Why do sports teams train on the beach? Chot Reyes explains

Beach training for athletes has come under scrutiny following the deaths of Ateneo de Manila University basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili.

On "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda," Wednesday, Abunda sat down with PBA coach Chot Reyes to understand the logic behind holding a bootcamp at the beach.

One purpose is to improve physical conditioning.

"Alam mo sa sports, not only in basketball, beach training is very effective resistance training. 'Yung tumatakbo sa buhangin as [compared] against running on regular surfaces, that really promotes stronger footwork, greater cardiovascular endurance," the former Gilas Pilipinas head coach said.

Aside from running on sand, he said training on water is also part physical fitness and therapy like for athletes coming off injuries.

"Water training is not new," he said. "Maraming tumatakbo sa water."

The coach said his former teams did some water training in the pool. But when it came to beach training, he said he limited it to only running on sand.

Another benefit of training on the beach is to maintain motivation and build teamwork.

"It breaks the monotony. And I'm sure you know monotony is one of the biggest killers of motivation, right? So you want to vary your program, vary your methodologies," he said.

"Marami kaming ibang ginagawa na hindi lang within the basketball court. Because in the process you build the camaraderie, the team building, you build synergy," he added. "You create shared memories, that's how teams are built eh."

Baterbonia and Adili lost their lives in a drowning incident during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora on June 8.

Baterbonia was laid to rest in his hometown in Talacogon, Agusan Del Sur on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Adili's remains have arrived in the UAE before traveling home to Nigeria.

Investigations into their deaths are ongoing and are being conducted by government agencies and Ateneo. —MGP, GMA News