Strength and fitness coaches have helped the team, says the Indian women’s soccer goalkeeper Aditi
Training under the new strength and conditioning coach Jane Tornqvist from Sweden for the past two months has given a rich dividend to the Indian women’s football team ahead of the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan experiences.
Tornqvist is a former Swedish national team player and she has played under the current India’s head coach Thomas Dennerby at club level as well as in the national team. After retirement, she became a strength and conditioning trainer.
Chauhan believes that morning workouts at the gym with Tornqvist have helped her become much more flexible on the field.
“Ever since Jane joined, it has made a huge difference. As a goalkeeper, I can see the change in my movements on the pitch. I feel stronger, my jumps are higher and my kicks are longer,” said Chauhan.
“It’s about knowing what parts of your body you need to work on to get that extra yard on the pitch, and she really adds that knowledge,” she was quoted as saying in a press release from the All India Football Federation.
“And these things are really important in tournaments where you have back-to-back matches with little time for recovery.” Tornqvist, for his part, said that the Indian players have become stronger and more flexible.
“I think the players have started to understand the importance of strength and fitness once they have started to see the results on the pitch,” she said.
– In two months, they feel the difference on the pitch – they are stronger, faster and smoother, says the Swede, who has started to like eating “cans” during the two months she has been in India.
The 46-year-old Tornqvist himself was a defender during his playing days. She won the Damallsvenskan during back-to-back seasons in Djurgardens IF.
“The most important thing is that they have started to get to know their own body,” said the yoga enthusiast.
“Your body is a tool, and you have to take good care of it to perform.” The AFC Asian Women’s Cup, a qualifying event for the 2023 FIFA World Cup, will be played among 12 teams in Mumbai and Pune from January 20 to February 6.