How Netrin Sports and Expert Coaching Transformed Madhubala's* Health and Fitness
- Sheetal Patil
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Rahul Vaidya
Madhubala`s Challenges and A journey of Resilience
When Madhubala joined Netrin in January 2024, she faced several challenges. Years of unstable blood sugar levels and reliance on insulin had made daily life unpredictable. Frequent hypoglycemia episodes left her feeling drained, a lingering injury in her right arm restricted movement, and carrying extra body weight added to the challenges.
Despite these obstacles, she was clear about her goals:
Build endurance and stamina.
Improve daily mobility.
Develop muscle strength and maintain consistent activity levels.
At the start of her journey with Netrin, her initial Netrin Heart Score (NHS) was 38 - classified as poor cardiovascular capacity for her age group - highlighting the need for structured intervention. With her primary goal of improving endurance, metabolic, and cardiovascular health, she embarked on a personalized training journey.
The Netrin Approach: Personalized, Adaptive and Data-driven coaching
Step 1: Assessing the Baseline
Netrin’s training methodology begins with understanding an individual’s physiological profile. Through her NHS, heart rate variability readings, and other key metrics, her coach gained deep insights into Madhubala's cardiovascular health and recovery capacity.
Step 2: Easing into Fitness with Heart Rate Zone Training
Recognizing her starting point, the coaching team devised a plan that introduced her to low-intensity schedule, starting with daily easy walks to build habit, gradually progressing the walks in intensity to prepare and enable easing her in to heart rate zone based workouts. These zone-based workouts are critical for cardiovascular adaptation, minimizing stress on her body while preparing her for progressive challenges.
Daily HRV monitoring was emphasized from day one. By analyzing her recovery patterns, the coaching team made timely adjustments to her plan, ensuring a sustainable approach to fitness.
Step 3: Building Endurance with Targeted Zone based training
After the initial two to three weeks of her program, it was time to shift gears and introduce her to zone-based aerobic training, focusing 60% of her workout time in Zones 2 and 3 which are the sweet spot where the body works efficiently to build endurance and yet is sustainable.
Zone 2 training, for instance, primarily targets the aerobic system. It’s where the body uses oxygen and metabolizes fat for energy more effectively. This was crucial for Madhubala because one of our goals was to stimulate metabolic adaptations. By training at this level, we aimed to enhance her fat metabolism and improve her body’s ability to stabilize blood sugar levels. The comparatively easier intensity of Zone 2 also ensured that she could adapt to progression. Zone 3 training sessions were added to gently push her cardiovascular capacity while maintaining aerobic dominance.
For Madhubala, who was relatively new to structured exercise, this combination of Zones 2 and 3 created a strong foundation without overwhelming her system. Alongside her aerobic cardio workouts, we introduced bodyweight strength and stability routines as part of a holistic training strategy to build muscular strength and improve core stability. This was not just about making her stronger - it was about preparing her body to handle increased training loads in the future, while also reducing the risk of injury.
The Differentiator - Harness power of HRV for smart and dynamic adjustments
The coaching team utilized her daily HRV readings to tweak her workouts. For instance:
On days when her HRV showed low recovery, plans were adjusted to prioritize rest or low-intensity sessions.
Conversely, when her recovery was optimal, higher-intensity workouts were introduced to push her limits safely.
This level of personalization ensured she avoided overtraining and steadily improve her fitness without setbacks.
Focus on Holistic Health Habits
Fitness is not just the time you spend working out, it is also about adopting lifestyle changes that compliment your body’s ability to recover & adapt. In this case we focused and encouraged on lifestyle changes addressing sleep, stress management as well as recovery by building habits that would amplify her progress.
From a physiological standpoint, quality sleep is of prime importance as, during sleep, body repairs muscle, replenishes energy stores, and balances crucial hormones like cortisol and growth hormone. Madhubala was on a “make do” routine of around six hours of sleep daily. Her HRV data analysis told the other story. Coaching team educated and encouraged her to prioritize sleep and add at least an hour daily to her sleep regime. By consistently achieving 7–8 hours of restful sleep, she started to notice a dramatic difference in her ability to recover from workouts and maintain her energy levels throughout the day.
We taught and introduced her to breathing techniques and exercises, not just as a physical recovery tool but as a way to address stress and enhance well-being. Proper breathing helps shift the body from a state of fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest, activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This not only reduces cortisol levels but also improves heart rate variability (HRV), an important indicator of how well the body can handle stress.
