MS Dhoni’s fitness advice to Gen Z: Why the cricket legend wants young people to get off their phones and play sports
MS Dhoni shares fitness advice with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, encouraging young people to play sports and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Former India captain MS Dhoni has a simple message for Gen Z and Gen Alpha: make physical activity part of everyday life before health problems begin to appear. During a conversation with renowned lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar, Dhoni highlighted how modern routines, long hours of sitting and unhealthy eating habits could affect the younger generation’s long-term health.
Dhoni’s advice comes at a time when smartphones, desk jobs, convenient transport and screen-based entertainment have become central to daily life. While technology has made several aspects of life easier, it has also reduced the amount of movement built into an average day.
The former India skipper believes young people should not wait until they experience health problems to start taking fitness seriously. His message is straightforward: stay active, exercise regularly and make sports a natural part of your routine.
For a generation accustomed to spending hours online, that advice carries a significance that goes beyond the cricket field.
MS Dhoni highlights the problem with modern lifestyles
Dhoni drew attention to how everyday routines have changed over the years. In the past, walking and other forms of physical activity were often unavoidable parts of daily life. Today, many people travel to work using vehicles, spend most of the day sitting at a desk and return home without getting enough exercise.
This pattern can leave people physically inactive even when they feel busy throughout the day.
The problem is particularly relevant for younger adults who spend long hours studying, working on computers, gaming or scrolling through social media. Although these activities may be necessary or entertaining, they should not completely replace movement and exercise.
Dhoni’s concern is that the consequences of an inactive lifestyle may not be immediately obvious. A person might feel healthy in their twenties while developing habits that become harder to change later in life.
His message encourages young people to act early rather than treating fitness as something to address only after a health concern emerges.
Why Dhoni wants Gen Z to make sports a daily habit
For Dhoni, the answer is not limited to spending hours in a gym. Playing a sport, walking, running or finding another enjoyable way to stay active can help people build a more balanced routine.
Sports have an advantage because they combine physical movement with enjoyment. Whether it is cricket, football, badminton, swimming or cycling, choosing an activity that fits personal interests can make regular exercise easier to maintain.
For young people who spend most of their day indoors, joining a local sports group or arranging a game with friends can be a practical starting point.
Sport can also provide benefits beyond physical fitness. Team games encourage communication, discipline, cooperation and the ability to handle both success and disappointment. These qualities can be valuable in education, professional life and personal relationships.
Dhoni’s career offers a natural connection to that message. Known for his calm approach under pressure and his leadership of India across major international tournaments, he has spent decades in an environment where physical preparation, discipline and teamwork matter.
His advice is relevant even to those who have no ambition to become professional athletes. The goal is not to train like an international cricketer, but to make movement a regular part of everyday life.
Sitting for hours and eating unhealthy food can create problems
Dhoni also pointed to the combination of limited physical activity and unhealthy eating habits as a concern for the younger generation.
Highly processed foods, frequent fried meals and products containing large amounts of added sugar can make it more difficult to maintain a balanced diet, particularly when paired with a sedentary lifestyle.
An occasional fast-food meal is not the same as consistently relying on unhealthy food. The bigger issue is the pattern that develops over time when convenient meals replace nutritious options and exercise becomes an afterthought.
Health experts generally recommend combining regular physical activity with a balanced diet, adequate sleep and other healthy habits. For adults, the World Health Organization recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, or an equivalent amount of vigorous activity. Children and adolescents should generally average at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day.
These recommendations offer a useful starting point for families and young people looking to build healthier routines. Those who are currently inactive can begin with manageable activities, such as brisk walking, and gradually increase their exercise levels.
The important thing is consistency. A realistic routine followed regularly is more useful than an ambitious fitness plan that lasts only a few days.
Javed Akhtar shares a message about the younger generation
The conversation also explored the changing attitudes and values of today’s youth.
Javed Akhtar offered a positive perspective on younger generations, suggesting that they have strengths that older people should recognise. He reflected on how previous generations could become caught up in their own ideas and principles, while encouraging people to acknowledge positive changes in the attitudes of young people today.
Akhtar also challenged the assumption that older generations automatically have all the answers. According to the perspective he shared, older people should remain open to learning from younger individuals rather than assuming that experience alone makes their views superior.
His comments added another dimension to the discussion. While Dhoni focused on physical health and everyday habits, Akhtar highlighted the importance of understanding changing social values and maintaining an open mind.
Together, their perspectives offered a broader message: young people need practical guidance, but they also deserve to be heard and understood.
The exchange is a reminder that conversations between generations can be more constructive when advice is accompanied by respect and a willingness to learn from one another.
How young people can follow MS Dhoni’s fitness advice
Dhoni’s message can be put into practice without making drastic changes to an already busy schedule. Small adjustments can help reduce the amount of time spent sitting and make physical activity easier to sustain.
Here are five practical ways to begin:
- Choose a sport you enjoy: Cricket, football, badminton and other activities can make exercise more engaging than following a routine you dislike.
- Move throughout the day: Take short walking breaks during long study or work sessions instead of remaining seated for hours.
- Make walking part of your routine: Walk for short journeys when practical, or set aside time for a brisk walk.
- Improve everyday food choices: Include vegetables, fruits, whole grains and suitable protein sources while limiting frequent consumption of foods high in added sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
- Protect your sleep: A consistent sleep schedule supports recovery, concentration and overall well-being.
Young people should also remember that fitness does not require expensive equipment or a premium gym membership. A park, an open ground, a walking route or a simple game with friends can provide opportunities to become more active.
The best routine is one that fits an individual’s circumstances and can be maintained over time.
Dhoni’s message goes beyond cricket
MS Dhoni’s advice is not about asking every young person to become an athlete. It is about recognising that health depends partly on the decisions people make every day.
As work, education and entertainment increasingly move onto screens, physical activity can easily become something people postpone. The danger is that postponing it repeatedly can turn inactivity into a permanent habit.
Dhoni’s message to Gen Z and Gen Alpha is therefore both simple and timely: do not wait for a warning sign before making your health a priority. Find an activity you enjoy, make time for movement and pay attention to the habits that shape your long-term well-being.
The conversation with Javed Akhtar also underlines the value of listening across generations. Young people can benefit from experience, while older generations can learn from the perspectives and values of those growing up in a changing world.
