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00:05 - Hi there, this is Neil Masoy,
00:06 sports reporter for the "Million Times"
00:09 and in sports, we have a saying that
00:12 it's not just about physical,
00:14 it's also about mental.
00:16 As much as it's important to have a strong body,
00:21 the condition of an athlete,
00:23 it's also important to think about
00:25 how strong you can think
00:27 so that you can perform in competitions.
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00:34 And (speaking in foreign language)
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00:43 Recently, (speaking in foreign language)
01:02 and we talk about a lot of things,
01:04 but one of the major takeaways there was
01:08 how he prepares himself mentally.
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01:15 To be in the best mental shape possible
01:18 so that when he competes during a tournament,
01:21 he can perform well because his mind's strong.
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01:30 The Philippines president,
01:32 as well as (speaking in foreign language)
01:37 So both of them had insightful things
01:44 that they shared with us
01:47 when it comes to Caloy's mental preparation,
01:51 especially for this upcoming Olympics.
01:53 For more of that,
01:55 watch this interview presented by the "Million Times"
01:57 newsroom.
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02:01 - In the Tokyo, for me, in the Tokyo Olympics,
02:05 he was too young,
02:06 and we didn't have a psychologist then.
02:10 For me, the mind and emotion is very, very strong.
02:14 Emotion runs like water.
02:16 You have to be strong,
02:17 even if your skills are very good,
02:20 but if you don't have a strong mind and strong emotion,
02:22 you will not make it,
02:23 especially listening to all the shouting.
02:27 Can you imagine my hands are colder than coal?
02:30 I'm so nervous.
02:31 Can you imagine how he is?
02:32 So he must be so nervous,
02:34 and that can make you slip
02:36 if you're not in your 100% good.
02:40 But now I think with all,
02:42 and I realized that,
02:44 so I brought him to a lot of championships
02:46 so that he'll get used to a lot of people cheering,
02:50 a lot of people.
02:51 So now he's getting used to it.
02:53 He goes inside and he just focuses on what he has to do,
02:56 and that's the most important.
02:58 Blacks, that's why he always puts his hood on
03:02 so he doesn't see anybody,
03:03 doesn't see anything,
03:04 and he's focusing on what he has to do.
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04:32 - Much has been said about your girlfriend.
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06:32 - You have, you won a gold in parallel bars
06:35 and then a silver in gold.
06:37 But (speaking in foreign language)
06:41 the best athletes (speaking in foreign language)
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09:23 - How do you guys work together?
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10:48 - So basically, you feel confident and relaxed as a team.
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11:13 - How do you set up when it comes to mental side of things?
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11:22 (speaking in foreign language)
11:28 - I'm actually not PT, I'm an occupational therapist.
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11:37 And I'm preparing him not only physically,
11:50 but also emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
11:55 First, I tell him what to expect during competitions,
12:00 because if you know what to expect, like I tell him,
12:04 during competitions, the factors are,
12:07 one, there's audience.
12:09 Number two, there's too many lights
12:11 that will affect your visual system.
12:13 Number three, you also will see your competitors.
12:16 You will subconsciously, their adrenaline
12:20 will affect your adrenaline system as well,
12:23 and you will need to learn how to control
12:25 your adrenaline system, because if you don't,
12:28 you're gonna mess up your timing in gymnastics.
12:31 So I tell him what are the factors during the comps.
12:35 And then number two, almost every day,
12:38 I tell him, like, hey, you need to be undeniable.
12:42 Do you want to be undeniable?
12:44 What type of gymnast do you want to be?
12:47 I ask him so he can choose what type of gymnast
12:50 he wants to be, because if he chooses for himself,
12:53 then most likely he will be very motivated
12:56 to be that type of gymnast, and he will do his best
13:00 to reach whatever it is that he set for himself.
13:04 And then number three, I also, because he loves to pray,
13:08 as an occupational therapist,
13:10 I take that into consideration as well.
13:13 So from time to time, we also offer prayers to God
13:16 in order to streamline more his focus.
13:19 So, and I think that also added very much
13:23 to his preparations during Doha.
13:26 He did mention before he competed in the finals
13:30 that, like, I think I'm lacking in prayer.
13:36 And when I prayed, it seemed like I was more outspoken.
13:40 Before, I always had daily prayers to God,
13:44 like this and that, and I seemed to be lacking in that.
13:48 And now, when he competed in Doha,
13:51 his habits came back.
13:54 And so I said, "Ah, so that's what I'm lacking in,
13:58 because everything has been repaired,
14:00 and I'm also connected.
14:03 Because before I went to your training,
14:06 I was already praying, I was guided.
14:08 So it's you who needs to connect to him."
14:11 So then, that is also part of, you know,
14:14 his preparations, like spiritually, emotionally, psychologically.
