what does it really take to be at the top of your game in world competition? according to indian mixed martial arts (mma) fighter ritu phogat, mental fortitude is
even more important
than physical strength.
phogat, dubbed “the indian tigress,” lost the
one women’s atomweight world grand prix last december. but after recovering from an injury, she’s back and ready to fight once again — and a big part of her success will be her attitude, she said.
“to win, i try to stick to my plan, which is very important,” phogat, who has an impressive 7-2 record from her first full mma season,
told the indian express
. “being mentally strong is more important than being physically strong during matches.”
in a sport that takes strength, agility and aggressive moves, mindset is critical. and phogat, 28, says she is mentally stronger than ever.
“the last loss [in december] didn’t affect me mentally at all. winning and losing is a part and parcel of the game, i have endured it during my wrestling days. it pushed me to work harder.”
she also says the break from competition has allowed her to recover from a long-term shoulder injury and revamp her fighting style for the coming match.
as
firstpost reports
, phogat comes from a famous wrestling family. her father, mahavir singh phogat, is a legendary coach who trained her sisters to the highest levels of the sport, inspiring the 2016 indian sports drama film
dangal
.