FIRST TRIP TO MINDANAO (MT. APO) - Davao City, Philippines

Fire Show at Riverwalk Exotic Resto Grill - Davao Crocodile Park

I've always wanted to go to Mindanao since my first time visiting the Philippines as an adult in 2014. One of the main reasons for me was to hike the highest peak, which is Mount Apo.

First time in the Philippines in 2014 - Banaue Rice Terraces

Fast forward to 2019, five years later, I now have a small home in Cavite about an hour away from Manila. I started a family, and guess what,  I still haven't been able to pursue my goal of hiking Mount Apo.

Hiking the Banaue Rice Terraces

And then came an opportunity to film an event in Davao City on August 25, 2019. I booked my tickets right away from Manila, and took my family with me. The only thing was, I would not be able to hike up Mount Apo with an infant, so the only option was to just take a tour to Mount Apo Natural Park and get a view of the highest peak. I know it isn't the same as trekking up, but we decided that we would wait until Penelope got a little older, and the view point would just be a taste of what would come at a later date.

One day I will hike Mount Apo, but having a family now, the decision making process is a little more tricky =) At any rate, I think that it would be much more fun to do it with the family, what a great adventure that would be! I don't think Mount Apo is going anywhere, so when we are ready, we will conquer it together!

Dhen Yhos Place - Mount Apo View Point

When we finally arrived to Davao City, I had to first film an event called the Dayaw OCR. What was cool about this is that the Dayaw OCR was the first obstacle course race in Mindanao, so that in itself was pretty cool to be a part of. The event was a success, the people were awesome, and I again helped the sport grow in a different place, so mission accomplished! =) If you want to watch the video that I created for Dayaw OCR, you can watch it here:

Dayaw OCR - Davao City, Philippines

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The next day was dedicated to family, so I booked a private tour with a gentlemen by the name of Kuya Joey Davao with Davao Tour Package with Kuya Joey Davao. Now, I'm pretty sure that his last name isn't really Davao, but it makes for a catchy business name. We chose him first because he was almost 50% less expensive than the other tour companies. Traveling solo for many years, I really never went on tours because it was always better, and cheaper to do it on your own. But now having in infant, for me it's just much easier to have a professional tour guide to take us to some places so that we can focus on whatever baby Penelope needed, and not worry about getting lost. It definitely was a wise decision to hire a local to take us around.

With Kuya Joey Davao - Dhen Yhos Place

With Kuya Joey Davao, it was just us and no one else, and that is what I preferred. The day was totally customizable, and he made us feel like we were just like friends hanging out versus some corny tour with random people. We also wanted to go on our own versus with a group because if we needed to stop or rest, we could do that anytime, and not worry about holding the group up and getting off track with time. With Kuya Joey Davao, our schedule was on us, no time limits, we could take our own time and really soak in the sights without any pressure. It was such a great time.

Book your Davao City Tours with Kuya Joey Davao here!

Entrance of Tawsuvan Falls

Tawsuvan Falls

I also wanted to point out that it was Arlene and Penelope's first time flying on a plane, so it was cool to see them experience something new. We flew via Cebu Pacific.

Of course we did not see everything that we wanted to see in Mindanao, but what we did see was enough to say that we'll be back for more.

Here is a quick video of our trip to Mindanao, and if you ever visit, give Kuya Joey Davao a call, he will take care of you and I promise you, it won't break the bank! =)

First Trip to Mindanao #LagalagMafia

Watch more of our family video on Youtube here!

*Arnel is a Independent Filmmaker with OCRTUBE.com, Adventure Traveler, Crypto Enthusiast, Online Fitness Influencer, and devoted Family Man. Connect with me here!

Why the Beachbody Business is Dominated by Females, and How the Guys Can Still Profit and Succeed

I've been wanting to write about this topic for quite some time now, so coming back from Coach Summit in Indianapolis recently, I felt it was fitting to do so.

My take on COACH SUMMIT INDY 2019

I've been attending Coach Summit since I became a Beachbody Coach in 2011, I have only missed one CS event which was last year. If you do not know what Coach Summit is all about, it's pretty much the SUPER BOWL of all Beachbody Coach Events, it's a game-changing event jam packed with learning experiences, workshops, inspirational speakers, lavish parties, networking, and tons of workouts. Every person interested in having any kind of success, big or small attends this exclusive event.

