Aizawl FC's local players rig handmade dumbbells to maintain fitness during lockdown

With the gyms being closed during the lockdown that has been enforced to keep the COVID-19 pandemic at bay, the local players of Aizawl FC have taken to custom-made gym instruments, in order to maintain their fitness.

While the situation in the northeastern state has so far been under control, something that the players of the former Hero I-League champions are thankful for, the players are all spending their time at home, maintaining the social distancing norms.

"The situation here is under control so far. The people of Mizoram understand why the lockdown is being imposed, and are obeying the suggestions made by the government," Aizawl FC forward Jonathan Lalrawngbawla said to i-league.org.

However, with the lockdown now in full flow, some of the local players, who are quarantining at home with their families, have turned their homes into gyms.

Rochharzela, who is the highest-scoring Indian player in the 2019-20 Hero I-League season with six goals to his name, is motivated to keep himself in good shape, in order to carry on his goal-scoring form, when football returns to the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.

"I have been using this time to turn my house into a gym, literally," he said.

"I have a treadmill, so I do some cardio and some stretches in the morning. In the evenings, I end up doing 300 push-ups and 70 pull-ups."
"Of course, I've also been doing some on-the-ball training and core exercises so that I don't lose my touch once I get back to the field."