Toby's Sports is one of the biggest retailers of sporting goods in Metro Manila. You will find…read moretheir stores in leading shopping malls here in the big city. Whatever type of sports and fitness apparel or equipment you need, there's a big chance that you can find them at Toby's Sports, particularly in their big branches at SM Mall Of Asia and Glorietta. If you're a die-hard UAAP fan, you can also get genuine UAAP apparel and accessories from Toby's. My branch of choice is in SM Aura Premier. Although the store is smaller compared to other Toby's Sports branches, I like it here because the display racks are clearly organized by theme or sport. The last time I visited was when I bought swimming goggles for the summer. They have a wall of different types, brands, and colors of goggles. The choices can be a bit overwhelming. It's a good thing that a salesperson approached me and guided me on what type of goggles would best fit my needs.

You can buy everything inside a health store and you still wouldn't be healthy without exercise…read more And if you're not naturally athletic and the thought of free running is making your joints ache then it's best to buy equipment that will help you achieve your goal. Welcome to Toby's- your one-stop fitness store filled with the latest exercise equipment in Manila. I've made a little home gym from buying their merchandise and so far it's been a worthy investment. I have a couple of weights, a yoga mat, a medicine ball and boxing gloves all purchased at reasonable prices. I wish somebody would give me a P10,000 gift certificate in this store because there's so much here that I want to take home. (Okay, maybe I'm being cheap, let's raise it to P25,000) I don't know what else to say except that I hope my wish comes true because Toby's is great and I'm a fan.

Nike doesn't need any explaining. One of the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and sports…read moreapparel sponsors many athletes and sports teams around the world, that's why we all know nike and that's why many of us like nike. After watching shia labeouf saying 'Just do It' for over a minute, I somehow felt like visiting the Nike store last time I was in SM Aura. They don't carry all brands here (e.g. Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Blazers, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk,Air Max, Foamposite, Nike Skateboarding), they mainly focus on running shoes. I just love how Nike showcases all their shoes on the wall. It makes it so easy to have a look at the shoes you like and this makes for a great shopping experience. The staff lets you browse around without bothering you, but are there to help you if you want to try on some shoes. Just a great experience, so go and visit, just do it!

#SwooshLove is one of the ways I like to describe myself. I might not show it often to my friends,…read morebut I love frequenting blogs that show the latest shoes by the sporting apparel giant that is Nike. My brother loves it just as much, and even says "Nike" in place "Just do it" to us siblings when he's asking for a favor (not the best way to ask for a favor, by the way). Nike has got the most popular sporting or working out apparel in the Philippines, if not the world. I literally can't go out without seeing at least one Nike product, be it a shirt, cap, pair of shoes, bag, etc. Aside from their workout apparel, people have been buying casual wear from Nike as well, particularly their SB and Janoski selections. Their shoes are of incredibly high quality and last years with proper use. While I like this branch (it's right next to an Adidas and New Balance so there's plenty to look at and compare), there are plenty of outlet stores out there, so find one and join the #SwooshLove movement!

I always saw New Balance as kind of like a boring brand. They have been around since 1906 and I…read morecan't remember they every modernized their logo. My mom always swore by New Balance shoes when she was playing tennis, but as a teenager I always wanted cooler and hipper tennis shoes. Now that I have grown a bit older I actually understand where my mom is coming from and I found myself buying New Balance tennis shoes last month. Now I understand it is actually a good thing that this company has been privately held for more than a 100 years. Where other brands focus on the latest trends, this company really just focuses on quality and giving your feet the best support. Especially for tennis where you make a lot of quick turns, these shoes are perfect. So if you look past the boring brand, maybe you'll actually learn to appreciate the quality just like me.

Where Empire Golf has been stuck in the 80s and 90s, Mizuno has moved on and is a relevant brand in…read morecurrent golfing scene. Mizuno has a long history though, founded in 1906 in Japan. Quality is the most important thing for this company and it shows in the golf equipment they make. Their Grain Flow Forged irons are used by professional golfers, such as Tiger Woods and various others celebs. They also sell high quality golf clothes and other accessories. It's a pleasure browsing in the store because there is a good flow for your eyes and the items are displayed in an attractive manner. The staff is humble and supportive.