Beachbody Super Workout - Downtown Indianapolis 2019

Over 20,000 Beachbody Coaches Working Out - Indy 

So with that being said, I had a blast! But one thing that I wanted to point out is that, the girl to guy ratio has definitely changed drastically. When I began my coaching business in 2011-2012, I would say that there seemed to be an equal amount of males and females in the business, but since around 2015, I have noticed a drop in male participation. So my experience with the recent Coach Summit in Indianapolis Indiana was that I realized that this business has become a female dominated business. Is there anything wrong with this? (Read On)

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Now I cannot give you and exact ratio during this event, but visually, it was apparent that it was an easy 50 females (or more) to one male. Now guys, don't get any ideas and start jumping into this opportunity and think that it would be a great place to find your soul mate, it doesn't work that way =)  These women are focused, driven, and thrive on entrepreneurial success, so the last thing they are thinking about is "hooking up", trust me, they will smell your wrong intentions miles away! =)

HOW DID THE FEMALE COACHES DOMINATE THIS BUSINESS?

I'm going to be honest with all of you, because for me, this is a no-brainer. It's called the "Domino Effect". You see, it only takes a few strong women with BIG GOALS to make this happen. For Example, my Coach is amazing! She has pretty much dominated this business since 2012 when she made a decision to be successful. The story was that.......She asked her partner if he could give her ONE YEAR to try to make it happen, and if it didn't work out for her, then she would quit and start bartending again (they were both bartenders) to help pay the bills, and mind you, they had a lot of bills! I'm sure you know what happened next. It took less than a year, and her business began to grow exponentially, and she has pretty much made the Top 10 Coach List every year since then.

You see, she had a goal and above average vision...and instead of just sitting on her ass and having her partner support the family, she busted her butt, retired him from his job, and now they are both sitting pretty living the simple family life with no financial worries.

Bonding Time with my Coach and her family

Now I know what you're thinking....."I know guys that have done that", well I do too. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that in this case, the females were the ones who were more persistent. It was the females in this business who kept going when times got tough. It was the females who did not quit.

Of course I cannot speak for all the men in this business. All I can say is that I am still here, but will also admit that I am not 100% doing what it takes like a lot of the female coaches in this business. I'm sure the male coaches on my team will agree that we all love this business, we love the products, and we understand that this business model is friggin amazing, but there will always be someone else who loves it more than you do, and in this case, again.....it's the females who love it more than anything. Can and will this ever change? It's definitely possible!

SO HOW DID THEY DO IT?

You see, the females have it down to a science. While most of the men are at the gym looking at all of their muscles, and window shopping for their next date, the girls have already done the following:

-  Finished their workout at home
-  Prepared their post workout meal
-  Checked their messages and did some follow ups
-  And for the women with children, they have more than likely served them breakfast and already sending them off to school.

Do you see something that some of us guys are missing? These women are super productive and organized, at least the ones who are HUNGRY for success. While us guys are taking our time and doing one task at a time, the females are running laps around us and doing something called "multi-tasking".

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There are a small percentage of guys in this industry who can pull off what the females do with multi-tasking, and have also been reaping the full benefits of this business along with their female counterparts. The men who understands, respects, supports their female counterparts and does not discriminate against women who have the DNA (determined natural ambition) will ultimately succeed in this business.

WHAT ARE THE GUYS DOING WRONG?

First things first, I am not an expert on this topic. I am merely sharing my thoughts on the matter. So if you disagree with me, you of course have a right to your opinion, and I will respect that. But to answer the question, "what are the guys doing wrong", this is what i have to say:

-  Ego, especially about the idea that home workouts are only for females, and real men only workout at the gym.
-  The thinking that men are more superior over women
-  The thinking that men cannot learn from women
-  The thinking that home workouts are easy, and don't work
-  Being uneducated in the networking industry, and being set on traditional business practices and ideas
-  Being intimidated by the success of not just females, but everyone around them
-  Not allowing yourself to become humble and accepting of your own faults
-  Not allowing yourself to learn something new. Something that used to work sometimes won't work all the time, so learning to be open and honest is something that all men have to work on

Body Beast Workout at the Hotel Gym

Getting a Killer Workout at home

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Again, I cannot speak for all men, only what I have seen in the 9 years I have been in this business. I also cannot say that it is only the men who deal with the above, I have also seen women with similar issues, but again, the women seem to deal with it, and learn from their mistakes much quicker and move on to becoming successful, while the men tend to never learn, make it more complicated, and just eventually quit.

HOW CAN MEN SUCCEED AS A BEACHBODY COACH TODAY?

