An Introduction to Strength Training for People Who Hate Exercise

Introduction

Strength training is fun. It feels good.

I was actually terrible at sports when I was a student.

I was last in both short-distance and long-distance running. I was a total bookworm.

But as an adult, I realized that if you move your body at your own pace, rather than competing for 0.1 seconds like in school classes, it's actually fun.

Even though I was bad at long-distance, I became able to run for an hour.

I was a lifelong non-swimmer, but after watching YouTube, I became able to swim for kilometers.

Turning 'I can't' into 'I can' is a great feeling.

With aerobic exercise, if you keep it up at a relaxed pace for about 15 minutes, you can enter the zone.

This feels incredibly good.

When jogging, this is about the time you start to feel a gentle sweat on your back.

When swimming, it's the sensation of your mind going blank and all the noise disappearing.

I love immersing myself in the zone during aerobic exercise.

But I've never been able to stick with strength training before.

However, I bought this item this year.

Strength training has gradually become fun, so I'm summarizing my thoughts here.

Strength training is like a raising simulation game.

It's the same with dieting; if you worry about the results from the start, it becomes stressful.

In fact, it's better to make it a habit to the point where you even forget you're dieting.

One day, you step on the body composition scale and think, 'Oh, my weight has gone down!'

You look in the mirror in the bath and notice your waist is slimmer!

This level of awareness is just right.

When dieting itself becomes a habit and you forget about the results, it feels like a reward suddenly falls into your lap one day.

The stress of waiting for results is zero.
This is great.

Strength training is the same.

Just keep doing it lazily for now.

While you're doing it lazily, it becomes a habit.

If you keep going without being conscious of the results, one day you'll suddenly notice your chest and shoulders looking more muscular!

This is fun.

Once you get the hang of this 'raising a character' game feel, you'll get hooked on strength training.

Looking back, whether it was entrance exams, bookkeeping, or English, I was always focused on the results first.

Results don't come that quickly, so I would give up before seeing any progress.

Instead of obsessing over results, first just make it a lazy habit.
Keep it going.

As long as there are no negative factors, keep rolling those small positives like a snowball.

And before you know it, you'll realize that little snowball has turned into a snowman!

It might seem trivial, but I think this is a theory that works for everything.

At a comfortable intensity

Trying to get results in the shortest time possible!
is exhausting, and because you're worried about results, you get frustrated that they haven't appeared yet and end up quitting.

Trying to work out efficiently from the start!
is only for people who are a perfect match for it.

So, it's better to start small.

Even for strength training, just once a week. And while doing it, use at most 50% of your effort.

Strength training has a stoic image, doesn't it?

Like doing one more rep when you think you can't do any more.

Such grueling work is impossible for a lazy person like me.

Besides, some people say that excessive strain on muscles shortens your lifespan.

I agree. In the first place, I have no intention of lifting a barbell like that.

If you do strength training slowly and at your own pace in moderation, without straining yourself, it feels great!

It gives me a feeling of energy throughout my body, just like when I'm doing aerobic exercise. It makes me feel energized.

I feel like the image of strength training being something everyone does while panting and suffering is way too strong.

Actually, moderate strength training feels good.

I'd really like to do it about twice a week, but that's a bit tough on my body.

So right now, I do it once a week. This amount is just right for me.

It's just right, and I feel like it's more effective to take moderate breaks from both strength training and jogging.

I feel like nutrients are reaching every part of my body while I'm resting, and I feel like the cells in the areas I've worked out are growing.

I think it's also important to find the timing that feels good and is just right for you.

In delicious portions

Protein after a workout.

This is the one I drink.

It's much more cost-effective than the most popular brands.

When I first started drinking this, I mixed the recommended amount with milk, and even for someone with a huge sweet tooth like me, it was way too sweet.

I kept drinking it after every workout anyway, but the excessive sweetness eventually became painful.

Now, I mix half the recommended amount with 150ml of water and shake it up in a protein shaker.

