The Show Up Fitness Podcast
Join Chris Hitchko, author of 'How to Become A Successful Personal Trainer' VOL 2 and CEO of Show Up Fitness as he guides personal trainers towards success.
90% of personal trainers quit within 12-months in the USA, 18-months in the UK, Show Up Fitness is helping change those statistics. The Show Up Fitness CPT is one of the fastest growing PT certifications in the world with partnerships with over 500-gyms including Life Time Fitness, Equinox, Genesis, EoS, and numerous other elite partnerships.
This podcast focuses on refining trade, business, and people skills to help trainers excel in the fitness industry. Discover effective client programming, revenue generation, medical professional networking, and elite assessment strategies.
Learn how to become a successful Show Up Fitness CPT at www.showupfitness.com. Send your questions to Chris on Instagram @showupfitness or via email at info@showupfitness.com."
The Show Up Fitness Podcast
Training India's Elite: Vinod Channa on Discipline, Fitness & Longevity
Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!
A life can pivot on a single “no.” For Vinod Chandel, repeated rejection at the police gate became the spark that turned a frail kid into a national bodybuilding champion and, eventually, one of India’s most sought-after celebrity coaches. We unpack how he built a career on anatomy, humility, and relentless learning—then rebuilt it after a slip disc forced him to rethink strength from the spine out.
We walk through the transformation from old-school, mirror-first training to a 360-degree method that blends mobility, yoga, calisthenics, kettlebells, and stick work. Vinod shares how balanced shoulder development demands understanding muscle heads and alignment, why cat-cow and hip control can unlock heavier squats, and how long days at desks or on sets age the body faster than birthdays. He opens up about pricing and negotiation, the realities of traveling with stars, and the principle that knowledge—not hype—earns trust and income.
What stands out is the cultural fusion: Western exercise science sharpened his programming, while Indian warrior traditions—gada, mudgar, sword work—taught rotational strength, grip, and presence. That blend helps everyone from actors to IT pros move better, recover faster, and stay injury-resistant. For new trainers, Vinod’s playbook is simple and demanding: train all kinds of bodies, repeat your own transformations, and cook your craft under real-world pressure. Subscribe for more grounded conversations on strength, mobility, recovery, and the mindset that turns setbacks into skill. If this story moved you, share it with a friend and leave a review so others can find it too.
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And welcome to the Short Fitness Podcast India.
SPEAKER_00:Welcome to the Short Fitness Podcast. Great personal screens on me. We are changing the screen one qualified screen at the time. If you want to become an elite personal trainer, head on over to showphist.com. Also make sure to check out my book, How to Become a Super Special Personal Trainer. Don't forget to subscribe, Rate and review. Have a great day. Keep showing up.
SPEAKER_02:Today we have a guest who needs no introduction, the man behind the transformation of India, one of the some of the India's biggest celebrities, Mr. Vinoch Chandal himself. Thank you so much, sir, for coming to the podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you very much. Thank you for calling me.
SPEAKER_02:So let's get straight into the podcast. And I would want to know why you decide to enter the fitness industry.
