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I just arrived from a weekend of fitness and fun at Boracay with the awesome women of Women’s Health and Summit! I think all women need an annual getaway for us to focus solely on ourselves—our body, mind, and spirit—every once in a while.

We flew off to Boracay for the weekend for Women’s Health’s annual event, Beauty and the Beach, the biggest beauty and wellness event in the country.  It was also a grand celebration of Women’s Health Philippines’ 5th year anniversary wherein they encouraged women to give themselves a high five for their achievements.  I felt fortunate to be invited to Beauty and the Beach again having had a fantastic time there last summer of 2011.  Read about it here.

So, last Friday, I hopped on my bike trainer (because I wouldn’t be able to ride that weekend), bid the hubby and kids goodbye, and flew off to Boracay for a weekend of fun and fitness!

As soon as we arrived and after checking in at Pearl of the Pacific, Women’s Health spared no time in pampering us.

Together with Solar news anchor and event host for that weekend Hilary Isaac, we were whisked off to a 90-minute massage at Mandala Spa and Villas. It was my first time there and I loved everything about it from the friendly staff, the ambiance, the clean and well-kept rooms, and, of course, the fantastic massage. I asked for a strong massage and they gave me strong…just the way I like it! We ended the massage just in time for a quick dinner before we got some rest before the real fun began on Saturday.

The following day, I got up early for Beauty and the Beach classes by the beachfront. First class: Hatha Yoga! I’m a big fan of yoga especially for runners because we need to loosen up our leg muscles, which take a pounding from all the runs. It’s also great for busy people like me who need to slow down, clear the mind, and simply recalibrate.

 – Women’s Health Editor in Chief Lara Parpan welcomes everyone to Beauty and the Beach –

– with Lara and event host Hilary Isaac –

– Never thought I’d do a yoga selfie LOL –

Second class: Piloxing. The class was taught by the only certified Piloxing instructor in the country, my good friend and roommate for the trip, and also a partner for the Weight Management Sessions we offer at TBR Dream Marathon, Mitch Felipe-Mendoza. Piloxing, as the name suggests, is a mix of Pilates, Boxing, and Dance. I thought it was going to be an easy workout, but boy was I wrong. It was a lung-busting, challenging workout that had me thinking: I would rather be running 21k right now! LOL. Still, it’s always fun to learn new things, to use muscles that are rarely used, and to challenge myself constantly with workouts that I find difficult to do.

– with Summit Group Publisher and TBR Dream Alum Edna and Lara –

After lunch at D’Mall, I met up with Women’s Health Editor-in-Chief and triathlete Lara Parpan. We dove into the clear, pristine waters of Boracay and proceeded to swim 1.5k. I had never done laps in Boracay and, as we swam, I couldn’t keep myself from smiling about how fantastic it felt. The water was clean and not too choppy, there was absolutely no jellyfish (we were viewing Ann Curtis’ jellyfish attack photos over lunch! Gaah!), and I felt that I could go on and on. There are times when I’m reminded of blessed I am to have the opportunity to swim, bike, and run the way I do and this was definitely one of them.

By the afternoon, we enjoyed cocktails at Women’s Health’s Chill Out Sunset Party by the beach front. It was an evening to meet other like-minded women of Summit, fashion bloggers, and fitness enthusiasts. More importantly, it was also to congratulate the Women’s Health team for all the great work the past 5 years.

– Cheers to the fantastic team of Women’s Health!  You girls and guys rock!

– with Hilary and Jillian –

The next morning, as expected, I got up early to run on the white sand of Boracay.  Hey, no trip is complete without a run, right?!  Running on sand is always a tricky situation; it’s unstable and soft. My light and minimalist Nike Free Run 2 was perfect for the job.  It was hot and humid, but running with that beautiful scenery before me was just a delight. I just enjoyed every moment.

The next classes for Beauty and the Beach were the Flirty Girl Fitness and Pound Workout.  I have two left feet so I decided to spare the rest of the women from watching me make a fool of myself.  It looked like so much fun though!  This is just even more proof that there are limitless ways to get fit while having fun.

