ONE’s Vera, Tate go back to simpler things in life amid lockdown

Brandon Vera Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed much of normal life, forcing people to stay inside their houses for as much time as possible.

Staying inside can cause cabin fever, but for ONE Championship’s Brandon Vera and Miesha Tate this time of isolation can be used to reflect and learn, or relearn, new stuff.

Vera, the ONE World heavyweight champion, said that self-quarantine could be used to look back at the things afforded to one’s self before the pandemic.

He added that once the crisis is over, it’ll be much sweeter to be with loved ones once again.

“Let this teach us of a simpler life we all could and should have with our loved ones,” said Vera. “When this is all over, let your appreciation shower them everyday and always make it count.”

As for Tate, the lockdown allowed her to rekindle an old passion—playing the flute.

Tate, who’s the vice president of ONE Championship, typically flies to the countries where the promotion conducts its cards, leaving her with as little time as possible to spend for herself and her daughter Amaia.

“I feel [the boredom] too but I am also am proud of my sacrifices and you should be too. Let’s try to turn this into a positive and do some things you normally wouldn’t have time to do,” said Tate. “For me, reading and learning new skills like video editing has been very rewarding in my downtime.”

“I have finally found the time to relearn how to play my flute again, something I’ve had on my goal list for a long time. I’ve also been baking with my daughter quite a bit,” added Tate.

Another solution to prevent lethargy during the lockdown is to exercise and both Vera and Tate are all too eager to share their home workout drills to keep in shape.

Tate focuses on exercises that won’t need too much space or even equipment and she keeps a daily list on her refrigerator door to monitor her progress.

“I spread them out, but I try to get 100 every day. Make your own goal and include the workouts you want to incorporate like pushups, sit-ups, or lunges,” said Tate. “Another tip, I set reminders spaced about 30 minutes apart on my phone to help me not forget and get far behind on my daily squat goal.”

Vera, meanwhile, still pushes himself hard to maintain his physique and defend his title when the time comes.

“I’ve been staying in shape doing basic home body workouts, roadwork, and clearing the jungle, which is probably the hardest one,” said Vera. “Try everything and make stuff fun. Don’t have weights? Use household items for weights. Just make sure you’re having fun and try to involve the ones you’re home with.”