SPEAKER_01:I was very thin. Like very thin. Till graduation, my my height is like 5 10 and my weight is 50 kg, like a skeletal. And I think that's a very good idea. And you get avoided from the lot of people. Because of Deko Achelo, Diknivale, cute bacha, everybody will appreciate, everybody will want to take him. But a weeknala, a typical Indian black also, and Tufekumale, poor family, to our personality karabotid. I get avoided from the other people because not looking good, personality is not good, uh, look why is not good, it's her chizo. There is a lot of other economic problems. We are not like a very uh economically sound family. So we have to work and study. So night college, uh simple satur pega diet, joby knowledge, other literal milk, milk pure potato, potato, banana. So Pasas Sarup and Dad was a half take up. Even though you're working out, maybe we have to take care of college, college fees, and uh books and everything. Not as a profession. But pilot things are second year, yeah, third or secondary uh become metaphysical professional redwick bodybuilders. So the guide because Paisatani could go and help them. So Uske Bale Omge, Kusikangia, Kutba Tangi, Body Bana Sikerna. The essays start here, the umki sad, and within two years, graduation carthigat me bodybuilding, eight per chuta title, weight gain here, to muse laga, may put me. I wanted to become a policeman, graduation. Her Tuesday, 10 say graduation that I used to go employment exchange to get that uh police call. Because the employment exchange called Meta, then only you can liable to go and stand on the police birthing. Because we have to use the same thing. Call it an India. They will look at his even I'm Marashani because we are from the borderside, not from the out of state also. They are giving Christian, Muslim, everybody other religion also. But Apni up distraction, that was the last day I cried because five years many Dalete, Jaja, many Akasha Asu, even my friends who are master and they're fighting for me, but police say all nissum defeated. But they are not listening. It's distracted, upne India, so I can't get this my last day. And I left from there. But you can say twenty-nine years back. Wow. Logo knowledge in Jim Bijan, Jim Jim Thabini Bok come Jim Team stand. Four thousand job is a good job. Those are performing bodybuilding bodybuilding from Kanga Sri S Title Mara, Junior Nivesman Title Mara. Me and my team just very seniors here. Deliver curse, though. And I was like born coach, explain cursector. Just barasel we came to the through through through me, the secondary. They come to know I'm working outside also as a person. So they throw me out. I said, okay, Jovi over. And we started working outside first and trainingly. And that's what that is a point where I started growing more. But I think we immediately grow there. They don't uh care about whatever certification it did. It's my weight training, but bodybuilding we are champion also. But the pathani the concept workout kiss muscle work, kiss, anatomically, system can be a patani. But kart is up because uh flex curve was magnetic form decided. Oh se pathaji look of all over the form techniques of a chat, like in vision patani, cucur. You can have legs, patch of a cord, I said arms kill thino according. Yes, a patado. Some correction form, but anatomically, body can the concept muscle, kitten head or muscle kit, why variation change? Sometimes there is some people each muscle kill chapach variation not as per the head, like shoulder, shoulder, frontal, middle, and rear. If you want to work on shoulder, all the three heads of muscle, you have to work. That means complete shoulder work. Logo patani the only cut, front is a upright row, and I say each pitch in charge and front or rear tea needed. So alignment change muscle developed, muscle we cogget. Again, aching and pain start. You're not symmetrically symmetrical. And Barasa Logan could progress new. I used to see a US Embassy. Always there was a cue. Baras and progressive body will be sales come out, but could you say progress neither life? Barasa Logev put me upnato upnato possibly meet. Ozo Volega, that is right. Both some uh Sanjay Datara excuse like I uper. Maybe we said Jato Bandra Sadhape could be a professional bodybuilder, maybe body subsidy. And I have no top came Marshall top the baratal member top came marsh bodybuilder, many bombing gold millists Marlia, Marsha Goldmill, and Novice Champion and Champion of the No June Championship, Champions and Hoochata. Then acha calm curly other manifest me. The bodybuilding me. I used to represent mass state, ja big body was me, massive representative. Wow many achievements. But Firby could hold Pis say wise economically progressing your turn could sit divine Mumbai Milo could be over the City Vanacan. This is outfit, but decannier. I'm not able to buy even the girl, TV, luxury thing. Basically, just I can survive and fulfill curse. I want to ask you first one question. I said, Okay. I want somebody who believes in God. Do you believe in God? And the boss when a chat in Donish. He was just standing and he was clapping. Oh wow, what a coincidence. This is called God sent him. What happened? He said, I want to do something for Bhajan Bali. This is a bird Bajan Balika scrupture karna. This kill me award