Oh, aside from fitness, Women’s Health treated women to free mani/pedi and hair braiding services at their Beauty Dome by the beach. I would’ve wanted to get my nails done, but I think I was just too excited to maximize my workouts while in Boracay. I guess you could say I’m a pawis (“sweat”) over pampering kinda girl. Hah!

Before we knew it, we were bidding each other goodbye as the event came to a close.  It was great to make new friends, learn new fitness workouts, swim and run in Boracay, and just have the opportunity to get away from the daily grind.  Thank you so much to Women’s Health for the great weekend.  High five to all of you!

I wrote about Coach Andy Leuterio’s successful Camp Alpha last month.  Now, he’s opened up the summer edition for all triathletes who wish to suffer even more!  I’ve registered for the May camp on my birthday weekend!  Come and suffer with us!

The next two legs of Unilab Active Health Camp Alpha will be on May 3-4 “Orientation” at The Village Sports Club, BF Homes, Paranaque, and June 21-22 “Selection” at Sandari Batulao, Batangas.

Presented by SPECIALIZED, each leg consists of two days of Swim, Bike, and Run training as preparation for summer’s major races.

The first leg, “Orientation” will cover fundamental aspects of race-specific training, including familiarization with metrics like Heart Rate, Pace, Power, Training Stress Score, and Race File analysis, among others.

The second leg, “Selection”, will be much heavier in volume and intensity in anticipation of the long distance races slated for July and August.

Both legs can be joined as standalone training camps, but for those who wish to “tri out” for limited “Black” slots under the Alpha Training Systems online coaching program, they must join both legs. Invitation to a “Black” slot will be based on several tests from both legs.

Registration Fee is P2,000/leg, or P3,000 for both, inclusive of limited use of camp facilities (pool and lockers), lunch, bike mechanic on standby, SAG Wagon support, handouts, and event shirt. Gatorade is the Official Sports Drink of the Unilab Active Health Camp Alpha.

HOW TO REGISTER

To register, download and fill up the Registration Form, indicating which Leg(s) you wish to join.  UPDATE: Slots are full.  Registration is closed.

Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis only.

The “Takbo sa Pagbangon ng Leyte”, a Benefit Run for typhoon Yolanda survivors, is spearheaded by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC). The Run aims to promote public awareness on PDIC and its role in protecting the environment, and to raise funds to build disaster-resilient shelters for families in Leyte in partnership with Gawad Kalinga.

Event: Takbo sa Pagbangon ng Leyte
Date: 4 May 2014, Sunday
Venue: PNB Financial Center, Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City
Assembly Time: 5:00 AM
Category and Gun Start: 3K (5:50 AM) | 5K (5:40 AM) |10K (5:30 AM)

Registration is currently ongoing!

For more info and to register online, visit: www.pdic.gov.ph
 or email takbo@pdic.gov.ph
.

How fit are you?  How do you determine your fitness level anyway?  Dr. Gar Eufemio of Peak Form had the same question and went a step further by developing a series of tests to determine one’s Fitness Quotient.  He then launched an event called the Peak Form Fitness Challenge to give everyone the opportunity to determine their Fitness Quotient.  Interesting eh?  Read about the Fitness Quotient in Dr. Gar’s own words and see below for more info on participating in their event…

WHAT IS YOUR FITNESS QUOTIENT?
FAQs on the FQ

By Edgar Michael T. Eufemio

We have all heard about the intelligence quotient (IQ) and how test scores can be used as predictors of educational attainment, performance at work and income. Various classifications have been used to categorize individuals. With a median score of 100 implying average, you can be considered a genius (140 and above) all the way down to an idiot (24 and below).

In the late 1960’s, the “Stanford Marshmallow Experiment” started the trend toward the creation of the emotional quotient (EQ). Its first published use was in 1987 (Beasley).

What do these tests have in common? They serve as forecasts into life outcomes; like a crystal ball looking into the future…

Having been involved with orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and the sports sciences for the past twenty years, I have yet to encounter an examination that can prophesy who among our young ‘wannabes’ will be the next Manny Pacquiao, Paeng Nepomuceno, Caloy Loyzaga, “Bata” Reyes or Lydia de Vega.

