ABAP taps new conditioning coach

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) has tapped a noted strength and conditioning coach of ALA Boxing Stable to help get the national boxers in the best shape. Dr. Pio Solon, who handled the careers of world minimumweight champion Donnie Nietes, Mark Jason Melligen and comebacking Rey “Boom Boom" Bautista, will also work with the national boxing team that is busy preparing for big international tournaments, including the 2012 London Olympics. “He has proven himself with the professional boxers, and I believe he will be an asset for ABAP," said executive director Ed Picson. A graduate of University of the Philippines Diliman, Solon met the members of the national team last week, and has laid down conditioning programs to be used as warm-up and cool-down exercises. “I have no expectations except to help these boxers improve their recovery period. You can expect good performance from a boxer who is 100 percent fit, and that is my goal right now, to implement a simple program that will help improve their performance," said Solon. He also added that he plans to improve the boxers flexibility by emphasizing a personalized strength training program. “Hindi naman pare-pareho ang pangangatawan ng mga boxer, kaya hindi puwede na ang ipagagawa mo sa isa ay siya ring ipagagawa mo sa iba," added Solon. He also plans to coordinate with physical therapists of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine (PCSM) to attain better results. Picson added that Solon will be working with the national boxers twice a month only because of his work with the ALA Stable. But even when Solon is in Cebu, he will be able to check on the effects of his programs via the internet. “All our gyms in Rizal Memorial and Baguio City are equipped with CCTV cameras, and we can see our boxers in training in our website. So even if Solon is in Cebu, he still will be able to monitor our boxers," explained Picson. This year is important for Philippine boxing, as the men’s boxers will try to secure slots for the London Games. Slots will be up for grabs in the 2011 World Men’s Boxing Championship slated September 16 to October 1 in Busan, Korea. The event is one of two Olympic qualifying tournaments in Asia. The other qualifying tournament is the Continental Championships, which will be held next year. The Philippines will also see action in the 26th Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia starting November 11. Boxing emerged as the most successful National Sports Association in the recent Guangzhou Asian Games, earning three medals, with Rey Saludar bagging the gold in the flyweight division. Annie Albania took the silver in the women’s 51-kilogram class while Saludar’s younger brother, Victorio, took the bronze medal in the light flyweight class. - KY, RCJ, GMA News