winner, scrupture. But Muji looked a bodybuilder. Is known as a bodybuilder, means huge body, muscular body. I want to know one bodybuilder in Dicta guys of moment, scrupulture. I don't want anybody. Because you buzzemblika cherry with a chair. Yes. I want some who believe in God. I could okay, Jake Manado. And they called me Chen, Chenegia, or Deki Hilgulu Pandra Kluka. Or is me bodybuilding may be gaining or lose can now like it's like a normal uh thing. These kill again got the day, tell you lose to talk to auto muscular view today. Not only losing weight, but talk to auto muscular like international physical. Every time you come to me, your past mistakes, shortcuts, you come to me that the last time what work out we did, today it's not working because your body is stronger for that, used to for that. Thus Pandavazap Kurt confident, okay, harbor case of body could have been a very good thing. He was training with somebody else, but may I see Loka helped the wrong wing or though? He called me tenor, but I want somebody really good. Well, after tenor upon the Mira tenor, thus name caliber haiani, or Muski Beijing Am Namnik Karawanachi. So Ab Jasak. Unforgettable world to children. Within six months, all this happened, and I am on the world tour. So Dunya Gungya, US of Ken. This is what happened in life. Spirites Mila, Soel Mila, John Mila, John Kiss, Buim Menuski, Body Man now, Abita Kiziki, Aishman Kurana, Sintashati, Soel Khan, lot of producer actors. Almost Bollywood Pimene Kabjakia. I got three times best celebrate tenor of the country award, best tenor of the country, top tenor of the country, most expensive tenor of the country. I started famous through Google about me. She called me for training. John Kaja forced me Kiyata Uskomera Pura interview. Immediately I got this problem. And I was the pick of the period. Pandra Sola Salkebar. There are time I had a Kamanika and I got slip disc. Then I realized I have six pack, I have strong legs, everything I have strong. My lifting cabinet is 200 kg of score. Why I got this? Then I realized those days we used to do only standing. We are the champion. That is a fitness.
SPEAKER_02:And hypertrophy focus on Baki elements neither.
SPEAKER_01:Baki is a millinium. Laterally carnival and a sports telling up laterally sent like three sixty degree to mobility to stand build up carnival. Then we bad eighteen months I was with slip disc kind of kushni or rather. I was a batch bend over my res mini laboratory because there are poor income, it's been dependent. Yoga, parkour, calistening, kickboxing, cattle wind international, yoga chicky, reform or mat, stick mobility, animal float. And most are colouring, non-chalks, stick chalanasika, curly cut team. Still I'm learning definition techniques. Every coach need coach for themselves as a coach. Yes. Otherwise, comfort zone may come. Then I thought, we took Isa problem, I knack Bugland then up charges. All this bit different gold, bill bridge big band, they are like uh not allowing me. All are different. Then I thought Cholo Abilapta, April Kukrab Jim Chaluka Napadiga. Dusra Jim Jabbilos, so I say our charpatchal chalegar. Baharabar, I come up with a bigger gym. Then I bought my own place in Bandra, 3000 square feet. This my gymnastic, calistering parkour, yoga, stick mobility, animal flow, silk yoga, subconscious, functional drink dunning. And started my own brand VC fitness. And COVID. And still I'm working hard, learning more, trying to help society and all other people. So they can do anything in their life. They can play sport, they can go with their own kids, jog, jump, run without any difficulties, without any muscle wear and tear. So this is what is going on our journey till now. That's so inspiring.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, I have seen people who are not going to be a very good thing. They want this badly and they work so hard. But eventually, right?
SPEAKER_01:Exactly. And keep going. Exactly. And working and processing.
SPEAKER_02:That is the life. I mean, sometimes things won't go your way. And uh if you just channel God into this, Madla Babs, Bagan Joshua Turn, eventually she said tea poja. And you are the live example.
SPEAKER_01:I believe in COVID came back. I don't believe in all this. I was in that much trouble. Halakara Usquish me, Alo Pescio, Alo Pesham is in Bal Date, like him blind of Hunilagata. The Merry Manager teaching me helpful. You know, they can't go to Piscaman. Yeah, yeah. Okay. A merely major twenty-nine lakh rupees. When a thing they're already basically charger layers with thin base. This is what happens when you believe everything and do everything. So after that, I am I am more believer of the God. And uh everything is going on.
SPEAKER_02:I have been the one of the people, the fitness industry mentor and uh, life may be fitness is my thing, career, fitness. But there was no direction for me. But yeah, the faith on God was always there, and somehow, when I channeled God into this, she set up though hard work was there always, but initially just managed outcome. Situation every day we have to be able to but there was that faith one they clean, and eventually you know she's a key. If I look back or my so chuki, as mech is a karma, she is a karunga. It's all his grace karke setup karke low.
