug abuse and are destroying not just their future but also their irreplaceable health and life," he said, while giving a rationale for inviting young people to join the fitness academy and put drug menace to shame.

"Through this new academy, our team members are now working closely to motivate many our youths that they can take up the fitness course as a profession or to secure a healthy lifestyle," said L Robert Meitei who was recently appointed as the exclusive franchise partner of IPTFA in India for the next three years, beginning 23 August 2023 until 22 August 2026.Johny (21) was a finalist for the Manipur Mister 2022.Yuvraj (23) is a two-time Mr Manipur 2021 & 2022 and among the top 7 rankers at Mr World 2021 held in Uzbekistan while Wungreithei is a National University Bronze medallist.

Standing tall in their new-found success as professional fitness trainers, Johny, Yuvraj and Wungreithei, expressed their gratitude to L Robert Meitei, stating that: "It's through Sir Robert that we got the opportunity to join the IPTFA.

Now having completed the course, we are indeed delighted that we are now certified fitness trainers.

We fervently look forward to promoting health and fitness through productive teaching".

Responding to a query regarding the various benefits of the course offered at the new academy, he informed that the professional fitness courses include Professional Personal Fitness Trainer, Sports Nutrition & Diet Specialist, Applied Nutrition & Weight Management, Certificate of Aerobatics Instructor and Certificate of Yoga Instructor among others.

It may be mentioned that L Robert Meitei secured overwhelming 89%, while Johny, Yuvraj and Wungreithei scored 76%, 72% and 70% to succeed in the ITPFA course.

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