Jyothi Venkatesh

Celebrity fitness trainer Rakesh Yadav is in love with his job. The trainer has worked with the likes of Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and Tiger Shroff, and says that he enjoys every part of his profession. “I love my work because I can work with freedom here. My dad wanted me to work in an office or do engineering but I was never inclined towards it. I love to work with freedom. When I was young, I used to stay unwell most of the times and so my doctor had suggested me some exercises. My dad made me join Karate classes and then I started connecting to all other physical activities,” he says.

His love for fitness grew over the years and gradually he decided to do this as a profession. “After I started learning, my interest in such activities grew. I continued learning every other form of martial arts and exercise. As I used to practise on a regular basis, one day Tiger Shroff noticed me practising at Juhu Beach. He connected with me and after that, slowly and steadily, all the other artists started connecting with me,” he says.

Ask him who inspires him the most, and he says, “Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee inspires me most as I have always loved Chinese martial arts since childhood. I started my training watching videos of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee as I felt if they can do it, then so can I. They have been my motivation.”

Talking about future plans, he says, “I want to work as an action choreographer in the industry. Along with that, if I get an opportunity, I would want to work as an actor too because since childhood I have had an interest in acting,” he says.