Overweight Karim Abdul working to regain old form

Karim Abdul in UAAP Season 78. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of Santo Tomas center Karim Abdul vows to get back in top shape after gaining a lot of weight in the offseason.

Aside from sporting a different hairdo, Abdul noticeably looked bigger from the last time he saw action for the Growling Tigers in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup over the summer.

“I did (gain a lot of weight),” Abdul admitted with a smile. “I gained like 40 pounds and I’m trying to lose at least 30 of those pounds that’s why I’m really like exhausted when I’m running up and down.”

Abdul, who said he weighs around 230 to 235 pounds, was 210 pounds last UAAP season and he plans to be at 220 by the second round.

“Right now I’m 230 pounds, two months ago I was 250. After the operation I wasn’t working out. I was just eating and then when I started working out I was 250,” said Abdul, who went under the knife to remove bone spurs on both knees last March 31.

“In two months I struggled to go down to 230 so I’m like between 230 to 235 right now and I’m trying to lose another 15 more pounds.”

Abdul said he’s been working doubly hard to shed off the excess weight by doing core training with his team’s strength and conditioning coach.

“We’re trying to shed off the midsection,” said Abdul, who had 12 points and six rebounds in UST’s 72-71 win over Far Eastern University on Wednesday, laughing.

The extra pounds have kept Abdul from being his old self. In his first two games so far, he’s only averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds after norming 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds through his first four years in the league.

“When you’re heavy, it’s hard for you to do the things you usually do when you’re lighter. But this kid, even if he’s overweight, he plays with his heart and he has the willingness to win,” UST head coach Bong dela Cruz told INQUIRER.net.

“Slowly, he’s regaining his playing weight. But as the season goes on, he will be able to get it back.”