SPEAKER_01:So yeah, that is always the problem here, but a temple. Body temple is a famous about crowded. It's a like sad thing. But yeah, yeah, factory, Utna Beluni of the Loga. This gives you look sad utna knowledge, awareness new gives us. We don't say believe din that bad case, but you should believe somebody is there who take care of everyone. There is one supreme power in the world. Yes.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. I want to ask this question. Like, what is the difference when you train a normal person and when you are training a celebrity? What is the biggest difference between these two clients?
SPEAKER_01:Because Unka fingers, elbows, weaker. I have to everything strong. And to half up build up, eight push up teench are many bath. Because a bed bed continue, chali challenge, bed bed key, progress, company, and checkerme, up paisa to comalia, but stains, stamina, aggregate suppose gavadhi. Simple as Jochi up, use Nikoru, body was strain, worth legitimate mobility, strain, shouldn't you or at a point dustalaga between the clip or weight be but joint PPR? You become older. Older because of not because of age, lack of movement, lifestyle, not of recovery, all these things. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:So mention here, you did K11 first, right?
SPEAKER_01:And if you butch Pansi education school times, the only problem, book me problem, notebook my problem, class nicker sector, the C V class nicker pay, bar v class nicker pay. Because school keep already booking a chin eighty, Japan school curke, achieve a church school of the municipality school maybe. We come up. Self study or subscribe.
SPEAKER_02:So the question was, or Baki Alaga countries courses here. So do you find any difference in how we conduct fitness education in India and how they conduct it?
SPEAKER_01:After doing all these Western things, I realized there is so much knowledge in our country. You know, warriors are more stronger than athletes or any other person. Warriors 360 degrees of strain, stamina, endurance power. But warrior training is 10%. Because we have to use culture weapon training, Gada Buddhimbelling upon deck, but upon real extra weight, kitna mobility onities, kitna core strength on a chip, kitchen use, warrior look, Gada go handle gun, Gada se Palaya stick, stick se Pala, Mudgala Mudika Badaga sword, sword ke this. Sword be just a late art gunter sword chalade, cash should yogi. So kilogi jacket dal ke, go de bed ke balance karti away, go kartete art out, or pachas saliskilvi talwall again must be what type of exercise they are doing. Western Chi Burini will a benefit. You should know most of Sik, can bring Kerna, consume Jada benefit, consum jara shortcut, which sucks amnialogy fitness capital implement karna, utilize canon chokes. But Apnea Pejo knowledge the British and uh destroyed. Guru Gulma myths are wrong, low kiwa in chizo wrong impression, low purps. But upna Natasha, the Kuchko per mysti award Milaga. Up never classical Sangita, classical dance, astrology, yoga, yoga with tincha yoga ala coloury, curly cuttime. Both each meet none knowledge, it means mobility flexibility, physiotherapy six attack. Which I realized made twenty-nine years so I bet sicko may realize it. A beaver looked for eight percent before subsidies signal again, or her chiska benefit yaker. They should not say her eight chiska benefit requirement gave, muscle chattering corum. Flexibility, mobility, peace, uh, internal internal peace, and uh change can upne body yoga corruption. There is a lot of uh sport went to work or just agility, speed, explosiveness of the career, after physical. So upneapne advertised. That's a problem. You learn everything and implement that, that will give you confidence and that will make you the best and of the country. This is what I did, and that's why I'm here today.
SPEAKER_02:Exactly. I mean, there is no black and white concept in fitness. There is always this gray area. You cannot say that this exercise is useless. Maybe that is useless for someone, but for some other person, that will be gold.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, you cannot just uh give a statement like uh simple example, right? Uh 40 plus over. Yes. But still, IT person dictator, IT person 33, 40, because 14 hours they're doing this like this. Because they say unknown all the time. So you stand the only loss curly. So yes of Chif style, up a working style, stand, Job G style so work continue longer hours. So realize can you pile in Chizuko repair? Bad me fat loss with mobility flexibility than yeah or mobility flexibility at Chisay, top food bed power, or would be paga, but strength comes. Top to bottom, thus found your use. You will be a better performer. You can perform more longer time, and there is no injuries, less chance of injuries. This thing people should understand.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, fair enough. Uh like you are the top trainer in India right now. Okay. So, enter for advice or guidance. So, what would be that one advice that you want to give to the upcoming generation of the trainers?
