Fitness
ASIAN GAMES FEATURE
Last Men Standing
Most guys associate age with retirement. These men carry on as the country's elite athletes. Know their method to maintenance
By Carol H. Pajaron; Photographs by Paolo Picones of M4 Collective
Conventional wisdom dictates that an athlete peaks in his youth. On the contrary, the Philippines' sure standouts to this year's Asian Games in Doha, Qatar are near or past 30. And they display no signs of slowing down.
Why should you? A 2006 study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness suggests either age group can excel equally in fitness and sports. Investigating age's influence on recovery from high-intensity endurance exercise among well-trained cyclists, it was found from three consecutive days of maximal 30-minute lab trials that there were no significant group differences between young and veteran subjects for initial fitness or training status.
But what would most benefit from a toughening exercise is your mind. According to American sports psychologist Jim Loehr, emotional resilience and mental endurance are keys to peak performance. Inherent talent or skill can only take you so far (and may diminish as you get older), he says, without faith and focus against frustration or failure.
Take it from three of our top athletes, runner Eduardo Buenavista, shooter Jethro Dionisio, and judoka John Baylon. They share their strategies to getting stronger, smarter, and better with age.
Eduardo Buenavista, 28
ACHIEVEMENT
Two-time Olympian (67th in the 2004 Athens Olympic marathon); Philippine record-holder for multiple long-distance events (5,000-meter and 10,000-meter); Silver, XXIII Southeast Asian Games, 10,000-meter run); Champion, local and international road and distance races
ADVICE: SHRUG OFF A SETBACK
Long distance runner Eduardo Buenavista is already a local legend. Given his reputation, a glimpse of his slight and familiar frame can intimidate other race competitors. His name has been synonymous to success but he's also been taught by failure: In the 2005 SEAG, Buenavista won the gold in the 5,000-meter event but was denied the distinction on account of inadvertent physical contact with a Thai runner.
He laments losing the battle at the boardroom but it makes him more appreciative of his achievements. "Yung hirap mo araw-araw. Pati yung pagod, araw-araw," he says. "Tapos, isang iglap lang, wala na yung panalo."
Buenavista admits it's hard to divert your disappointment, but faith in himself and God has kept his motivation to stay in the game. "Tanggap ko na lang yung mga ganyang bagay. Sa sports, may panalo at talo talaga," he adds. "Kaya di dapat kalimutan ang Panginoon sa ambisyon mong manalo."
TRAINING TIP: DO IT DAILY
Be it for exercise or training, keeping a daily regimen does wonders for your game, according to Buenavista. "Sa araw-araw, ensayo ka lang," he says. "Hard training talaga. Kasi ang training, hindi biro e. Kailangan talaga, puspusan."
Further proof of how Buenavista pushes himself: He stays at an apartment in Baguio as competition nears to elevate his conditioning. "Malaking tulong kasi high-altitude dito. Manipis yung hangin. Marami din na training area na pwedeng pag-ensayuhan."
To attain longevity, he advises finding inspiration among family and friends to support your endeavor. "[Para] ituloy mo ang pagpursigi sa training," says Buenavista. "Kasi kung anong pangarap mo mararating mo rin."
FINAL WORD ON WISDOM:
"Enjoy the experience of competition when you're new to the game. There are things a coach cannot teach. Marami akong alam na technique dahil sa kumpetisyon. Doon ako nakakakuha ng diskarte."
» Fitness archive
Men's Health Philippines - December 2006 Issue
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