If I had the exact answer to that question, then I would probably be a millionaire many times over. All I can say is that there are many successful men in this business, so it is possible. But if I was to give my opinion on the matter, this is what I would say:

-  Don't be afraid to learn from women
-  Do your research on the workouts and nutrition and give it your 100% commitment
-  Get away from the thinking that only men workout at gyms and do crossfit, that is far from the truth
-  Respect the fact that everyone can succeed in this business, it's not just a business for woman, it's for everyone
-  Be yourself, speak the truth, lift people up around you especially the woman who are killing it in this business. What you do says a lot about you and your future business
-  Just MAN UP

LAST WORDS

It doesn't matter if the business that you are in is a male dominated or female dominated business. It's about how you deal with it and make the best out of it. Rather then thinking about who is dominating, why not think about the next person you can genuinely help? Why not think about your success? Why not think about the future of your family?

The bottom line is that, Beachbody is a community of people who just want to live better, and be happier. It's always been that way! It's about transforming into a better human inside and out, and helping others along the way.

Become a Coach Today!

Yes, there are currently a lot more women then men in this business, but when's the last time a man ever complained about too many females? =) Give me a break LOL! Let's quit thinking and start doing! I look forward to your success my friends!

Interested in becoming an Online Beachbody Coach? Feel free to message me for some FREE advice, I'd love to hear from you.

It's time to MAN UP

Learn more about becoming an Online Beachbody Coach

The Vessel New York City - Hudson Yards

Watch Video Below

Spent a few days in New York City to meet with some friends, and I even filmed a wedding.

I visit NYC every once in awhile, and most of the time it ends up being a very short business trip. The last time I was here, I filmed an event in Jersey City and was not able to check out the Vessel, so this time around, I made a point to check it out.

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My good friend Kirin came along with me, and we ended up city trekking all the way from the Upper West Side near Riverbend Park a little south of the George Washington Bridge, and walked all the way down to the Vessel, we ended up doing about 12 miles that day! 

Here are QUICK FACTS about the Vessel at Hudson Yards:

The Vessel is made up of bronze steel and concrete and is a 16-story, 150-foot-high (46 m)[5] structure of connected staircases between the buildings of Hudson Yards. The Vessel has 154 flights, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings that stretch from its 50-foot-wide base to its 150-foot-wide apex, with the total length of the stairs exceeding 1 mile. 

Cost to build: $75-200 million. 

Ticket price: FREE

You can get more information and access online ticketing on their website by clicking here.

I made a quick video so that you can get a glimpse of this pretty amazing structure. If you have any questions, please feel free to connect with me! 

The Vessel New York City - Hudson Yards

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Free Morning Meltdown 100 Workout - All You Need to Know About the Morning Meltdown 100 Program

Sample Workout Video Below

Hey guys!

I just arrived in Gydnia, Poland last night after a long (over 17 hours of travel time from Manila) travel day. Once I arrived, I just relaxed and tried to catch up on some sleep, but this morning I started my day off right with my workout.

Baltic Hotel - Gydnia, Poland

My hotel room space at the Baltic Hotel was pretty tight and I did not have any weights, so of course I just made due of what I had =).

Later today I will be checking out the course for the upcoming OCR European Championships since I will be filming the event this weekend. I'm pretty excited to see what the organization here has put together, and also just excited to be in Poland. But I do miss my girls back home!

Arlene working out at home while I'm in Poland

Anyways, the workout that I did this morning is from the Morning Meltdown 100 which was designed by Super Trainer Jericho McMatthews. I did the sample workout which is online now on Beachbody on Demand (Get a 14 Day Free Trial to BOD here). I included the YouTube link for the sample workout if you want to try it out =)

Free Sample Morning Meltdown 100 Workout - 30 minutes!

Start the Morning Meltdown 100 Challenge here

Here are more details on the Morning Meltdown 100 Program:

Morning Meltdown 100 is the first Beachbody program designed to be done in the morning, so you can head into your day feeling stronger and more accomplished. Commit to 100 workouts (whoa!!!), and Beachbody Super Trainer Jericho McMatthews will get you fired up to melt away fat and build your strongest body. Each fierce, fun, 20–30-minute workout features music mixed by a live DJ who follows Jericho’s lead and drives the beats to match her intensity.  It’ll feel like a party and give you the motivation you need to keep going. 

