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Jarvey Gayoso’s training regimen as a football star can be described as simple, but intentional.
Jarvey Gayoso is no stranger to the bright lights, initially making his name with Ateneo in UAAP football, before emerging as a mainstay on the national team. After a two-year stay with Kaya FC in the professional ranks, Jarvey has also taken his act across Asia in Thailand and Cambodia.
But how has he stayed in shape over the years? As he shared to The GAME, it’s all about listening to his body’s needs — an approach that’s been reinforced by the coaches he’s worked with locally and internationally.
“I was blessed enough to be guided by different coaches for my training regimen so in my most previous club it was more about strengthening lower body and injury prevention for my legs,” said Jarvey, who most recently played with Bangkok Football Club in Thai League 3.
“Throughout the year it’s been about what my body needed and what the team coach saw I needed to improve.”
Offseason Grind, In-Season Polishing
Like many athletes, discipline is key for Jarvey, with in-season routines focusing on maintenance, and heavy lifting being done during the offseason.
“Days leading up to the match, we would have training sessions, but outside of the training sessions, we just do some light stretching usually,” he said. “Depending on the time if I am in season or offseason, cardio is mostly for preseason as match schedules get more frequent.”
“Weight training is heavier in off season and there are some strengthening workouts for injury prevention in season.”
Protein-based Diet, Light Meals on Game Day
This discipline extends during game days, namely in terms of nutrition. In fact, Jarvey doesn’t have any “cheat days”, and makes it a point to have a healthy diet. At this point in his career, the football star says he’s focused on gaining more weight.
“I try to eat healthy, but my overall goal is to increase protein and carbohydrates. I know I need to gain more weight and muscle so at the moment I try to increase my calories. Specific must- haves would be rice and meat, whether it’s chicken, pork or beef,” Jarvey shares.
Carbohydrates, namely pasta, are an essential part of Jarvey Gayoso’s pre-game meals.
“Usually three hours before the match we load up on carbs, so that’s usually pasta. I eat a heavy meal the night before then I take a good rest and I hydrate usually with electrolytes. And then on the day of the game I find time to take a nap before preparing for my pre-match meal.”
Emphasis on the Fundamentals
Unlike other sports, football comes with an added layer of difficulty. Save for the goalkeeper, players can only use their legs and chest to control the ball. For Jarvey Gayoso, mastering the beautiful game all boils down to placing value on the fundamentals, even for the sport’s biggest stars.
“I do believe there’s a lot of similarities to other sports, but the biggest part focused on football would be the fundamentals and that’s so important that even at a higher level fundamentals are still done in training,” he said.
With the training hacks he’s shared, it’s easy to see why Jarvey Gayoso emerged as one of Philippine football’s biggest stars.
Images courtesy of the Philippine Football Federation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jarvey Gayoso follows a periodized approach: heavy weight training and lower body strength work in the offseason, shifting to maintenance, light stretching, and injury prevention during the season.
Three hours before kickoff, Jarvey Gayoso loads up on pasta for carbohydrates, eats a heavy meal the night before, and hydrates with electrolytes on match day.
Jarvey Gayoso maintains a high-protein, high-carbohydrate diet with rice and meat as staples, focused on gaining muscle mass and increasing calorie intake without cheat days.
Jarvey Gayoso has played for Kaya FC in the Philippines, and clubs in Thailand and Cambodia, most recently Bangkok Football Club in Thai League 3.
Jarvey Gayoso believes fundamentals remain essential even at the professional level, noting that football’s technical demands — controlling the ball with legs and chest — require constant reinforcement throughout a player’s career.