Initially, I was merely planning to come up with an assessment that determines a person’s fitness level; to label someone as superior, above average, average, below average or poor. Then I got to think, “Why not design a trial that can assess not only one’s current condition, but actually narrow down the list of athletes who may, one day, achieve world class status?” A fitness quotient. FQ!

So, together with my partners, friends and staff, we proceeded to formulate the PEAK FORM FITNESS QUOTIENT TEST.

Where do you begin?

The first thing was to determine which components of fitness we wanted to analyze. We came up with ten:

1) Strength
2) Explosiveness
3) Speed
4) Agility
5) Coordination
6) Balance
7) Flexibility
8) Endurance
9) Recovery
10) Mental

topendsports also describes ten factors – eight are similar to ours; the other two are body composition and motor skills. We replaced body composition with recovery. Think about it, should an individual who is very fast and strong be penalized just because he has a high percentage of body fat? We wanted ALL elements to be measurable and “test”-able, and we feel a player’s ability to recuperate quickly is also important. Motor skills can actually fall under coordination so we substituted it with mental – the proficiency to plan and strategize, the capability to maintain composure and the knack of information recall under physical duress.

The next task was to come up with the stations. Since we started out with ten aspects, we decided on ten posts, each with a mean score of ten points. A total of 100 will mean a participant is average. One can score more or less than ten, depending on how they perform in each stop.

What are the characteristics of an ideal fitness test?

1) MEASURES THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS – The various body parts as well as the multiple facets of fitness must be evaluated by the diverse situations. (“not just counting how many bicep curls you can do in one minute carrying a ten pound dumbbell”).

2) CAN BE STANDARDIZED – Most fitness assessments put the “testees” under the same conditions, regardless of height and weight. We needed to come up with something wherein the tasks are adjusted to everyone’s physical dimensions – the amount to be lifted and the distance to be covered being a fixed percentage of their mass and stature. This levels the playing field. We came up with six categories for each – from 100 to 220 pounds and from 5 feet to 6 feet 8 inches.

3) HAS A SCORING SYSTEM – Your report card does not simply state that “You are fit” or “You are not fit”; it is not a pass or fail thing. Having a numerical grade enables you to determine if you are better, equal or inferior to someone else. If two or more students are told they are the best in their batch, there must be an objective basis (a digit count) for the tie. The more diverse the criteria and the more elaborate and strict the tallying scheme, the less likely that you will have more than one class valedictorian.

4) IS REPRODUCIBLE – If the same investigation will be conducted at an alternate time or place, the methods of assigning points must remain the same. The equipment and the conduct of the trial must be constant. Every single time.

5) CAN COMPARE RESULTS – At any given moment, scores of different people can be matched up against each other. Furthermore, the same personality may be checked again at another period, and there must be an impartial and objective way of determining if conditioning has improved or deteriorated.

6) USES FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENTS – Not everybody can do a chin up. Or jump rope. Are we to say somebody in the pink of health who cannot perform these movements is not in shape? Furthermore, if we ask two contestants to do as many chin ups as they can in one minute, the first challenger tries with all his might but is unable to do one repetition while the second is a ‘couch potato’ who does not even bother to attempt, do they both deserve a zero? We limited our parameters to activities that almost anybody can do – pushing, pulling, throwing, walking, running, jumping, bending and twisting.

7) CAN BE DONE IN A SHORT PERIOD – You want your analysis to take less than an hour.

Other tests have been designed to measure overall fitness. There is the SPARQ Rating System, which stands for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness. There also is the Athletic Standard Index and the RealFit Test. Criticisms are that they either have too many stations (23), too few (3) or use arbitrary formulas to calculate the scores. More importantly, all these tests use the same conditions for everybody, whatever the height or weight. In addition, not all components are tested. We took all of these into consideration when we came up with our challenge.

What are the stations of the Peak Form FQ Test?

