Strength and Conditioning Academy, India, Co-Founder and Director | Dr. Apurva Mathankar (MPT, CSCS)

This week’s spotlight features, Founder and Director of a Strength and Conditioning Academy, India, Dr. Apurva Mathankar (MPT, CSCS). I feel Apurva’s journey is truly unconventional. Read this spotlight to understand how she transitioned from Masters in cardio-respiratory physiotherapy to India’s youngest strength and conditioning specialist. She also speaks about how to obtain specialist certification in strength and conditioning and how it will help you advance your career in sports.

What is your name, job title?

Dr. Apurva Mathankar MPTh, CSCS.

• Co-Founder and Director, Strength and Conditioning Academy, India. 
• International coordinator, NSCA, India. 

What is your educational background?

• Bachelors of physiotherapy (BPTh) –  Seth G S Medical College – Graduation year 2013 (Internship done)
• Masters of physiotherapy (MPTh), Cardiovascular and respiratory Sciences – Seth G S Medical College – Graduation year 2016
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA. 2017.

What did you do soon after graduation, for how long?

I worked in the fitness industry right from my internship. Initially, I worked with a local fitness academy as a faculty. I used to lead the special population course for their Mumbai Branch. 

Soon after completing my masters I started my own small brand, A-square fitness. 

Typically PTs with masters in cardiorespiratory end up in a hospital, ICU setting. How did you transition from that to the strength and conditioning industry?

Actually, I was not very happy working in ICUs and inpatient rehab. I wanted something more dynamic. Fitness was my area of interest. Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy has a huge domain of fitness which is often ignored. 

I always thought, patients with MI, COPD need much more than the initial few weeks of physiotherapy. We need to take these patients back to their daily activities such as squatting, jogging and running. 

I approached many gyms for work. Back in 2016, the fitness industry was not as mature as it is now. Most of the trainers didn’t understand what I was talking about. So I decided to start my own brand, A square fitness. 

Tell us more about your journey with your brand and how did you grow to become partners with National Strength and Conditioning Academy, USA?

Through my brand I started conducting courses for the trainers. The certificates that I used to issue through my brand were not internationally recognised. So, I started looking for international back up for the courses I offered. That is when I came across NSCA. 

I approached NSCA with my credentials and research work I had done at the time of the masters. Initially, NSCA gave me permission to conduct CEU courses for strength and conditioning coaches in India.

In 2017, I took the test for strength and conditioning certification. I became India’s youngest certified strength and conditioning specialist. Through continuous engagement with NSCA for 3 years, I was able to bring NSCA to India. We are now official partners with NSCA, India. 

Back in 2017, When we started, Only the Indian Cricket Team had a strength and conditioning coach. Now, many athletes have strength and conditioning coaches. Things are slowly improving. 

To our budding physiotherapists, can you explain the difference between the roles of a sports physiotherapist and strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS)?

I always use the example of an ACL repair patient who is a fast bowler. After the patient undergoes the surgery, he/ she works with a physiotherapist in early stages of rehabilitation including gait training. Sports physiotherapist usually takes the responsibility till the point where the patient starts running again. 

But this can not be the ultimate goal for a fast bowler. If the bowler’s preinjury bowling velocity was 130 km/hr. Strength and conditioning coach makes sure the bowler reaches not only pre injury speed but strives to take it a notch higher at 140 km/hr. 

A physiotherapist with strength and conditioning background will have much better understanding of sports injury rehab and training.

According to you, how can one become a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS)?

Prerequisite for the CSCS examination is a Bachelor’s degree in any field. The CSCS examination is a difficult examination. It consists of one and half hours of theory and two and half hours of practicals. We, through NSCA, India offer complete handholding for those taking this examination.

To be qualified for that, candidates need to take an entrance exam, followed by an interview. We select only 20 candidates each at our Mumbai and Bangalore centers. This happens twice a year. Selected candidates undergo rigorous training with us which prepares them for the CSCS exam. 

Students can directly appear for the exam as well. But it is very difficult to crack the test.

What are other courses offered through National Strength and Conditioning Academy, India?

We offer CPT, a certified personal trainer course, where we teach about exercises for the non athletic population. 

We also have an olympic weight lifting quad, which I think is a wonderful course. Speed and agility workshops are our other popular courses. 

What is the typical day of work for you?

It is completely haphazard now because of the pandemic. I have a three year old daughter. Her daycare and pre schools are still closed because of the pandemic. I can only get out of the house for work on the weekends. 

During the day, as and when I get time, I schedule my online consultations. I am training professional athletes such as cricketers, tennis and badminton players. My weekends are reserved for offline athletes. 

We conduct courses through NSCA at our Mumbai and Bangalore centers. Also, I have my team in Mumbai and Bangalore, they handle day to day work very well. I stay in touch with them through phone calls. 

What do you like about your work?

I love seeing my athletes go back to pre-injury status or even stronger than pre-injury status. 

From NSCA point of view, I am happy that I can build awareness. Also I am glad that I can train so many strength and conditioning coaches who have the right knowledge to work with an athlete. Many of our students, who have completed CSCS, are now recruited by the sports academy of India. 

What are the challenges you face?

Initially we faced a lot of problems when athletes used to go to MSK physiotherapists to return to sports. In India, for some of the physiotherapy clinics, the highest weights available at the clinic is 2 kg. How can you expect to train an athlete with a maximum of 2 kg weight? But things are improving slowly. 

What is next for you?

As I mentioned earlier, things are improving. Many professionals, including orthopedic surgeons, CAs and engineers are approaching us to obtain CSCS. I feel, CSCS in general is now becoming glamorized, mainly because people are understanding the importance of it. 

Many of our students are doing well and some were also a part of the Olympics 2021 squad. If physiotherapists complete CSCS certification, they are often paid wonderful packages. Sports sector is now one of the chief focuses for our government. So the future is looking promising for our students. 

My goal is to continue the work and shape skilled strength and conditioning coaches to help Indian athletes. 

Currently Indian athletes have many foreign strength and conditioning coaches. I would like more Indian strength and conditioning coaches taking over this field. I feel foreign coaches can not relate with Indian athletes. For example, Indian strength and conditioning coaches have played galli cricket. They know what it takes to reach the national level. So, they relate well with the players.

What is your advice for PT students and new grads?

Go towards your passion and do something different. Keep a 5 year plan for you. Don’t get caught in the rat race. Know your strengths and weaknesses. 

Most of our PT students are girls. When I interact with them, most of them want to get a job and want to get married. My advice for them is, yes, marriage is one part of your life but think beyond that. Think about what you want for yourself?

Where can people reach you?

They can reach me on LinkedIn or Instagram. 

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