Morning Meltdown 100 Sample Workout in my Hotel Room

The program has not officially launched yet, but here are some dates to check out if you would like to give it a shot:

- July 20 - VIP Early Access (ask me or you Coach)
- October 1st, available to all Beachbody on Demand members
- October 1-14, Online Launch Group with Jericho (contact me to join the fun)

My recommendation to get started with the Morning Meltdown 100 Challenge 

Morning Meltdown 100 - 100 Workouts to Start Your Day!

Message me to join our Online Launch Group

More stuff:

- 100 unique workouts, 20 to 30 minutes per day

- There are two workout modifiers in each workout

- Fitness level is intermediate to advanced

HOLY CRAP, 100 WORKOUTS!!! Let's do this! 

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So now that I got my morning workout and some coffee, I'm off to eat some breakfast and start my day at the OCR European Championships! Have a great day everyone! =) 

How to Choose the Best Beachbody Fitness Program

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As an Online Beachbody Coach for over 8 years now, one of the questions that I get a lot is, "What is the best program for me"?

You see, when I used to post heavily on social media about my workouts, people just assumed that I knew a lot about health and fitness. But in all reality, I was learning too! Over 8 years ago my brother introduced me to the original P90X workout, and I completed the program, lost 25 lbs, got ripped, and was in the best shape of my life in my 40's! This was the BIG reason why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach, because well......the programs simply work!

For the past 8+ years, I have been doing strictly Beachbody workouts, OCR Specific Training, Hiking and Running. I'm sure that you all would agree that there are a lot of ways to get healthy and fit, and it's all about finding which discipline works best for you, but Beachbody was my way of getting real results with NO SHORT CUTS.

Social Media is a great place to post and inspire for accountability

So when people ask me which workout program is best for them, I always let them know that the information that I give them will basically be Beachbody Health and Fitness options, because that is what I eat and breath every single day. It's what I know, and it's what works for me, as well as thousands of my friends and customers.

With that being said, let me explain to you in my opinion, how to choose the BEST Beachbody Fitness Program for you in these simple steps:

1.  Get connected with a committed Beachbody Coach first. Yes unfortunately, like anything, there are a lot of terrible Coaches out there, some who just want your money, so you have to be picky. To be honest, the best Coaches in my opinion are the ones who stay committed daily and provide you with valuable information to help you make your own choices, even if it's free. But guys, don't take advantage of this free information, these Coaches work hard day in and day out to help you. Don't forget about that.

Surrounding yourself with positive people will change your life

Also,  I highly recommend the Coaches who are still going through their fitness journey. Beachbody Coaches are not all super fit and there's nothing wrong with that. If you are looking for genuine accountability, then you will be surprised to find the best coaches are the ones who still have a lot of struggle in their own lives, and they will do anything to help you because it is a motivation for them.

Accountability is one of the best ways for succeeding with a fitness goal. Most people cannot get healthy and fit alone, and that is why they join local gyms, group workouts, and beer runs ha ha. But with today's technology, you can get the same accountability and motivation from an Online Beachbody Coach and have 24/7 access to chats, meet ups, tools and training, anytime, anywhere.

Our team has been changing lives for over 9+ years!

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2.  Join an Online Challenge Group or Free Fit Club. If you've never done a Beachbody Workout before, what better way to do it with a ton of people online. There are a lot of online groups out there from Free Meal Prepping, Getting Started, Staying Motivated, and of course a challenge group for every Beachbody Fitness Program ever developed. All of these groups are hosted by Beachbody Coaches, all you have to do is connect with your Coach and he/she can send you a free invite to join the fun. There are even free fit clubs hosted in local community centers, gyms, parks etc. These free fit clubs are a good way to try and learn more about the workouts. From there, it's all about narrowing it down to what your fitness goal is, start a program with a challenge group, and then attend the weekly fit clubs to get that extra motivation and accountability to keep you moving forward.

Having your own Personal Online Coach gives you 24/7 access 

to staying motivated anywhere around the world!

Get Started Now - Choose a Discounted Challenge Pack here!

3.  Stay Committed. This is the hardest part, and why it is so important to connect with a Beachbody Coach. Yes, everyone falls of the wagon, and there is no judging here, we've all done it, we're human. The most important thing for you to know is that whether you are struggling and haven't found the momentum yet, your Coach will always be there to help you recover and restart. Nobody is perfect, not even your Coach. Life will get in the way, and finances might deter you from investing in your health.

It's all about the mindset, and knowing what is the most important thing in your life. When you figure that out, and you begin to surround yourself with the right people, trust me, things WILL change.

