The only time to face yourself.
PROFILE
President and Representative Director of B.A.T. / Executive Officer, Director of Communication, Bee's
Born in Shimane Prefecture in 1977. After joining "BEAMS," he worked as a store staff at the Umeda store, and at the age of 23, he became in charge of men's PR. In 2020, he became an executive officer, and the following year, he established "BEAT," the company's first joint venture company. His active hobbies include training, golf, and running.
Instagram:@hiroshi_doiji
What made you start training?
I was quite thin in my 20s, but in my 30s, I suddenly started gaining weight easily. Due to alcohol and stress, I gained nearly 20 kg, and the moment I approached the 80 kg mark, I knew I was in trouble. That's when I began to pay attention to bodybuilding and started muscle training.
So a junior colleague introduced me to this gym, saying, "If you work out, by all means. I went there once to try it out, and the owner and I got along so well that I started going there regularly. Some days I work out in silence at the 24-hour gym, but I also like to train while talking. I would recommend that beginners start with personal training, even if it means being taught the basics.
What are the advantages of going to a personal gym for beginners?
It's about getting the right knowledge. Muscle training also requires a lot of thinking. For example, when lifting heavy weights with great effort, trainers often warn me, "Don't meditate. Many people tend to do this, but if you close your eyes during the movement, you will lose your sense of equilibrium.
You can't notice these things on your own, and once you understand why, you become more and more interested in how your body works. My sleep quality has improved because my posture and breathing have changed, and my golf score has improved by strengthening my torso. It is truly a good thing.
Do you have any thoughts on the relationship between training and fashion in your work?
With the Corona disaster, you've seen a rise in support for what is known as one-mile wear, or clothing for a small range of activities. Comfortable, functional, and similar to sportswear has become more common, and it is easier to choose your style more freely.
That is why I propose that instead of going out of your way to buy something new, you train in the daily wear you have in your wardrobe. It's like an extension of your everyday clothes. Unlike competitive sports, there are no rules about what to wear for strength training. I believe that by enjoying your own unique fashion style at the gym, you will naturally become more motivated.
How do you feel it helps you to continue your training on a daily basis?
The reason why it has been going on so long is tuning.
Tuning?
Training not only clears the mind and body, but also provides a time to "face oneself. I think people today have less and less time to do that. I think people today have less and less time to do that.
I detox digitally, face myself, and get my mind and body in order. For me, training is a time to do just that.
Have you noticed any changes since you started working out?
What has changed since I did muscle training? The best thing is that I became more positive. Stoically speaking, everything is my responsibility, and in the end, I either do it or I don't, that's all. In casual terms, working out makes me positive anyway.
The theme for me in work and everything else is that "hard work is no match for enthusiasm. When I am absorbed in something, rather than thinking about when I have to do it by, my performance naturally improves. It's exciting and fun.
The mind becomes more aligned, the body changes, and the thoughts become more positive. There is no disadvantage to training, is there? It is sad to imagine getting older and not being able to train someday, but I still want to always do the best I can at that time.
What is Mr. Doidi's favorite product?
GOLDWIN's calf sleeve They are not too tight and not too loose, but they provide a comfortable fit that compresses the calves and improves exercise efficiency. They are indispensable not only during training, but also for recovery after strength training or golf."
Confidence can only come from habit and experience.
PROFILE
Actor / Skateboarder / President of WORKING CLASS FOOD
Born in 1989. Born in Wakayama Prefecture. Moved to Tokyo when he entered university, and appeared in numerous fashion magazines after being scouted. Currently, while working as an actor, he also plans and supports events at WORKING CLASS FOOD, a catering service he started with a friend. His routine is to skate at a park skate park and then do weight training at home.
Instagram:@keifukagawa
Why did you start training?
At first I started working out in the gym to prepare for the role. I played the role of a young man who yearned for America. I continued going to the gym for a while after filming was over, but I got bored with it because of my personality. I wasn't suited to the "do this, do that, and tomorrow we'll work out here," kind of approach.
I was still able to keep going when I changed my mindset to the idea of practicing to master acrobatic street workout skills such as planches, handstands, one-handed pull-ups, and other acrobatic street workout techniques that involve floating the body with only two hands, standing on your head to balance, and so on. It was similar to the feeling I got from skateboarding, which I started right around that time. I guess I enjoyed the act of just trying until I got the trick down.
I skate in the park, then practice street workouts on the playground equipment, then train with my own weights at home. That has been my daily routine for over 10 years now, all the way up to today.
What kind of changes did you notice in your daily training?
I used to have a feminine side to me, including my facial features, but I think I have become more masculine in a good way.
Also, as I gained muscle, I became more confident in myself. Confidence can only come from one's habits and experiences. It is not something that is influenced by others, but something that comes into view as you face yourself. Through training, I have come to feel the importance of challenging myself and continuing.
What do you think is the beauty of working out?
I think it's about protecting yourself. For example, when I am drinking, I can control myself and say, "If I drink too much here, I won't be able to train tonight.
