Strength Training the Japanese Way!

 

These are a couple more photos of the Seigan-ji Temple. Gotta love those angles!

One of the things I am enjoying the most about our move to Japan is the time I have been able to put into strength training. Due to my busy schedule in the US, I had not been as consistent with those workouts as I would have liked. Below is the routine I have been following at the city gym in Fuchu. I have been walking the .75 miles to and from this facility. Nice warm-up and cool-down!

1. Overhead Press 
2. Bench Press
3. Upright Rows
4. Leg Press
5. Calve Raises
6. Abdominal Pulls
7. Roman Chair Leg Raises
8. Back Extensions
   
9. Lat Raises
10. Rotator Cuff External Rotation: both arms
11. Rotator Cuff Internal Rotation: both arms
12. Oblique Rotation: both directions
13. Hip Adduction: groin muscle
14. Hip Abduction
15. Hip Football Kicks
16. Hip: Kick backward

This covers most of the major muscles of the body. I do one set of 10-20 repetitions for each exercise. The whole routine takes me about 40 minutes. Below are the guidelines for using this gym.

1. The cost for Fuchu residents is about $1.50 per day.
2. The locker rooms are spotless!
3. Free lockers are available.
4. The facility also has table tennis, badminton, tennis, an indoor pool, and other activities.
5. You have to wear indoor gym shoes in the weight room. You have to leave your street shoes in a shoe box. 
6. They typically have 2-4 staff members in the weight room at all times. As with many stores and customer service operations, some of those staff members stand ready to serve the constituents. It is very impressive!
7. Everyone is expected to grab a towel and wipe down machines after use. 
8. For the popular machines, there is a dry erase board. You are expected to record what time you will be finished with that machine. There are time limits for those popular machines. There is also space for one person to put their name down on a waiting list. 
9. They have an intriguing massage tool with round pieces that go round and round like a bike wheel. The person sits on the seat and then puts the desired body part over the moving round pieces. I am hoping to try this but it is very popular!