The benefits of having a coach
TV host and sportscaster Martin Javier is still on a high after completing his first marathon earlier this year. On his Instagram, he shared that despite being “depressed, injured, and a month removed from running,” he still managed to join and finish the Tokyo Marathon 2025 held in Japan last month.
Javier only got into running with a coach in January last year, but said he has always been into sports. His decision to train with a coach came about after he realized that running for the sake of running would not bring about the desired results of an improved physique.
“Your arms and the other muscles that don’t get enough exercise will just grow thinner. That’s why I now incorporate weights when I train,” Javier told Lifestyle in an email interview.
He said that while it was perfectly fine to work out on your own, having a program to follow or a coach to report to could serve as motivation. “That’s because coaches understand fitness better. They know what needs to be done for you to bulk up, gain more strength.”
Javier said he didn’t have a hard time getting into running because he was already into sports while in school. “I think I started working out religiously when I was in college. In grade school and high school there was always basketball but in college, I tried out weight training, strength training. I haven’t stopped since. My inspirations are the athletes I look up to because I want to approximate their level of fitness.”
Optics matter
As a TV host and sportscaster, the 32-year-old Sparkle artist is aware that optics matter. He needs to always look fit and presentable when covering different sports events for GMA 7.
Now, he works out five to six times a week and maintains his weight with a calorie-deficit diet. He sets aside one day to rest and let his body recover. “Running is my favorite right now. I run five times a week, lift weights, and play basketball or practice Muay Thai.”
His fitness must-haves include a good pair of running shoes and functional clothes made for running. What music is on repeat when he’s working out? “Kendrick Lamar’s new album, the ‘Wicked’ playlist including, ‘Defying Gravity.’ And my guilty pleasure is the track ‘Marilag’ by Dionela.”
Javier keeps a close eye on his weight by doing daily weigh-ins, “so I’m aware of my daily food intake and how much exercise I’m able to incorporate on any given day.”
In the less than two years since he took up running seriously, he has learned a thing or two. “You don’t have to be an expert right away. You have to start somewhere first. When you’re committed … and you’re progressing already, you’ll understand what your body needs more. You’ll understand how your body works. Just keep trying things.”