1) Vertical Rope Pull – pulling a weight which is a percentage of your body weight over a distance that is a percentage of your height

2) Box Jump – jumping on and going down from a box which is a percentage of your height

3) Suspension Cable Push Up – doing push ups at an angle based on the size of your shoe

4) Balance Board – keeping your balance on a board while moving medicine balls that are a percentage of your body weight alternatingly from both sides, from containers that are a percentage of your height

5) Horizontal Rope Pull – pulling a weight which is a percentage of your body weight over a distance that is a percentage of your height

6) Gang Plank – walking on a plank whose length and width are a percentage of your height while carrying kettlebells that are a percentage of your body weight

7) Sand Bag Throw – throwing sand bags that are a percentage of your body weight

8) Cone Run – placing and taking tennis balls from cones (these are positioned at distances that are a percentage of your height)

9) Sit Up Shot – while lying on a plank (elevated to a percentage of your height), you take medicine balls (that are a percentage of your body weight) from racks positioned at a percentage of your wingspan, doing a sit up and then shooting the balls in receptacles

10) Ball Up, Ball Down – taking medicine balls (that are a percentage of your body weight) up and down platforms that are positioned on the floor and at your shoulder level

We designed it to be like a move-system type examination in anatomy class; similar to speed-dating. Our subjects will occupy a place each and will move to the next location until they accomplish all ten. Each of the ten activities takes one minute. Then there will be two minutes in between – for the group to rest and the marshals to prepare the items for the next competitor and calculate the totals. So that is twenty-eight minutes for every ten contenders. We had to draw up each situation to be equally taxing so that it should not matter where one starts.

To make it trickier, the stations are laid out such that they are not beside each other. After being briefed, the participants are given time to walk through the course so they can try them out, attempt to remember the locations and to strategize how to approach the challenge and pace themselves.

What is the basis for the scoring system?

A pre-test was done and the highest and the lowest 25% of scores per station were eliminated. The mean of the remaining 50% was then obtained (we kept tabs of the top and bottom numbers of the surviving 50%). Point equivalents based on the above figures are then added or subtracted for each repetition above or below the mean.

The participant with the highest total score is crowned the fittest athlete, similar to being the valedictorian. The top marks per station AND component will also be noted, like being best in Math or English.

Once all the figures are in, we will be able to classify them into categories ranging from ay-dol (meaning elite), astig (superior), hanep (above average), puwede na (average), pasang awa (below average), lampa (poor) or buhay ka pa? (idiot, oops I mean very poor).

Why do we need to come up with an FQ test?

1) At the very least, individuals may check their fitness levels before and after starting an exercise schedule.

2) Different workout routines can now be pitted head-to-head to settle, once and for all, who can produce the best results.

Since we will be able to identify which components are tested by each station:

3) We can now start asking who scored well in explosiveness, agility, coordination or balance. Certainly, there are sports and events that have positions that need those elements highlighted.

The data can benefit the country’s sports development program. We just have to monitor as many athletes as possible to have significant results. All the high school and college students screened will be followed throughout their athletic careers. Some will reach crème de la crème status. Others will excel at certain aspects of their sport (for example – best rebounder in basketball or hardest hitter in boxing or most accurate kicker in soccer).

4) We can backtrack and find out which stations they excelled in and determine if there are any trends. They can now truly serve as prognosticators for what is yet to come.

5) Grade School and High School students who perform well in this test may now be placed in a training pool where more specialized training will be made available to them.

Too many prospects have slipped through the cracks. We may be grooming the wrong players for a particular sport. We could be missing out on the ‘next-big-thing’…
________________________________________________________________________

Peak Form invites everyone to join its Peak Form Fitness Challenge. Peak Form says this is not a marketing event, but a long term project. They intend to come out with a standardized FITNESS QUOTIENT (FQ) that can be used to measure the fitness level of an athlete. If you would like to determine your own FQ, you may want to participate in this:

Event: PEAK FORM FITNESS CHALLENGE
Date/ Time: 18 May 2014 Sunday, 8am to 10pm
Venue: Atrium, Upper Ground Level, Fisher Mall, Quezon Ave., Quezon City
Who can join: Open to the public!
Registration Fee: P1,500 (includes shirt, water bottle and sling bag and FQ Certificate)
Where to Register: All Chris Sports outlets
Past FQ Events: All past FQ’s were by invitation only. The past three invitationals were all held at Xavier School, Greenhills and attended by celebrity athletes, varsity students of XS, and coaches of XS. This time they are opening the opportunity to the public.