Likewise, it is great that I am now able to steer my own course in my work and in everything else. If I had remained the same passive self I was before, I would have become an actor who just did the roles I was given. In both skating and street workout, whether or not you can perform a trick depends on your own effort. That is how I think and act now.
I have formed a catering team called "WORKING CLASS FOOD" with friends from restaurants that were closed due to the Corona Disaster, and we are planning events to promote street culture, which is another action that I have initiated.
How do you convey the appeal of exercise to people who just can't or won't stick with it?
I don't want to sound too proud, but... I think there are always good and bad sides to things, depending on how you look at them. That is why I want to live my life seeing the good side as much as possible.
We all die someday, and as we age, we inevitably grow old. When I stand in front of the mirror and look at my face, I think, "I have more wrinkles," but my body is still young, so I feel relieved and think, "I'm doing a good job of accumulating. This feeling is very good.
Lastly, is there anything you would like to try in the future?
Younger generation kids are easily sharing themselves on TikTok and Youtube. I feel that I haven't yet stepped into that arena.
So I want to introduce training and street workouts in such a light way. Skating is not something that everyone can do, but with muscle training, I think anyone can and should do it, so I want to convey its appeal to many people.
What is Ms. Fukagawa's favorite product?
Challenger T-shirts and bandanas Challenger is an important brand for me. Wearing items from a brand that I love and that pushes me to skateboard and work out motivates me.
Be distinctive even when wearing the same clothes.
PROFILE
Wism Buyer / Conceptor
Born in Sagamihara in 1978. After working in sales at a vintage clothing store and a select store, he worked as a buyer before moving to a PR position. 2012, he participated in the launch of "Wism" and is currently working as a conceptor for the store. His goal is to have a back comparable to Yujiro Hanma, a.k.a. "Ogre.
Instagram:@ryu_horike
What made you start training?
When I was in charge of PR for the store, I continued to go out drinking every day for business, and I quickly gained weight. I felt that it would be tacky if I didn't change my lifestyle.
Even if everyone wears the same "Haynes" or "Levi's," there are people who say, "He's so different, he's so cool. We who are involved in the fashion industry should be the ones to be admired like that. That is what this job is supposed to be about. With this in mind, I started training in the park at night.
Why did you decide to train in the park?
It was late after work and I didn't want to go to the gym... I found this park with high bars where I could do pull-ups. It's close to my house, so I decided to try working out here first.
At first, I was limited to 3 pull-ups, so I ran a little and did 3 pull-ups, then ran and did 3 pull-ups again, and so on, and gradually I was able to increase the volume. Eventually, after about a year, I was able to complete my current routine of running 8 km and doing 5 sets of 20 pull-ups. There is no reason for this number of pull-ups, but isn't it cool to do 100 pull-ups? I feel the romance of a man in the triple digits (laughs).
You started out with the goal of losing weight, but did you notice any changes as you continued to use the program?
Since I started this training, I have always done it at least three times a week, and I lost more than 7 kg in one month. At first I lost the flab on my stomach, then the muscles on the outside of my body started to build up, and I started to squeeze in sharper and sharper.
Also, while we were running, it was a time for interesting projects to be born. Our restaurant does some strange things, such as spinning sushi wheels. When I am having trouble coming up with interesting ideas, I often find that by moving my body instead of sitting at my desk thinking, a great idea suddenly comes to me.
What motivates you to continue for years after your body has changed?
It is completely a part of my life. Keiji Mutoh once said, "Strength training is just like brushing your teeth," and it really is that much a part of my life.
I didn't feel that training was hard from the beginning, and even when I started working out, I felt more like I couldn't forgive myself for being fat. In my case, my job is to make people feel good about themselves and buy my clothes. Even if you can't change something you were born with, such as your face or the length of your legs, you should definitely make an effort to do something about it. We have to compete on the basis of our appearance.
What is your training style? Your clothes and shoes are not for sports, are they?
I train in my normal clothes, a loose cotton T-shirt and track pants. Rather than thinking that my performance will improve if I wear these clothes, I think that performance is something that I can improve on my own (laughs). The shoes I wear are the "993" sneakers from New Balance, which everyone wears as sneakers. I have been using them since I started training. I'm attached to these old shoes, and when I put them on, I think, "I'm going to do it again today! When I wear them, I think, "I'm going to do it again today!
Do you have any episodes that made you happy to continue training?
I often go abroad to buy things, but the truth is that I can barely speak English. I just manage to get by with "Yes! But we always shake hands at the end of our conversations, and they notice the blisters on my palms and say, "You work out? and we get to know each other.
There are many brands that we have put into Japan because we hit it off so well (laughs). That is why I always say that clothing makers should work out more. That's why I always say that clothing makers should work out more.
What is Mr. Horike's favorite product?
Wireless earphones It is a boot version of a certain brand. During training, I use it to listen to "Wednesday" and "Hitoshi Matsumoto no Surrenarai Monogatari" as if it were a radio show. By the way, the name of the Bluetooth device is "IQ 20," which means I'm a total idiot (laughs).
