Team Lakay is hands down the most prolific martial arts team in the Philippines, but because of the effects the Covid-19 pandemic where movement has been greatly restricted, members had to resort to alternative methods of training to keep their physical fitness at the highest level.
Fortunately, the team is situated in one of the most breathtaking locales in the entire country, with Baguio abundant with lush greenery, cool weather, and fresh mountain air.
Reigning ONE strawweight world champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio recently took up the Team Lakay pastime of mountain biking and now a handful of their team members regularly hit the dirt roads to experience the fun and excitement of this alternative sport.
“Mountain biking is a leisure activity, but it’s also good for cardio exercise,” Pacio said.
The 24-year-old Pacio and the team typically integrate mountain biking into their training regimen, riding at least once a week during training camp, and two to three times a week when they don’t have upcoming bouts.
He is staying ready and staying sharp. Once the situation with Covid-19 begins to improve and restrictions are relaxed, ONE Championship will look into hosting events in Manila once again.
Pacio knows he has to be on top of his game constantly for when he gets the call to defend his belt.
Luckily, Pacio has mountain biking to keep him busy until he steps into the ONE circle again.
The Team Lakay group activity has produced some memorable moments for Pacio. “One of my most memorable experiences mountain biking was when ONE Championship came to Baguio for a shoot. They wanted to capture us mountain biking, so we went to Bokod, Benguet, which is an hour and a half away from here. We enjoyed it a lot,” Pacio recalled. – ONE release
April 20, 2024