Mid-Year Achievements: A Foundation for Success
“I feel a lot calmer now, both at work and in personal life. I used to be pretty aggressive with clients and colleagues, but now I feel cool as a cucumber. My colleagues have started to notice changes and are giving a lot of positive feedback” - Madhubala
By May 2024, the combined efforts of Netrin’s system and Madhubala's commitment were evident. Her blood sugar levels began normalizing, and she expressed satisfaction with her progress and the app’s user-friendly design.
To maintain momentum, her plan was updated:
Outdoor jogging sessions were added to her weekend schedule.
Weekday indoor sessions continued to focus on strength and mobility.
NHS tracking highlighted steady progress, improving from 38 to 42 - a small but significant milestone indicating her body’s positive response and adaptations to training
Maintaining Momentum: Road to Long term health
By September, Madhubala had achieved remarkable improvements, thanks to her tailored plan and consistent feedback and inputs from her coach and her accountability manager
Resting Heart Rate: Reduced from 79 bpm to 65 bpm, reflecting improved cardiovascular efficiency.
HRV Trends: Her baseline HRV (rmssd) rose from 12 to 21, signaling better resilience and recovery.
Blood Sugar Control: HbA1c levels dropped from 10.6 to 8.4, allowing her to transition from insulin to oral medications.
Advanced Training Adjustments
With her improved fitness, her plan was upgraded to include:
Zone 2 Base Building: Weekly sessions for aerobic endurance.
High-Intensity Intervals: To enhance stamina and push her physiological limits.
Strength and Mobility Routines: These were diversified to include HIIT sessions for variety and adaptations.
We also encouraged and supported her readiness to try new activities, such as a 5K run, which she successfully completed.
It takes two hands to clap!
Madhubala's incredible transformation is a true reflection of her determination, effort, and mindset. Her commitment was nothing short of remarkable approaching every workout with focus and determination and completing each session as prescribed. This enabled her to progress gradually, building both her confidence and her fitness. This laid a foundation for her success.
Another great habit Madhubala built was taking her Readiness session (HRV). These readings enabled coaches to have invaluable insights into her body’s recovery and readiness. This data-driven approach allowed for fine-tuned adjustments to her plan, ensuring that she trained smarter, not just harder. Her readiness data played a major role in avoiding overtraining while optimizing her results.
Madhubala planned her lifestyle around fitness. Instead of viewing her workouts as a chore, she restructured her day to prioritize them, treating fitness as a non-negotiable part of her routine.
Her trust in her coach was the glue that held everything together. She embraced the guidance and advice cementing a seamless partnership which enabled her to thrive. She didn’t just follow the plan - she owned it, making every step count.
Year In Review: A Life Transformed
By January 2025, her transformation was nothing short of extraordinary:
NHS Score: Climbed from 38 to 61.
Resting Heart Rate: Stabilized at 65 bpm.
HRV Baseline: Improved to 25 rmssd, reflecting enhanced recovery.
Blood Sugar Levels: Fasting glucose dropped below 110, marking significant progress.
5K Milestone: Successfully completed her first 5K run in Sept 2024, setting the stage for future goals.
5K Podium Finish: Ran the HCL Green Run 2025 in Chennai with net time of 00:43:26 finishing on podium with 2nd position in age group
Emotional and Mental transformation
Beyond the metrics, Madhubala's journey brought profound emotional and mental benefits:
She reported feeling calmer and more composed, both personally and professionally.
Her energy levels soared, making her more productive and joyful.
Stress management techniques, like breathing exercises, became integral to her life.
The Netrin Difference
Madhubala's story is a testament to the power of personalized coaching, consistent feedback, and unwavering commitment. By blending advanced technology, data-driven insights, and expert guidance, Netrin Sports empowered her to achieve goals she once thought were unattainable.
Are you ready to embark on your own transformation journey? Let Netrin Sports guide you toward a stronger heart and a healthier life. Learn more at Netrin Sports.
*Name has been changed to protect client identity
About the author: Rahul Vaidya is a strength and conditioning coach specializing in heart rate zone-based training and endurance running. As a lead coach at Netrin Sports Tech, he helps athletes and beginners optimize their performance through structured, science-backed training plans. With expertise in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and physiological coaching, Rahul focuses on building long-term fitness and recovery strategies tailored to individual needs be it performance enhancement, weight loss, lipid control or just general fitness and health
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