Dannyka Manangan

Ninong Ry on getting into powerlifting at the age of 36: ‘It’s never too late for anyone’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>Apart from revealing the news of his growing family as a soon-to-be father of three last April, food vlogger and media personality Ryan Morales Reyes, more popularly known as Ninong Ry, has also been open to his fans about his weight loss journey, which has led to him already losing 17 kg since he started working out last November. The popular content creator also made the cover of Spot.ph weekend June edition. </p><p>During his Media Day event held last June 26 at the Summit Media office, Ninong Ry shared why his biggest goal right now when it comes to working out is actually not to lose weight.</p><p>“Actually, sa totoo lang, hindi naman yung weight loss yung point. Pero alam ko na yun yung makaka-grab ng attention. Kasi dito sa ginagawa ko, yung pagbaba ng timbang is just a side effect maybe. Actually yung ginagawa ko kasi is powerlifting and coached ako by one of the best lifters in the Philippines, Raphael Cahilig. So kumbaga ang punto ng sport is to lift the heaviest weight you can. In essence, powerlifting is combined total ng three lifts; bench press, deadlift, at barbell squat. So nung sinimulan kong gawin ito, ang point ko actually, of course was to lose weight. Yung ung initial kong gusto pero hindi pa powerlifting,” he explained. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-15" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaKjediGucN/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A15%2C%22os%22%3A16569732.399999999%2C%22ls%22%3A43336.10000000149%2C%22le%22%3A43775.39999999851%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-15" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>The popular foodie, who also recently launched his second cookbook <em>Hindi Pa Rin Ito Cookbook by Ninong Ry</em> last May, shared how he ended falling in love with the sport of powerlifting in less than a year.</p><p>“Bumili kasi ako ng gym setup, tapos una bodybuilding, ganyan, pero I found na medyo hindi ko siya masyadong gusto. Kasi hindi clear yung gusto kong mangyari. Pero sa powerlifting, isa lang yung goal, magdagdag lang ng plato talaga sa barbell. In fact, buong team ko, nagpa-powerlift na ngayon. Nag-install kami ng gym sa opisina. So as in lahat talaga kami nagbubuhat na. Ang totoo niyan, weight training, resistance training, talagang naramdaman ko yung quality of life improvement na binigay niya sa akin. Malaking malaki talaga. Hindi pa nangyayari yung may pupulutin kang ballpen sa sahig tapos sasakit yung likod mo. Hindi na mangyayari yung umaakyat ka sa mga hagdan, yung mga muscle mo sumasakit. Kasi nag-a-adapt yung katawan mo sa maximum loads na binubuhat mo eh,” he added. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-16" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaKjediGucN/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A16%2C%22os%22%3A16569770.399999999%2C%22ls%22%3A43336.10000000149%2C%22le%22%3A43775.39999999851%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-16" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-17" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYEGsAnGetR/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A17%2C%22os%22%3A16569796.600000001%2C%22ls%22%3A43336.10000000149%2C%22le%22%3A43775.39999999851%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="746" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-17" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/5/20/ninong-ry-opens-up-about-fitness-journey-loses-17-kilograms-since-starting-to-work-out-1506"><strong>READ: Ninong Ry opens up about fitness journey, loses 17 kilograms since starting to work out</strong></a></div><p>While talking about his new sport, Ninong Ry revealed his ultimate goal, which he has set for himself four years from now. </p><p>“Actually, hindi ko sure kung mag-ma-materialize, pero ang goal ko talaga with powerlifting is to compete talaga sa masters division kapag age 40 na ako. Yung talaga yung goal ko. Hindi ko lang alam kung kaya ko bang i-keep up yung training kasi grabe rin yung training. It’s four times a week and every training, two to three hours siya. So medyo mahaba rin talaga yung idi-dedicate na oras. And siyempre kailangan kong i-divide yung oras na meron ako sa work, pamilya, training, sarili, and other things di ba? So hopefully, ma-keep up ko yung training ng matagal na matagal and hopefully, makapag-compete ako sa platform pagpasok ko sa tamang age group,” he revealed. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-18" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYtoz12GR3F/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A18%2C%22os%22%3A16570567.699999996%2C%22ls%22%3A43336.10000000149%2C%22le%22%3A43775.39999999851%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-18" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/4/23/food-vlogger-ninong-ry-is-soon-to-be-a-dad-of-3-0949"><strong>READ: Food vlogger Ninong Ry is soon to be a dad of 3</strong></a></div><p>Ninong Ry also shared an inspiring message for those who might want to follow in his lead of starting their fitness journey later on in life. </p><p>“Siguro sa lahat ng nanunuod, kung ako nagawa kong mag-start at 36, it’s never too late for anyone. In fact, meron tayong isang Asian champion na lifter si Luisito Manual. Nag-start siya at age 56 and naging Asian champion siya. So it’s never too late for anyone,” he said. </p>

<p>Cookbook author and well-loved vlogger Ninong Ry reveals his plans to compete in powerlifting competitions in the future and how his evolving fitness journey has started to changed his life for the better.</p>

Cookbook author and well-loved vlogger Ninong Ry reveals his plans to compete in powerlifting competitions in the future and how his evolving fitness journey has started to changed his life for the better.