14:18 Because technically, everyone is good at it.
14:22 What is the difference?
14:24 And sometimes, those things,
14:26 those are the things that are not seen in performance--
14:29 your spirit, your mental preparation.
14:33 Those things, that, as an occupational therapist,
14:38 really helps him.
14:41 You've mentioned that as an OT,
14:44 and of course, your relationship professionally with Sir Carlos,
14:48 what has become a common ground to establish trust?
14:52 Because it doesn't happen overnight to open up
14:56 and understand each other's psychology.
14:59 One is to really give him the time
15:05 to listen to what he wants to happen for himself.
15:11 And then just be open.
15:14 "What do you want? Just tell me.
15:16 What happened to you today?
15:18 What did you not like today?
15:20 What did you like today?
15:22 After your training today,
15:24 so that we always have briefings before your training,
15:28 this is what we're going to do.
15:30 Okay, you focus here.
15:32 After training, what do you feel?
15:35 What do you feel?
15:37 You study everything.
15:39 What did you like in your training?
15:41 What did you not like?
15:43 What do you want to clean up?
15:45 I get a lot of data on what he wants.
15:51 And based on what he wants to happen,
15:54 that's it, the next day.
15:55 Okay, this is the plan.
15:56 This is it again.
15:57 Okay, this is an upgrade.
15:59 So, listening to the athlete,
16:03 and I think it would be nice for other coaches as well,
16:09 that the athlete listens well
16:15 because they can get a lot
16:18 if they really listen well.
16:20 When it comes to your own perspective,
16:26 how is Caloy mentally prepared?
16:29 He's so motivated, I think.
16:31 Especially after he was able to get what results he kind of wanted.
16:37 But after Doha, he's so pumped.
16:40 Like, "Wow, I can do this. I can do this."
16:45 He's really scratching the surface of what he can do,
16:49 like what we said before.
16:51 And I'm pretty sure he's so excited to keep moving forward.
16:56 He's more determined in training,
16:59 even if it's hard.
17:00 That's okay.
17:01 As long as he can give what he wants in his performance
17:07 leading to the Olympics.
17:09 Coach, can you give us a picture?
17:11 For example, it's competition day.
17:14 Caloy will perform in an hour or in a few minutes, maybe.
17:18 How do you calm the nerves?
17:20 What do you do to calm him down when he performs?
17:24 Okay.
17:25 That's a good question.
17:27 Because when it's competition, it's different.
17:30 In training, you can see that when it's competition,
17:34 there are a lot of stimuli that affect the mind of the athlete.
17:39 What he sees, "Oh, this is good. Oh, this is like that.
17:43 Oh, this is..." It's the threat also.
17:46 So then I would first tell him, "We've done this.
17:50 You just need to replicate it.
17:53 Whatever you practice, that's what you need to worry about in your mind."
17:58 And then another thing that I do is to use visual imagery training on him,
18:04 which wasn't a thing before, and now it's in his system.
18:09 I put him on his iPad.
18:14 I'll show him what training he performed
18:19 so that his brain can be a movie.
18:22 So the timing, when his body follows the software in his brain,
18:29 neuroscience, I apply brain science to him.
18:32 So, "Wait, you're there, your body is resting.
18:35 Okay, it's your brain's assignment. Memorize your timing."
18:38 So that when it comes to using his body, he's ready.
18:43 The other things is I'll give him psychology techniques,
18:50 would be like--or neuroscience.
18:54 It's like, "Oh, let me see. Let me feel your heart.
18:57 Oh, your heart rate is up right now."
18:59 You do more breathing exercises to calm your nervous system down
19:03 because if your nervous system is not calm, it's going to mess up your timing.
19:08 Everything to the heart rate is monitored.
19:14 And also, his performance nutrition before he goes to the hospital is also monitored.
19:22 If we know that he still needs to eat,
19:25 because lunchtime is around lunchtime, so he'll practice.
19:30 He'll prepare whey protein right away.
19:32 "Oh, your body needs protein.
19:35 If you don't drink protein now, your brain and body will weaken."
19:39 So, he studies everything, even chemistry.
19:42 So that when he gets there, he's not weak.
19:45 His timing is just right, and his breathing is just right.
19:49 So, even the little details, when it comes to competition, he plans it.
19:57 So, basically, everything is measured and calculated?
20:01 Yeah, to the breathing.
20:05 Alright, there you go, guys.
20:07 I hope you learned something from that interview,
20:10 especially how important the mental aspect is for athletes when they're preparing for a competition,
20:21 especially for Caloy, who will compete in the Parasol Inclusive.
20:26 And that's it for now.
20:28 Again, this has been Neil Masoy, sports reporter for the Manila Times.
20:31 And see you again next time, in the next episode of the Manila Times Newsroom.
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