Celebrities were among those who stepped up to the challenge at the first-ever BENCH Active Hybrid Games 2026, held on March 7 and 8, 2026, at The Playground, BENCH Tower in Bonifacio Global City.
Similar to HYROX, the BENCH Active Hybrid Games is an indoor fitness race that combines running with functional strength workouts, pushing participants’ endurance, speed, and overall fitness.
Among those who took on the challenge were brand ambassadors Kirk Bondad and Royce Cabrera, both of whom joined the hybrid fitness race for the first time.
ROYCE CABRERA: PRE-GAME PREPARATIONS
In an interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Royce Cabrera shared his excitement about joining the BENCH Active Hybrid Games, especially since it marked his first-ever fitness race.
"This is my first time," Royce shared. "And, actually, plano ko talagang subukan yung mga ganitong klaseng fitness stuff.
"And, happy kasi first time kong ita-try sa Bench pa mismo, sa Bench Active. So, excited ako to do it."
As a first-timer, Royce said he didn’t put too much pressure on himself when it came to his finishing time. His main goal was simply to give his best during the competition.
"Alam mo sa totoo lang wala akong idea sa time-time pero gagawin ko ang best ko hanggang makakaya ko.
"And hopefully, pumasok yung time ko o speed ko sa average na kailangan talaga."
With this being his first time joining a hybrid fitness race, PEP asked Royce how he prepared for the games.
Royce explained that he didn’t need to drastically change his routine since fitness has long been part of his lifestyle.
"Ako kasi kasama na sa routine ko yung working out, e. Talagang, parang gym life talaga ako, e.
"So, yung eto kasi, iba yung atake niya, e. So, siguro yung preparation ko, e, nagdagdag ako ng konting cardio and yung mga reps and weights sa binubuhat ko para lang tumugma sa activity na meron hito ngayon."
When asked about the specifics of his workout routine, Royce detailed his structured approach to training.
"I do tinatawag na PPL—Push, Pull, Leg. So I'm doing... kunwari day one ko, push for na upper chest, shoulder. Pull, back, and then delts.
"And then leg day ko, etong lower ko and core. Tapos singit-singit na lang ng cardio in between."
Royce also shared the importance of consistency, even with a busy work schedule, making sure he finds time to train whenever possible.
"Kung may free time, talagang sinisingit ko before work or after work kung kaya and then during rest days.
"So hangga't kaya ko isingit, kasama talaga sa routine ko yun."
For beginners who are planning to join fitness races, Royce emphasized the importance of discipline and consistency.
"Napaka-cliché na nito sabihin pero consistency and discipline talaga. Kasi kahit anong workout mo pa program mo, exercise mo, diet mo, kung hindi ka naman consistent and disciplined sa sarili mo, lahat yun mababalewala."
KIRK BONDAD: IN-GAME STRATEGY
Like Royce, Kirk Bondad was also a first-time participant.
After completing the challenge, Kirk admitted that the competition was far more demanding than he initially expected.
"It was way harder than I expected. I didn't really train for it because, you know, I had no expectations. But... I'm still catching breath. I'm still catching on."
Reflecting on his performance, Kirk identified one mistake that made the race even more challenging for him—starting too fast during the early rounds, which affected his endurance.
"Honestly, I think my mistake was in the beginning, the first machine, the ski, I went way too fast and my heart rate raced up and it didn't recover.
"Through the entire race, I was catching on breath. I thought I was vomiting three times but I kinda pushed through."
Drawing from his experience, Kirk highlighted the importance of pacing, especially for first-timers.
"For first-timers, definitely pace yourself in the beginning. Think it's way smarter to start a little bit slower in the beginning and then ramp it up in the end across the stations.
"And if you have an elevated heart rate and you're going in catching breath, you will not recover. You will suffer a lot."
CELEBRITIES AT BENCH ACTIVE GAMES 2026
Aside from Royce Cabrera and Kirk Bondad, several other celebrities and fitness personalities also took part in the Bench Active Hybrid Games.
Among those spotted by PEP were Derrick Monasterio, fitness coach Mauro Lumba, Teejay Marquez, Fino Herrera, Ariella Arrida, Maria Gigante, Enzo Bonoan, Julia Sucgang Bonoan, Elyson De Dios, and David Licauco, all of whom put their endurance and strength to the test across the event’s challenging hybrid fitness stations.
Check out their photos below.
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