Swiss account
After the setback in the All England Championship, the RECENT Swiss Open win was the best birthday gift for shuttler Saina Nehwal
Amit Khanna

So upset was she after her quarter-final loss to Japan’s Eriko Hirose at her favourite All England Championship that Saina did not even celebrate her 21st birthday, which fell on March 17. But the celebrations did not have to wait for long as the Indian badminton sensation, in her characteristic manner, came back strongly and went on to win the Swiss Open Championship just a week later. En route to her title, Saina also avenged her defeat to Hirose.

Excerpts from an interview:

How do you view the title win at the Swiss Open?

It means a lot personally. It is always nice to win but coming after a long injury lay-off, it was somewhat special. To get back to winning is great as the season is going to be pretty tough. The loss at the All England was tough and I needed to win and I am very happy that I could do my country proud again on the world stage.

Yes, I am very confident and eager to play more and more. All I require now is to be focussed and train harder. I know I am on the right track. Owing to my injury, I could not train as hard as I would have wanted. But now, I am feeling better.

Not much. It’s more of playing on the court that matters in the end. I know I just need to concentrate
further on my drop shot. Spending more and more time on the
court helps like anything and has
no substitute.

Oh, I don’t take it that way. I needed to beat her in the pre-quarters and I am happy I did that. The fact that she had beaten me in the All England Championship just a week earlier had made me a bit more careful playing her. I had lost the second set 17-21, but managed to win the game.

I am conscious of this but things are not as bad as they are made out to be sometimes. We really have some real good players in Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in the doubles category. Diju and Chetan are also very talented. It is just a matter of time that things start falling in place for them, too.

The best part of winning the final at the Swiss Open was that there were many Indians in the court. Just as I beat Ji Hyun Sung of South Korea, everybody started singing "happy birthday to you". It was really a special moment for me and I enjoyed every bit of it.

I do watch it and try to keep myself abreast of it whenever possible. We are a very strong outfit and I want India to lift the Cup. The competition from South Africa and Sri Lanka will be tough, I guess.

Get your legs skirt ready
Sachin Kalra

With the winter finally gone and hot summer months upon us, it's time to flash those legs. And to really play them up, your legs should have great tone, good skin and be smooth without signs of cellulite. Here’s how to get your legs super sexy and skirt ready.

If you want to have legs to die for, you’ve got to exercise. Only exercise can help you achieve the slim, sleek and sexy legs that turn heads. It is the key to shapely legs and there are no shortcuts.

Exercise

You will need to do several types of exercises. You need strength training exercise to build muscles, especially if you have skinny legs. Aerobic exercises are also needed to get rid of any unnecessary fat. Flexibility and stretching routines are likewise essential to getting that perfect shape.

A good way to tone your legs is by climbing up and down the stairs, walking, running, and jogging. Strength training exercises like lunges, step-ups, squats, etc also go a long way, as they work multiple muscle groups at the same time. Beginners should start out with floor`A0exercises`A0and gradually advance their workout to stand-up`A0exercises.

PROTEIN

Never underestimate the power of good nutrition to change the shape and feel of your body.`A0To tone and firm up any muscles of your body, including legs, it's important that you have enough good quality protein in your diet.`A0At the end of the day, that's what muscle is made from — meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, nuts, beans, pulses, soya, and so on. Not only that, it is a well-proven fact that protein helps to suppress the appetite and reduce sugar cravings.

WATER

Good toned legs need beautiful smooth skin to compliment them. And water is the best skin tonic out there. So, to keep your skin well-hydrated means you'll need to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Make sure you do this, as drinking plenty of water flushes out the accumulated toxins in the body. It’s a good idea to carry a bottle of water around all day.

VITAMIN C

The other important tip is to take your Vitamin C. It is a major antioxidant. It helps in maintaining a youthful and healthy skin tone. It also helps to increase circulation; the improved blood flow to your legs can prevent varicose veins and keep your legs looking great. Eat plenty of strawberries, cherries, oranges, guava, and amlas. Green tea is also a powerful antioxidant and can be incorporated in your diet.

MASSAGE

Cellulite forms when your body has toxins and`A0fat`A0tissue that form under the skin and break through weak connective tissue under it. These unsightly pockets of fat won’t just disappear so easily, but there are ways to make them less noticeable. Treat your skin to a dry brushing in upward movements towards the heart with a rough loofah once a week to stimulate circulation and reduce water retention. This will also help to avoid unsightly veins that become visible due to poor circulation.

A suitable anti-cellulite cream is also a good investment, but do keep in mind that the massage in itself is the main thing.