Let's face it, no matter what you do, without our health and fitness, you and I are nothing. Our bodies are our temple, if we take care of ourselves, we can have unlimited potential in anything that we decide to do.

No one ever became successful alone!

Check out the 2B Mindset, the Positive Approach to Weight Loss

So anyways, I hope this helps. Once you connect with a Beachbody Coach, they will assist you with the best program based on your needs, lifestyle, and budget.

If you would like assistance from me, simply message me, and I would love to help you. Just send me an email to: arnel.beachbody@gmail.com and just request a Free Online Fitness Assessment. There are NEVER any requirements to purchase anything, and my advice is always free. You can make me your Free Online Coach by clicking here, chat soon!

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Picnic Grove - Tagaytay, Philippines

Picnic Grove Tagaytay

We visited Picnic Grove Tagaytay yesterday! I actually have never heard of this place until Arlene's friends invited us to join them, and it was totally worth it.

At Picnic Grove, the main attraction is the view of Taal Lake and Volcano. The  huts along side the mountain make it to be a very relaxing time with friends and family while enjoying one of the BEST views of Taal Lake.

HOW I TRAVEL 7+ MONTHS A YEAR

Picnic Grove also offers other things like a Zip Line Adventure, Cable Car, Mini Zoo, Shopping, Suspended Bridge, and a restaurant just to name a few. But most people come for the breathtaking view!

Starbucks Tagaytay Domicillo - another great view! 

Here is a quick video that I made of our day at Picnic Grove in only 1 minute. Enjoy, and the next time you are in the area, I highly recommend checking this place out.

HOW I WORKOUT WHEN I TRAVEL

Picnic Grove Tagaytay

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Check out Picnic Grove Tagaytay on TripAdvisor here

First Workout at New Home

We are finally getting settled into our new place in Cavite, Philippines! What's really exciting is that Arlene and I were able to get our first workout in! The home that we moved into about 3 months ago just did not work out unfortunately, and I was never able to get any kind of routine together.

With this new place, we are not 100% settled, but Arlene and I already feel more at home here than our other place in Manila. We will be here in Cavite for at least a year, so I'm very excited to get settled and start having a daily routine. Of course I will still be traveling on video projects when needed, but it's just nice to know that we finally have a place to call home here. 

OUR FIRST WORKOUT

Before we left Manila to move to our new place, Arlene and I were doing yoga for a few weeks to get our bodies ready for a new workout program. We are still undecided on which program we will be doing, but yesterday we did a workout called Transform 20, a program designed by one of my all-time favorite Beachbody Fitness Trainers, Shaun T! 

Start Transform 20 Now - Discounted Challenge Pack here!

I ended up doing the "Stronger" workout, and Arlene ended up doing the 10 minute workout twice. It would be difficult to give my review of the workout because that was my first time doing Transform 20, but I did like it. I don't normally do "step" workouts that incorporate using a step of some sort, kinda reminds me of the old school "Yo Mamma's" workout from back in the 80's ha ha.

To be honest, I am not picky at this point because I just need to get myself moving and back to where I was when I used to run obstacle racing events. No, I am not training for anything, not a race or anything...I'm just training for life, and to be active. I mean I have to keep up with my very active daughter, whoa....she's going to be an athlete and traveler I'm sure =)

I do have to be somewhat fit and have good endurance as I film some of the fastest athletes in the world with my OCRTUBE media project. My ideal workout is something like P90X and running. P90X has always been my "go to", I just love the simplicity of it and the fact that I can do the workouts at home and at the gym. And being totally functional is important to me, I have no interest in glamor workouts, not at all. 

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These days I prefer working out at home because I would much rather be near my family. I work my business at home, and workout at home. For me, every chance that I can be with my family is a plus, because when I travel for work, I can be gone for a full weekend to two weeks or more. And trust me, I miss them so much when I am gone. Let's not also forget my daughter who lives in Florida, I haven't seen her in so long, I'm hoping to see her very soon! 

My new Youtube Channel - Lagalag Mafia

Focused on my life in the Philippines - New Videos Uploaded Monthly

Today, I think Arlene and I will do another Transform 20 workout just to get a better idea on if it is the best program to do together. We will definitely keep you posted, and if any of you would like to join us, feel free to shoot me a message. It doesn't matter what your fitness level is, you can do the same program that we decide to do, or I can also give you a free fitness assessment and help you find the best program for you. It's just always much more fun working out with a group of people from around the world! =)

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For more information on Transform 20, shoot me a message or just click here.