Hey everyone,
I’m not gonna lie, I’m such a lazy ass when it comes to sports.
I don’t have any weight problems, but for years I’ve been dealing with back/neck tension (even headaches) and bad posture.
I’ve seen a physio, I’ve tried going to the gym (and probably using all the machines incorrectly) … nothing seems to be exciting enough for me to keep me doing it long enough to see actual results. Sometimes, after the gym, I might even feel worse than before, like having a headache etc. which is a real sports motivation killer.
I’m at a point where I’ve tried so much, but “nothing works” (or I just gave up too early)… So, I’m wondering if there are any Tokyo/Kanagawa-based personal trainers, coaches etc. who
1. speak English
2. do 1:1 / individualized coaching, especially regarding the basics (like what’s actually effective; how to do exercises properly)
3. aren’t intimidating
Any advice is appreciated!
5 comments
you’re willing to travel anywhere in Japan?
I’ve found it’s much easier to find a goal for exercising rather than trying to find excitement in exercise.
I’ve been weightlifting and competing in bodybuilding for around 10 years and personally I hate working out. What motivates is what happens as a result of working out, not the actual exercise. No one enjoys brushing their teeth or washing dishes, but it’s something you have to do to get the results you want (clean teeth, kitchen devoid of bugs).
Start small, find a goal, then do a push/pull split 3x a week, be more conscious about food and start adding protein shakes into your daily eating routine.
Some people, once they get into the routine can’t get off of it.
I remember getting so addicted to bodybuilding, that I would spend at least 3 and a half hours at the gym after leaving work at 20:00, then going to Matsuya for about an hour, get home, shower, do the laundry, unwind, eat a snack, and I’d be lucky to get about 2-3 hours of sleep because I was so pumped.
Of course, your hormones dictate your addiction levels.
Headaches after a workout usually come from people with hypotension doing strenuous activity. But, given you history, I’d say you suffer from tension headaches due to a bad posture.
How to straighten your posture : Pull-ups with the bar, otherwise known as chin-ups, do as many as you can until your last rep, and just dangle there releasing all your weight to your lower body. You gotta do this for 3 months to really see the difference.
As teachers, and as residents of Japan we mostly find ourselves looking down because the locals aren’t as tall as us. Either that, or we play too much computer reddit. There’s even the dreaded smartphone posture.
Now, make sure you don’t have a genetic curvature of the spine which could be contributing to this.
There are a few Strong First certified trainers in Tokyo. That’s worth a look if you wanted to get into kettlebells.
I’m all for the chin up recommendation you got. Even if you can’t do one, just hanging from a bar and trying to pull your shoulders down (don’t let them creep up to your ears) is great for your posture.
it’s fairly expensive, but Tokyo Healing Arts Center. Dr Arai speaks English and is really chill.