This ratio is the easiest to drink and is delicious enough to be a treat.

Take it at your own pace with protein, too.

Keep drinking it as long as it tastes good.

I think that's the secret to keeping it up.

Finally

My shoulders, chest, and abs are gradually getting more defined.

I'm looking forward to the moment when I notice I've gotten even more muscular after a while!

I'll keep quietly continuing my strength training while secretly enjoying moments like that.

Bonus 1

My strength training history.

At first, I was taken care of by this.

The easiest in the world? No, no, it's actually quite formidable.

By the time I finish, I can really feel it working.

Everyone relied on Marina Takewaki's channel during the COVID era.
The strength training series is good, but this one is definitely the most energizing.

And now, I use a Bullworker.

This product is made in Japan.
Manufactured by Fukuhatsu Metal.

I purchased the previous model, the Bullworker X5.

I got it on a flea market app in like-new condition for about 4,000 yen.

It didn't come with a manual, so I've been following this site. It has a sufficient training menu.

A special note of caution for Bullworker beginners!

Be especially careful with push-type exercises!

Keep your elbows out while training. Especially for push-type exercises, it is best to start with about 50% of your strength.

Here is the innerwear.
It is excellent in terms of quick-drying, compression, and value for money.
Personally, I found that one size up was just right.

You can easily ice your elbows by wetting them with water before and after using the Bullworker.
I also use the same method to ice my knees when jogging.

Also, running shoes for your feet.
Asics offers sizes up to 4E, making them the best choice for those with wide feet.
They are also great value.

Or New Balance insoles.
With these, you can even run in leather shoes.

If you keep these ready at all times, your commute can instantly turn into a gym session wherever you are.

And so on.

Before going to the gym, you can start by training in your daily life.

Here is one more thing.

Bonus 2: The flow of my diet so far

I lost 4 kilograms in about half a year.
Slowly, steadily, and stress-free.

For dieting, I think walking, which puts less strain on the body, and then using an exercise bike are best. If you start running suddenly, you will hurt your legs and lower back.

First, I prepared a smartwatch.

Quantify everything—heart rate, calories burned, distance, time, PAI—and save it to an app.
Once you get used to it, you'll be able to roughly gauge things like the calories burned during daily exercise or your heart rate from your breathing.
I also bought a body composition monitor.

With this, you can centralize all your data, such as weight, body fat percentage, visceral fat, bone density, and muscle mass, in one app.

Here are the shoes.

Having worn Mizuno and New Balance, these are the best shoes overall. I personally love the JOLT 2.
They come in sizes up to 29cm and 4E width, so even someone like me with large, wide feet is very satisfied.
Shoes are important for protecting your legs and lower back, so get a pair from a reputable manufacturer.

An exercise bike. I highly recommend this.
It's my best purchase of the year.

I'm using this one.

You can turn the time you spend looking at your smartphone into exercise bike time in seconds.
One exercise bike is like having a gym at home.
You can burn fat the whole time you're watching videos or checking social media on your phone.
You can build up muscle reserves in your legs and lower back at the same time.
The exercise bike is 120cm high and folds down to the size of a newspaper. I made space for it in the living room where I spend most of my time.

I think the best approach is to shed some weight with low-impact exercise like walking or using an exercise bike before trying slow jogging.
If you start running right away, you risk hurting your legs and lower back under your own body weight.
Let me share the video I mentioned at the beginning once more.
This video explains all the basics of slow jogging.

I kept up these three things for two months and lost 2kg.
An exercise bike burns about 200kcal if you keep at it for an hour, and jogging burns about 400kcal.
The more you keep at it, the more fat you burn.
Plus, slow aerobic exercise feels good. It's a great way to refresh your mood.
It relieves stress and helps you avoid binge eating.
It's all good things.

Or rather, I realize now that I wasn't exercising enough before.
Moderate exercise changes your mood, boosts your energy, and gives your daily life and skin a healthy glow.