Fitness on the Jetty

Location : Jetty, Moalboal Poblacion, Cebu, Philippines
GPS waypoint: 9°55'59.1"N 123°23'28.9"E
Yoga & Fitness Website: YOGA by Gigit

Jetty
If not for anything else, Moalboal Poblacion's endearing feature is its jetty where I go like clockwork every morning to do my 2-hour fitness routine (sometimes 3 hours). Combining asana, calisthenics, cardio, pranayama, eye therapy and meditation I stay the course to see what transformation happens within the 30 days I have to work with.

Asana
Asanas serve as my warm-up stretch as I don't do a full one hour of it. Nonetheless, I treat it with utmost yoga seriousness - compliance to the breath with full mindedness going all the way to my safety edge. It doesn't only provide stretch but also balance and focus.

Calisthenics
I used to be a gym buff back in the day. Nowadays, I only use body weight to define and tone. There is a marginal bulking-up which suits me just fine. My calisthenics would be in the form of push-ups, one-legged squats, abdominal isometrics together with dynamic movements and calf raises. Again, I treat all calisthenics as asana - full range movement, compliance to the breath with mental focus and awareness.

Cardio
Cardio takes the shape of rope skipping and intense interval training using the video of Chris Heria (video below). Cardio is the most efficient fat shredder around and fortifies the heart. Cardio is also the most neglected (most avoided?) part of working out. I don't care how big you get pumping iron - if you don't have heart, you got nothing.

Eye Therapy
I'm at the age when sight becomes a challenge. Without proper care, it goes downhill. Every year, I feel like I need longer arms to read the fine print. I stem the erosion by doing yogic eye therapy (trataka, trombone, eye roll, etc.), carrot nutrition and meditation focused on eye rejuvenation. Ideally, I would like to juice carrots and overdose on it. I've done it years back with almost miraculous results. Sadly, I don't have that luxury anymore.

Pranayama
Pranayama (yogic breathing exercise) is an integral part of yoga but nowadays, only the asanas are given focus in yoga studios. My Pranayama incorporates bandha, mudra, kumbhaka and visualization. Pranayama accelerates yogic adeptness, builds strength, wards off diseases and sustains youth. Air is free and readily accessible but people still seek refuge in the pill or surgery. If they only know what they are missing.

Meditation
Meditation integrates everything into a singularity. It acts as catalyst for physical development, mental focus, emotional solace and spiritual awakening. It manifests desires and allows you to architecture the reality you live in. Surprisingly, the global activist hacker group, Anonymous, advocated meditation to wake up people from all the lies government has fed them. To sum it up, meditation is empowerment - it allows you to see reality as it really is.

Ending Thoughts
The last time I had a playground like this was in Camotes Island where I would do my morning workout by the water using the (municipality)'s dipping bars, horizontal bars and monkey bars. Not all places offer this luxury. At least while I have the 30-day room rental in Moalboal's Poblacion, I can make use of the jetty. 2 to 3 hours might sound too much, but I'm not in a rush for anything. 3 weeks into the program, I can already feel my strength and resilience compounding. I'll make the most of the remaining week.

I cannot underscore enough the benefits I gain from my routine. Not only strength, but my thinking is clear and I'm resilient to disease. I take no medication and I haven't seen a doctor in years. I feel youth on my stride and my spirit is full of optimism. The age-old adage holds true more than ever - sound body, sound mind and sound spirit.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines

tourist attractions

Sardine Bowl - millions of sardines milled around in front of Panagsama Beach
Pescador Island - short boat ride, famous dive spots
Panagsama Beach - sardine bowl, white sand beaches and the hub of tourism/expat activity in Moalboal
Basdaku White Beach - stretch of long white sand beach in Basdaku
Scuba, Freediving and Snorkeling - the entire Moalboal peninsula is a massive coral reef with depths reaching 300m

hotel

Laguno Bed & Breakfast - towncenter location, short ride to sardines, whalesharks, canyoneering, hikes
Editha's Southsea Holiday Houses - quiet, detached houses, beachfront location, mature community, long-term tenants
Tongo Point Rd, Moalboal, 6032 Cebu

Travel Tips about Moalboal

money changer - there are 2 money changes here in Panagsama Beach - Saavedra Cottages and the small store in front of Cora's Cottages. They both offer dismal rates. Best exchange rate is at Gaisano Moalboal town center (bring an ID!!!) followed by M. Lhuillier, then Palawan
weather - even though it might be raining cats-and-dogs in Cebu City or in Negros Oriental, the sun is likely to be out in Moalboal. It only rains there if there is an actual monsoon. So don't let that rain scare you off from your dive trip.
tricycle - rides could end up pricey if you don't plan for it. Best to get a price established with a tricycle or motorcycle driver as you arrive (usually P50/pax for single motorcycle ride and P100/trip for a tricycle) to White Beach. Then arrange for a date/time pick-up from your resort at that same price rate (otherwise you will end up paying for a round trip)
folding bike - if you really want to save up on tricycle fare (which could seriously add up if you keep going back and forth from Panagsama - White Beach), bring a folding bike with you. A folding bike fits in the under-belly of a Ceres bus
Town Center to Panagsama Beach - if you want to pay the local rate (not tourist rate) of P10/pax from Town Center to Panagsama Beach, take the tricycle behind Three Sixty Pharmacy. The tricycle will wait until its full before taking off. Tell the driver you're going to "Baybay". On the way back, from Panagsama Beach to Town Center, walk a bit here and board the local tricycle. It will wait again to fill up before taking off. Best to pay the tricycle driver while awaiting for other passengers. That way, he can't charge you tourist fare when you alight.
Town Center to White Beach - local tricycle rate is P25/pax beside Three Sixty Pharmacy. You should see tricycles with painted signboard, "White Beach". Tell the driver you're going to "Basdaku"

How to get to Moalboal from Dumaguete:

From Dumaguete, take a bus or jeep going north and ask to be dropped-off at the Sibulan Town Proper (~P10, 10 mins). Take the short walk to the pier.
Take either the pumpboat or fastcraft to Liloan, Cebu (~P50, 30 mins)
From the Liloan port, take a tricycle to the Bato Bus Terminal (~P20 if shared, 10 mins)
From the terminal, take the Cebu City bus via Barili and ask to dropped-off to Moalboal Town Proper (P70, ~2 hours)

How to get to Moalboal from Cebu City:

take a Ceres Bus at the South Bus Terminal going to Bato (make sure its via Barili) and get off at the Moalboal Town Center - 3 hours, P130 (aircon)
From Town Center, take a tricycle to your resort. Town Center to Panagsama Beach (~P50 if no other passenger, 10 mins).