Sports amid COVID-19: MVP Taekwondo Gym holds online program for students

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The COVID-19 pandemic in Iloilo City can’t stop the burning passion Mark V. Pinggol has in honing the skills of his taekwondo students.

Together with his fellow coaches, the man behind the MVP gym created an online program to make sure his jins are still active and able to hone their skills amid the virus crisis.

Coach Pinggol forwards them a list of workouts online and the students respond by sending back a video of them doing the exact workout.

There are two separate online programs, one for Poomsae and one for Kyorugi where specific students are under each category.

To properly classify his students and avoid confusion, coach Pinggol organized two training levels, the novice level for the beginners, and the advanced level for his long-time students.

Intending to make sure his students are still physically healthy despite the pandemic, coach Pinggol said that his program might be difficult to organize but the most important thing is that he is still able to do his job as a coach.

“Dapat ma feel lang nila nga positive gihapon and it’s part of coaching. Daw pareho lang gyapon nga ga prepare kami for a tournament ah. Subong gani, bisan parents sir, ga join na sa online program namon sa gym,” coach Pinggol said in an exclusive interview with Daily Guardian.