SPEAKER_01:So that they can also be where you are. Whatever you learn in the fitness technique, which could utilize to understand. You have to train different people, like housewife, student, uh, corporate people, athlete, and then different mindset people, highly rich, obese, because early. How to take them for forward slowly and steadily, without any muscle wear at any without any injuries, without harm. And that will that confidence will make you a good trainer, and this that will going to give you the money. Because you can't do that. Learn apply new and train all different types of people. Sometimes you have to pay, but all the type of body just train them and learn from them. That experience makes you confident. I do pillate, I don't do weight because I get bulky. You know, umko patane female is prone to injuries because lack of muscle, they don't have that hormone which builds up the muscle. Even though you leave more than male, you'll not become like a male. Uh and plus lack of muscle, you are more prone to injuries. Joint, weight. Nothing is bad. You know, I I hate all these type of people.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. What would be that one exercise that you think everyone should know how to do it?
SPEAKER_01:Main thing you should know how to open up yourself. Growing low body and core opening, lower back. If your lower back is not strong, you can't do anything. Lower back opening, up in yoga may basic, basic chiffic chakras and cat camel, cat camel hurt cheese. Up squat, just up cow post corubi, up hip or core involved, you can deep more heavier weight. Uh involving the hip developed negative caught yellow, handship developed over. If both nigger bate, to me, basic chizobecam care. Cat cow, a chisiki, usually, even though up hip threshold, hip co strength, hip co involve, that is a cat cow post. Spine strong on a both involved. Spine strong both a bad bad kid. Touch kit. Okay. I say better, better. They have spinning her. Joechi's name used with you. Because head be relaxed position longer time. Fourteen, fourteen hours. Just keep sound weak only low back and knee pay pressure. We go support nickel, join to join Panel.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Let's suppose key if a new trainer wants to become a celebrated trainer right away. What would you suggest them?
SPEAKER_01:What would you tell them? Learn a lot of things, apply that yourself, gain at least 40-50 kg, and again lose back. Not only once, at least five times. That will make you confident. That will give the experience what hard work you need to go through, what type of diet you need to go through, every time how it changes. That self-experience will make you stronger and confident, which will help you to create a celebrity for any athlete, and that will make you celebrating. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:A funny question. Like uh, let's say you are going to meet a celebrity right now, and you are giving them your charges. Like, this is how much I'm gonna charge. So, do they negotiate as well?
SPEAKER_01:Like a normal negotiate, everybody negotiate, and trainer we can say okay, this many cars. Sometimes there is some different body, and you want to challenge that body, so you have to go in less price also. There is different type of people, everybody not will give you the same price. So, you know, you can't do it. There is there, you don't think about the money. This you keep in mind and work accordingly because knowledge will give you money, and knowledge will come with the different people handling different people and make them achieve their target.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Uh one last question, you can opt not to answer it. How much do you charge for a single session? I mean, what is the highest amount that you charge is for a single session?
SPEAKER_01:Everything on my website. If normally if people come in, my charge is 1.5 lakh rupees per 12 session. If people call me at their place, it depends on the distance, how much my time invest. According to I charge 2.5 to 3 lakh rupees, 4 lakh rupees, whatever. If they want me to travel with them, I charge 1.5 to 1 lakh rupees per day. This is what I charge. Wow. And this is everywhere. Yeah, I mentioned in my website also, it's open.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, 1.5 lakh for a day or for a session for a day.
SPEAKER_01:Because my whole day goes with them because they are they want to take me to Dubai or shoot or something. Then I have to be there for them. Understood. So I'll chat for the whole day, right? Okay, understood.
SPEAKER_02:All right. It was nice talking to you. Yeah. And uh one last message that you want to give to our audience.
SPEAKER_01:Just keep learning. Learning means knowledge. Knowledge yoga, hard working, paisa upnabaiga.
SPEAKER_02:Fair point. All right, Vinod. It was nice talking to you and thank you so much for taking out time from a business. Thank you. Thank you for calling me here.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you. Take care. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you so much.