Gunjan Sharma, the founder of Flexible Fitness Company, aims to create an ecosystem that is not only balanced and holistic but also functional in the truest sense of the word. He is a pioneer in his field and for the past 20 years, he has completely devoted himself to this cause. He, along with his team, has trained and transformed more than 1000+ lives globally by improving their physical and mental health equilibrium. Gunjan’s only passion is to serve people and to teach them simple tools that can help achieve a permanent state of excellent health and fitness.
Here is Gunjan Sharma in a conversation with GOGO Magazine.
1. How did your fitness journey began?
I was in 9th class when I saw someone do a front flip in front of me. I was amazed to see it as I had only seen this in movies. He used to do Karate. I was in 9th at the time so I waited and completed my 12th and after that, in 2000 I started my journey and now it has been 21 years.
2. When did you start Flexible Fitness Company?
I started Flexible Fitness Company in 2016. By that time I had already started 3 other companies. The 1st one was a martial arts company, then there was the Fitness Expert group. The 3rd one was Functional Fitness Group Pvt. Ltd. and the 4th one was Flexible Fitness Company. Know more at http://www.flexiblefitness.in/
3. Who has been your inspiration?
My inspiration has been Mr. Bruce Lee. His amazing work and the will to be better inspired me. His philosophy of picking out the best in everything and keeping aside what you think is not right is what I applied to fitness. I did Martial Arts, got a black belt, and karate and taekwondo. After that, I did Jeet Kuen Do, callisthenics, gymnastics, yoga, Mallakhamba, and skating.
4. Tell us your India’s Got Talent journey?
The journey started in 2014 when I did my handstand at 80 feet. After that, I got direct entry to the semi-final of the show where I performed the Spiral Man act. After that, I got an opportunity again to perform in India’s Got Talent. Here I performed the Sway Pole Act where a pole of 40 feet was moving like a pendulum and I was on top of it. It is really hard to perform this at such height but having a fitness background really helped. I remember the Director asking me if I had ever done this before. He then at first installed a pole of 20 feet at the film city. There when I did a handstand he was confident and then we did it on the 80 feet pole.
5. What type of injuries have you faced during your journey and how did you cope up with them?
Before I was into fitness I was teaching mathematics to students from class 5th to 12th. I also used to teach science and Sanskrit. So I had a good understanding of how to break down things and learn them. So back in 2009 while doing parkour doing a jump I was not careful while landing and broke my ACL. After that, I started rehab but also kept on working. As my feet were injured to I focused on my upper body. That time I did a human flag and walked down 60 stairs doing a handstand. Once during a show at Select City Mall in Saket. There I was supposed to do a backflip from over a person but due to a bad landing I landed on my knees and had a fracture. So I think there is always consequences of a mistake but there is always something that you learn from it.
6. Tell us about your journey in Bollywood?
My Bollywood journey started in 2012. I first worked with Salman Khan on a Suzuki Hayate Bike TVC. I worked in a TVC of LUX ONN with Shahrukh Khan, Pepsi Atom with Sushant Singh Rajput. Worked in BOSS with Akshay Kumar, MIRZAPUR, Season 2, WATCHMAN with A.L. Vijay, and NEEL SAMANDAR (Music video with Richa Chadda & Ankit Dsouza). I think the action director I work with really likes my work and they call me again to work with them.
7. How did your coaching career started?
I started to teach Jeet Kuen Do in 2008 with my coach. I started coaching as I always wanted to be something in fitness and that is why I started coaching at first.
8. Has your family been supportive ?
I belong to a middle-class family. So in 2001 I came to Chandigarh to do a computer course and earn 5000 a month. It took me 3 years to earn 5000 a month and then started to earn around 7000 to 10000. I then started to earn and invest my money. My Dad always told me to do whatever I wish to. My elder brother wanted me to be something in fitness. My elder sister was very supportive of my fitness career. But after a time you yourself need to do the hard work.
9. How has life been on the other side of fitness?
I did my BCA in Delhi so my target was always to learn and be something. My life mostly has been about learning and teaching others. We are 4 brothers and 4 sisters so when I got into fitness in 2011 a lot of coaches that we had trained left so then I got all my family into fitness. My elder brother, his wife, and my younger brother came into fitness. My younger brother is also the co-founder of the company and we both trained from Guwahati.
10. How was life in quarantine?
Life was pretty good as I look at every situation as an opportunity and see what is the best I can do in that. I was lucky to have really good parents who have a really honest and helpful attitude. I can survive in any situation and during the lockdown, we worked a lot into fitness and created very new movements. During the 1st lockdown, I organized a 21-day life which was really liked by people. I think I can teach anyone and that is what a good teacher is, one who can teach anyone. So during the lockdown, I started online training and was able to train a lot of people so it was a good time.
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