For inquiries regarding the Peak Form Fitness Challenge, please call (+632) 478-9408 or (+63) 916 353-4485. You may also get in touch with Dr. Gar at (+632) 726-1696 or (+63) 917 813-5740.

PEAK FORM CONTACT DETAILS
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/peakformmanila
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeakFormManila
Address: Unit 807, Infinity Bldg., 26th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Telephone +63.2.478.9408

Before my obsession with running shoes even started in my 30’s, I was completely enthralled with my first ever pair of lifestyle shoes given to me by an Aunt from the US. It was a pair of high-cut, pastel-colored Reeboks. (Think Punky Brewster if you’re from my generation.) Needless to say, Reebok and I go way, way back. LOL.

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to the launch of Reebok’s first ever FitHub. It was a well-attended event and sort of a mini reunion among us running bloggers as I saw friends from running that I hadn’t seen for a long time.

It was also nice to know about all the new surprises Reebok has in store for everyone namely: the launch of its new brand mark and its ZSeries collection! Read on!

LAUNCH OF REEBOK FITHUB

Reebok launched the country’s first ever Reebok FitHub Shop-in-Shop at the Royal Sporting House Store, 2nd Level Glorietta 4 Ayala Center Makati. Designed to inspire people to move, to train, to get fit and have fun doing it, the Reebok FitHub offers a new way of thinking about fitness and is THE destination for those dedicated to living a fit lifestyle.

The retail store is inspired by elements found in fitness studios and CrossFit boxes around the country. Like a gym, the environment is raw, creative and innovative with customers being immersed in fitness as soon as they enter the store.

The store will carry pinnacle product from Reebok’s latest collections specifically made for fitness and exclusive to the FitHub. This premium footwear and apparel collection features Reebok’s top-of-the-line technology and materials, allowing for optimal performance and comfort.

REEBOK’S NEW BRAND MARK

As a graphic designer, I was excited to learn about the new brand mark of Reebok: The Reebok Delta symbol. Oh, they call it a “brand mark” instead of a logo because they say it’s not a logo, it’s a symbol, a new way of life. The branding change also coincides with Reebok’s singular focus on fitness.

The new Reebok Delta symbol represents the positive and transformative change that fitness can have on a person’s life. Through the millennia the delta has been a symbol of change and transformation. The Reebok Delta has three distinct parts each representing the changes – physical, mental and social – that occur when people push themselves beyond their perceived limits and embrace an active and challenging life.

And here’s the old Reebok logo on the left with the new Reebok brand mark on the right!

REEBOK ZSERIES COLLECTION

Reebok also unveiled its latest running footwear collection, the Reebok ZSERIES COLLECTION. This unique, natural motion product is inspired by the design of high-performance ZRated tires found on exotic high-end sports cars. Reebok ZSERIES COLLECTION is designed for high speed performance.

According to Reebok, the ZQUICK has the following features:
– It has a unique foam compound and radically sliced geometry similar to that of a high performance tire for ultimate ground contact and a light weight, cushioned and more responsive ride. The underfoot grooves allow the midsole to flex and expand as the foot does, naturally increasing the edges in contact with the ground to allow rapid acceleration and easy control at high speed.
– For additional stability when accelerating in and out of turns, the ZQUICK features a strategically placed NanoWeb upper that keeps the foot supported and centered providing enhanced control and stability so that the runner can move laterally with speed and quickness.
– It has a smooth, nearly seam-free upper for an irritation-free fit

I went home with a Rebook ZRun for testing. I have yet to run in them, but initial impression is that it’s light, well-cushioned, very close to the ground, and it’s more for short, fast runs. Wait for a shoe review from me pretty soon!

The Reebok ZQUICK is available for men and women at the following REEBOK STORES: MEGAMALL, GATEWAY, GALLERIA, EASTWOOD, TRINOMA, FESTIVAL MALL AND ROYAL SPORTING HOUSE.

For more information, visit:www.Reebok.com

* Some photos courtesy of Blas Ople, Titanium Runner