Everyone was up early last Saturday and gathered at Kinetix Lab One Ayala to participate in an event that not only provided an excellent workout but also benefited a worthy cause. Kinetix Lab’s “Squats for a Cause” project brought together strong women, and men, to participate in a squatting competition. Despite the gym’s primary objective of celebrating the community of strong women, the competition was inclusive of individuals of all genders.
The funds generated from the Squats for a Cause event will be donated to Sparks Philippines, a non-government organization dedicated to fostering the growth of women and women’s groups through active involvement in programs and mentorship opportunities. The NGO’s objective is to also advance gender and development by involving government, private, and civil society in acknowledging and tackling gender-related concerns.
Before 8 a.m., individuals began arriving to register and weigh in. The regulation was that female participants had to do squats with a weight equal to 50% of their body weight, while male participants had to administer squats while they lift a weight equal to 100% of their body weight. Participants performed as many squats as they could for a minute and a half. The event began with a brief welcome from Spark Philippines’ Executive Director Mikaela Teves, followed by warm-up stretches led by one of Kinetix Lab’s coaches. The female participants began first, followed by a brief pause before the male participants resumed. The resident physiotherapist at Kinetix Lab One Ayala asked the participants to undergo a cooling down mobility program after they completed their squats. Below are the list of winners for both categories:
Winners (Women’s Category)
3rd place – Nisha Ansoc, lifted 30kg for 57 reps
2nd place – Shiela Sajorda, lifted 37.5kg for 56 reps
1st place – Mina Tomas, lifted 25kg for 67 reps
Best Lifter: Shiela Sajorda, total tonnage of 2100kg lifted
Winners (Men’s Category)
3rd place – Jaime Cabigas, lifted 70kg for 37 reps
2nd place – Mark Espino, lifted 120kg for 37 reps
1st place – Justin Asinas, lifted 72.5 for 38 reps
Best lifter: Mark Espino, total tonnage of 4440kg lifted
“Kinetix Lab’s mission is to get every Filipino interested in becoming stronger, and squats are a fantastic exercise to build overall strength, which is critical for overall fitness and daily activities,” explained Ms. Louie Angeles – De Guia, Kinetix Lab’s Marketing Manager, when asked why they chose squats as the exercise for this initiative. Squats for a Cause will be the inaugural of a series of social events that Kinetix Lab plans to organize, in keeping with the gym’s mission to empower individuals through fitness and generate positive community change.
Kinetix Lab’s Squats for a Cause was supported by Strong Stuff, Wheyl Nutrition Co., Groove Activewear, Crew Cafe, and Better Than Ice Cream.
ADVT.