Jogging on the streets of Mumbai is probably the most non-Gujarati thing Anil Ambani would have ever done. Yet he is pretty particular about it. He was featured in a report published a few months ago in The Economist. The report listed many other ‘jogging bosses’ including CEOs of top-notch software companies of the likes of TCS and Wipro.

Since Indian Software Industry pretty much works as per the norms of the West, it is no less welcoming a trend that CEOs also want to look good in public. They want to stay fit to be more efficient and effective. They are often the ‘face’ of the company and that’s gotta be good.

AnyLinuxWork CEO is no different. He never misses his gym in the morning regardless of a previously fatigued day. He follows a disciplined lifestyle, meets his deadlines, sets examples and has plenty of family time too. In fact, it is his fitness consciousness that led him to get designed a plug-n-play product, a fitness portal called mFit. Well, that for later.

But what exactly works best for the CEOs? Fitness and health experts warn against going in for ‘targeted’ fitness goals such as losing a few kilos in a few weeks or trying to achieve too many things at a time. The reason why jogging works best for them is that it is usually an all-round exercise that has almost no side effects unless you already have a history of joint pains. They get plenty of fresh air in the morning that can be energizing for the rest of the day.

It’s almost ironic that they can afford the best of the gym any given day but most prefer to walk or jog. A very practical reason could be that gyms require a strict regimen to be followed on a daily basis. Since their lifestyles often require extensive travelling, going for a jog comes handy, almost anywhere. In addition, jogging helps de-stress – something that gyms often fail to.

Interestingly, quite a few research reports have been talking about a positive connection of jogging and ageing. It has been proven in most cases that keeping fit by jogging or cycling through middle age and beyond slows and even reverses the decline in muscle power, balance and co-ordination in later life. Google health articles and you might be surprised at finding how many of them recommend jogging as the topmost priority for health and fitness.

Psychologists have also stated that since jogging fights back stress to a great extent, it develops a better ‘self-image’ in people. This may be crucial for a top-notch CEO who is under a constant media glare almost all the time. Jogging increases self-confidence as it helps tone the body and provide it an athletic built.

That explains most clearly why a person in that position would do something as mundane as jogging. As for us back here at Team ALW, a great example has been set. And we have been following it for quite sometime now. What about you?