CHAMPIONS are made not born. Every athlete knows what it entails to reach the top and to be the best in the field.
VoxPop Davao, on its Plus and Specials Supplement on Health and Fitness published Thursday, featured the health secrets of top Davao City-born athletes and those who started their sterling careers here.
Today, we will learn more tips from the country's decorated athletes in weightlifting, football, basketball and rugby football on how they keep their bodies in shape to dominate in their respective sports.
Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz of Barangay Mampang in Zamboanga City, who also won a silver in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (Aimag) 2017 in Turkmenistan and followed that up with a silver-bronze finish in the 2017 World Weightlifting Championships in Anaheim, California, USA, has her food intake measured. Though she gets her meals delivered to her, she still maintains a balanced diet.
"May nag-dedeliver po ng food ko, may diet plan po na pina-follow - 60 (percent) carbs, 20 (percent) fats and 20 (percent) protein," she said, adding, "Iniinom ko parati tubig. Before training nagkakape po ako."
The diminutive student-athlete, who is pursuing her college education at the College of St. Benilde, undergoes weightlifting training six to eight times a week then strength and conditioning to get her ready for her Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medal quest.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Magnolia Hotshots veteran Peter June Simon, for his part, said: "More carbs ug (and) fish, chicken and beef lang. Tapos juice, apple-carrot-orange. Plyo exercise."
The former University of Mindanao Wildcats standout Simon, who hails from Makilala but began his basketball career in Davao City, will soon wed his fiance Dabawenya beauty Jehza Huelar.
Meanwhile, Philippine Azkals player Phil Younghusband, who recently joined the Davao Aguilas Football Club, said, "I focus on two aspects - diet and exercise. One cannot work without the other."
During off-season, Phil said he likes to relax with what he eats and how often he trains. During the season though, "I don't eat too much meat and prefer plant-based foods like pasta and vegetables."
He trains with the Davao Aguilas five to six times a week and he tries to add three to four gym sessions in between just to focus on core, injury prevention and strengthening.
"Recovery is just as important as training so on days off, I like to go in the hot and cold bath and get massages," Phil added.
His brother James, also his teammate in Davao Aguilas and Azkals, said, "I eat good meals most of the week and try to make the healthiest options. I will have one cheat day a week. A lot of protein, vegetables and some carbohydrates spread out. I always drink as much water as I can. And for energy Gatorade really helps give me a boost and stay hydrated."
James trains with the Davao Aguilas two to four hours a day during season. Off-season, however, he plays other sports like tennis, table tennis, basketball and swimming to keep him active.
With exercise, he said it's important to keep things fresh and to have variety. "You don't want to keep doing the same thing over and over again."
Their football coaches, he added, set their daily exercise plan. When James has gym sessions with teammates and friends, they pick a specific part of the body and focus on developing that. They do bench press, lunges and squats.
For Filipino-British Jr. Volcanoes player James Halasan Ryan, whose mother Fe is a Dabawenya and father Edward a British scientist, it's a different thing.
"I just eat whatever I want. I do not have to worry too much about what I eat as with all the exercise I get I have to eat a lot just to maintain a steady weight. I do try and maintain a good mixed diet and I drink lots of milk, at least one litre per day," said Ryan who also played and won gold medals for Davao City in past Batang Pinoy regional and national judo and wrestling competitions.
The United Kingdom-based Ryan trains about three times a week and plays two games a week.
The 18-year-old added, "I am currently about my target weight at 95 kg and have been steady at the weight about a year. Depending on which position I end up I will either maintain this weight if I remain a back but if I move into the forwards I will increase my weight up to about 110 kg."
He does gym work when weather restricts outdoor rugby practice.
Ryan comes to the country whenever Jr Volcanoes compete for international tournaments.
