Virgil Lopez for Sun Star Network (Philippines):
Filipino-American Miami [Heat] head coach Erik Spoelstra will reunite with his roots in San Pablo, Laguna next week while asking his compatriots to adapt a healthy lifestyle.
In a press briefing, the 40-year-old basketball mentor said he wanted to make most of his brief stay in the Philippines by training young basketball hopefuls, the NBA way.
“In the Miami Heat, we want to be the most conditioned team in the NBA, which I feel, when we compete for the NBA championship, the players should be at their optimal level. Conditioning is where the work starts and everything that falls under that like weight training and nutrition,” he told reporters at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.
Spoelstra also shared that he walks the talk in terms of maintaining a sound body by devoting at least 45 minutes of exercise per day and eating balanced food to sharpen his concentration skills.
“Earlier this summer, I ran 10k, and it’s something new for me because and I’m not into running in the last couple of years, and it’s a good experience for me, a mental escape. I keep my mind fresh but also my body right,” he said.
On August 11, Spoelstra will be subjecting 80 basketball players from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to test by using latest NBA techniques coupled with hydration “sweat tests” and tailored nutrition seminars.
He will be joined by assistant coach David Fizdale, along with celebrity athletes and local health, fitness, and wellness experts.
“Basketball is such a huge part of my life and giving back to our community is meaningful to me. Being able to combine basketball and my heritage gives me great pride,” Spoelstra said in a separate statement.
The training [sessions complement] the NBA's Fit Week program, which aims to spread the message of embracing a healthy lifestyle across age, gender and socioeconomic status.
