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Training at Forge: Martial Fitness – Pioneer

January 22, 2020 by Ray L Leave a Comment

Have you ever watched a cool sword fight at a movie and thought to yourself “I wanna do that too”? While it’s easy to find gyms for boxing, MMA, Muay Thai, arnis/kali, and other martial arts, in the Philippines there’s not a lot that teach longsword fighting and HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts). I really didn’t think HEMA existed as a sport in our country especially with how common our homegrown blade and stick arts (arnis/kali) are. While browsing my Facebook feed, however, a friend of mine shared a swordmanship lesson scheduled last January 11, 2020.

I knew I didn’t want to miss it so I signed up (and got waitlisted, but I went anyway). What did I find at Forge: Martial Fitness – Pioneer? Check out my experience with them here!

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Planning a Trip to Baler? Here’s What You Need to Know!

January 7, 2020 by Ray L 1 Comment

Ah, Baler. It’s one of those amazing destinations I didn’t think I’d ever travel to and so I didn’t think about it much, so it’s a great thing my cousin decided to hold his wedding there and we were finally able to see it.

Before I was ever a hiker, my primary outdoor adventures involve beaches and snorkeling. Now how did I get into surfing even though I don’t know how to swim that well (or at all)? Back in college I joined, and later organized, week-long trips to the northern provinces of Luzon, and one of our final stops was a famous surfing spot in San Juan, La Union. The waters were shallow, the waves were calm, and there are instructors you can hire to teach you. Perfect for beginners… just like Sabang beach of Baler!

Aside from La Union, I heard of other very famous surfing spots in the Philippines like Siargao, Baler, and Surigao, but I’ve always thought they were too far from Manila so I dismissed them from my mind. If I ever wanted to surf again, I’d just go to San Juan, La Union from October to January. It was a great stroke of luck that our family was invited to my distant cousin’s wedding in Sabang, Baler, and I got to experience firsthand how nice the waves are there.

Have you ever wondered what Baler’s Sabang beach is like? Here’s what I’ve experienced!

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What is “Leave no Trace” when Hiking? Here’s a Quick Overview!

December 11, 2019 by Ray L 1 Comment

Nature is beautiful, but also very fragile, so we all have to practice the “leave no trace” (LNT) principle to minimize the damage that we do to our environment whenever we travel the great outdoors.

Just imagine a three-hour uphill hike through a hot and humid jungle to get to a beautiful mountain summit. Tired from the hike, you decide to sit down and enjoy the beautiful mountain view. As you take off your backpack and prepare to sit, you notice three muddy cigarette butts near your left foot, a half-buried empty bag of chips beside the spot you’re sitting on, and several other pieces of trash all over the summit you’ve worked so hard to reach.

Would you enjoy that? Probably not. That’s why we shouldn’t be like the people who leave trash around like that in the first place. Let’s all practice the “leave no trace” principle when we’re out to enjoy nature.

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10 Tips on How to Prepare for Your First Hike

December 1, 2019 by Ray L 3 Comments

Sometimes, it’s fun to just go on a quick adventure and take a nice vacation from the hectic and stressful life in the city. Not all of us want something extreme, like rock climbing or white water rafting, so a quick hike up a scenic mountain trail can be just the thing for a quick weekend out.

If this is your first time hiking, then here are some tips on how to prepare for your first hike!

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How to Prepare a First Aid Kit for Hiking

November 15, 2019 by Ray L 1 Comment

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors, and although I’m not one of the most hardcore hikers out there, I still managed to join and volunteer at a hiking company that guides beginners and advanced hikers alike in the most popular mountains of the Philippines.

One major requirement for their guides and volunteers, however, is that they always carry a first aid kit and they undergo basic life support and first aid training every one or two years. These are just some of what we carry, and a few more that was recommended by the veteran search and rescue officer who trained us.

Note: We usually go on “day hikes” in a tropical climate where river crossings and rain storms are fairly common and thus we are equipped accordingly. If you’re going on a longer trek or you’re going to hike in a different climate like a desert or a snowy region, you might want to bring other specialized first aid and survival equipment that’s appropriate for what you will do.

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