Empire Sports is not a place that looks appealing to visit from the outside. The fashion is boring…read moreand the logo hasn't been updated since the 80's so it seems. However, if you are an avid golfer you don't care about these things and you just need high quality equipment. That, they offer! The lay-out of the store is not that appealing, but the staff is friendly and can assist you and show you their the broad scope of international brands in golf equipment and accessories. Some of the brands they carry: Ping, Fitleist, Yamaha, Dunlop etc.

This is the brand of my favorite pair of running shorts, specifically the Great Escape Shorts. They…read moreare black and white and pretty and comfortable and moisture-absorbent and dry-fit. Under Armour is an amazing sporting goods store. The reason that this design stood out to me is because actual runners served as the brains behind their conceptualization and eventually, realization. The fit of these shorts is quite flattering and I've often worn them not just for running but on grocery runs, coffee runs, errands, etc. There's a secret key pocket in the seam and the material is polyester. This is just one of the many high-quality products that you'll find here. Staff's super eager to help too.

Unlike the other sports brands in this row on level 4 SM Aura, the apparels at Adidas can also be…read moreused for your day to day lifestyle, other than sports. They are working with big american celebrities like missy elliot and NBA allstars to attract a cool young crowd. The sports wear that they do have is very sleek and you'll definitely feel a lot more awesome working out in it. They also have a good selection of bag packs in the bag and even sell yoga mats. There aren't that many service staff roaming in the store, which I like so I can just browse through the items myself without being bothered. But during check out they are very friendly and helpful. They can improve to make their store feel more welcoming instead of just having a clean organized look and feel to it.

Adidas is definitely one of my favorite sporting brands along with the likes of Nike and Under…read moreArmour. I find that their shoes are just as sturdy as Nike, and while popularly, aren't nearly as popular as Nike, and it's nice not bumping into people with the exact same pair of kicks. Their sporting wear is pretty good quality too, and I appreciate that it's not too popular and found everywhere. I particularly like this branch of Adidas in Metro Manila because it addresses not only the really sporty, outdoors-y fans on the brand, but also the casual ones like me as well. I like the clean, factory like vibe of the branch, because in similar ambiances I'm usually crowded by people competing to get the best deal and sometimes overbearing staff members, but here I can enjoy browsing quietly without anyone bothering me. It certainly helps too that there's a Nike store connected right to it as well, and a New Balance store right next to it.

Once upon a time, I was very much interested in hot yoga and being the kikay girl that I am, looked…read moreto stores like Aura Athletica to hook up me up with cute clothes that I could wear to the studio--not that there were any cute boys in my class because as far as I was concerned, my workout hours were tita hours. But all that babble aside, when I stopped doing yoga and started working out at the gym, I still found myself in the store shopping for gym attire. The thing that most people don't know is that while it delivers a whole lot on the yoga front, the store also carries a lot of premium brands that focus on fitness apparel. To put it simply, Aura Athletica is the place to be when you're gearing up to look good and feel good--pre, during and post workout. My favorite find is the Tonic Millenium scarf which can be used in a million ways. It's also a great piece to have outside of the gym when it gets chilly. The place is pricey so lookout for sales because then you'll be able to get quality clothes for less its original cost and don't pretend you don't love a bargain.

Move is a fitness lifestyle store in SM Aura Level 4. Even though their store is pretty small, they…read moremanaged to cramp a lot of fitness items in there. Most of the items are focused on running though. They offer a variety of sportswear from brands like Nike and Adidas. My recommendation is to go the Nike and Adidas store next door since they offer a way larger variety of clothing. Although it can't hurt to check out the Move store because they have sales quite often (follow them on facebook where they will update their promotions). They also offer a variety of other fitness items such as yoga mats, towels, core waist trimmer etc. But this is also the place to go to if you are looking for a high quality treadmill for reasonable prices.