Ankit Baiyanpuria

Ankit Baiyanpuria, a former desi wrestler from Bayanpur, Sonipat, is making waves by redefining personal growth through his 75-day hard challenge.

Raised by labourer parents, Ankit's journey to fame began on social media just a couple of months back driven by his impeccable workout techniques and distinct routines that not only focus on physical health but also incorporate mental well-being, with readings like the 'Bhagavad Gita'.

In 2022, a dislocated shoulder during his mud wrestling days forced him to shift gears. He took to Instagram and started sharing his fitness journey. It was after researching fitness that he came across Andy Frisella's '75-day Hard Challenge'. Today, Ankit completes a full 75 days of diligently following this challenge. So much so, that he has amassed more than 2.5 million followers in just 28 days!

The '75 Days Hard Challenge' mandates progress selfies, a strict diet, plenty of water, and daily readings, alongside outdoor workouts. With his unique greeting, 'Ram Ram sarya ne,' Ankit forges a deep connection with his Instagram audience.

He shares daily routines, healthy diets, and rigorous workouts against the backdrop of his village, resonating with audiences worldwide and fellow Indians.

His content has gone on to inspire renowned celebrities like Badshah, Flying Beast and others, who have applauded his efforts.

His transition from trying content on YouTube back in the days, when he uploaded a Haryanvi comedy, to a fitness influencer was catalysed by the Covid-19 lockdown after three major injuries that propelled him to put a stop to his wrestling career.

Coming from a background of scarcity, Ankit's story underscores the power of determination and is like no other. He's gone from doing odd jobs, including being a Zomato delivery boy, to becoming the biggest social media fitness influencer.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Ankit talked about the 75 Days Challenge and what motivated him to take this up, his newfound fame, and what lies ahead.

Ankit, your journey throughout the 75-day challenge has been nothing short of remarkable. Can you share some pivotal moments or experiences that stand out?

My entire journey has been amazing. There are no particular moments as such because the routine was the same every single day for 75 days. However, I have truly enjoyed this process because of the kind of results it has given me. It wasn't easy at all initially to complete the challenge daily but after a few days it got easier and I found myself pushing my boundaries to do better each day. Some days I would feel like giving up but then I kept my determination and tried to do better each day. One of the experiences that I would like to share is when I cramped my thigh during a workout, I was in immense pain and couldn't do any work. However, I continued with my other daily challenge work and recovered well.

When was the exact moment you decided to embark on this challenge that has now made your account the fastest growing and most inspiring with almost zero negative comments from your followers?

I used to do mud wrestling in my early days, and I was a professional wrestler competing in the ring. In 2018 I faced a slip disc but I didn't give up and continued with my journey after considerable recovery. Again in 2020, I faced a serious knee injury but it was in November 2022 that I dislocated my left shoulder and had a rotator cuff tear while wrestling and took myself out of the ring. I started my recovery with a physiotherapist in Sonipat, and soon after I continued the exercises on my own.

It was during my personal research on fitness that I came across the video of American entrepreneur Andy Frisella's 75-day Hard Challenge, I decided to implement and introduce similar techniques in my workout.

Before this challenge, I used to post Haryanvi comedy videos (Khagad) on YouTube and I had around 5,000 subscribers. I decided to post a short video on Instagram, reel type which is much more engaging and almost familiar to the audience. In the initial days, my videos didn't get much response but soon I started getting responses from all over India, They loved my workout videos and started practising themselves too.

I have a great love for my followers and consider all of them as my friends. They all are like me coming from a rural background and wanting to achieve big in life, that's why they are with me.

As you continue to make headlines, what exciting endeavours or projects can we expect from Ankit Singh in the near future?

Right now, I only want to complete the challenge, make my comeback in the ring, and play for India in the near future.