?'s about gyms and fitness in Japan

[Technobabel]

Hello all, I'm a newb with plans to come to Japan in the future. I'm currently saving up cash until the beginning of the new year, then plan to start applying to the big eikaiwa's (other than NOVA!).
Currently, I am a full time personal trainer, and was hoping to perhaps supplement my income in Japan by picking up a few clients to train in the mornings or at night. Obviously until I have a good grasp on the language I will only be able to train fellow gaijin's or japanese who speak english well enough. I'm not planning on being able to support myself, just a couple clients so I can focus on them.
I was hoping some of you could tell me about the quality of gyms in the more metropolitan areas of the country, and if personal training is popular (or adequate). Most of my current clients are middle aged women who want to lose weight, with a couple guys who want to put on mass. Are the gym's good (i.e. well maintained)? What do memberships go for? Do most gym's have in house trainers?
Any information you all could impart would be greatly appreciated.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I used to know a guy who was a gaijin personal trainer with zero Japanese ability here in Tokyo. From what I've seen in Tokyo a lot gyms do not have inhouse personal trainers. The guy I knew was on a spouses visa and did it fulltime as his main job and basically had membership at mutliple gyms where he would meet his students who also obviously had to be members. In the Gold's Gym branches around Tokyo they usually have a wall with various independent PT's contact info and photos posted. I've heard that local Japanese PT's tend to be pretty bad, but I don't know how true that is and things may have changed since I was working out bad in the late 90s early 2000s.

There are some really nice gyms here but a lot of them suck. Some have no free weights and others don't have enough equipment to deal with the rush at busy times. Most don't have pools because of the premium on space in Tokyo. For a decent gym that has all the bells and whistles that a good PT needs figure on paying 10,000 yen to 13,000 yen a month for full membership in the Tokyo area. There are also some decent public gyms that are a lot cheaper.

[GuyJean]

You might try calling yourself a 'Billie's Bootcamp Specialist', target bored Japanese housewives, and provide house calls during the daytime.

GJ

[Taro Toporific]

... There are also some decent public gyms that are a lot cheaper...

There are some public training facilities that were built for Olympic bids and former Olympics. Some of these are insanely hi-tech, marble-and-bling fancy yet cheap facilities.

Check out the former Olympic training center of the Yokohama International Swimming Pool, which also has a full weight training center, 19km running trail system, and loads of boarded young housewives.



On the other end of the scale---but just as interesting---are the old trashed facilities left-over from the 1964 Olympics. [floatl][/floatl]
Because it's so underutilized, you can rent places like the Ota Ward Wrestling Gym/Arena ---yes, the ENTIRE fucking olympic arena ---for less than 50,000 yen per night and stage your own mixed martial arts battles for audiences.

If you're less adventurous, try the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, a world-class, olympic-style sporting complex in Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, which is woefully empty during the daytime weekdays.

[GomiGirl]

I think the gyms would frown on you being an independant personal trainer as they have contracts with the PT's who use the facilities. I have a trainer and we just act as if we are friends working out together.

[Technobabel]

Thanks for the great info Taro and SJ! I guess it'll be a bit easier to plan once I know exactly where I'll be placed (wish I didn't have to wait until January!). Anyone know if I can get american brand supplements there (protein, creatine, etc)?
GomiGirl: I like to do everything as legit as possible, so if the gyms there are anything like here in the states, I should be able to pay a monthly fee to train out of their gym. Hopefully it's that easy at least. If you don't mind my asking, is your trainer gaijin or japanese? How do you like him/her, and how did you get hooked up with them?

[MaxPower]

The 3 gyms I have joined here all had in house staff who were the trainers. And they were pretty aggressive against me training anyone. Granted these were not the big gyms in Tokyo where I'd assume they would have a harder time figuring out what you're doing. Also, it is very difficult to find guys who both want to gain mass and want/don't mind a foreign trainer. I did however have a friend who had a decent amount of success with training groups of older men and women in the park ridiculously early in the morning. He just did some running and lots of free weight body exercises with them. I don't know exactly what he charged them though. Like teaching English here it is much more about the client having fun than results.
Also on a side note bring as much protein or anything else you use as you can fit in your suitcase. Supplements are at least double the price and ridiculously low quality here.

[Technobabel]

Ouch Max, that sucks to hear about the price and quality of supplements, because when I'm on a mass gaining cycle I use quite a bit of them. I guess I'll have to check out ordering online, and by in bulk so the shipping costs are worth it.
Thanks for the info about the gyms in your area. I wouldn't plan on trying to find clients who want to gain mass though. Weight loss and toning is more fun for me and easier to find clients for. Maybe I could find a gig as a part time trainer in the mornings at one of the fitness centers if freelance doesn't cut it. The only thing I hate about that prospect is then your job becomes more about sales than helping people. Nice tip on the outdoor training though. I love boot camp training, so that may be a path to take. Or getting my pilates teaching cert before I leave.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I have to second what MAX says about supplements. In Tokyo you can find qualify stuff at a few places, but you can't count on finding your favorite brands. My friend used to have all of his stuff shipped from home. But it's pretty pricey as that stuff tends to be heavy and bulky. Stuff made specifically for the Japanese market is garbage.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

Try here.
http://www.anokunikonokuni.com/
If you can get through the nasty web page design they have Musashi, Optimum Nutrition etc.. at pretty reasonable prices. Delivery is within a couple of days. Pretty happy dealing with them in the past.

[Greji]

[quote="GuyJean"]You might try calling yourself a 'Billie's Bootcamp Specialist', target bored Japanese housewives, and provide house calls during the daytime. ]

I just bought me a jump rope, a large rubber strap and some PF Flyers. Please send me the bored housewife list, so I can begain instruction.

[tidbits]

Just my 2 yen about what is popular among housewives now- I think the 'in thing' now among Japanese housewives is still doing yoga, which the aim is neither for losing weight nor building muscle.



And for losing weight, Momijang Diet by the Korean housewife Jung Dayeon is famous, her book is one of the best seller now. Her official website (in Japanese) (you can see her 'before' pic on the site)
http://www.jungdayeon.jp/profile/

[IkemenTommy]

And for losing weight, Momijang Diet by the Korean housewife Jung Dayeon is famous, her book is one of the best seller now. Her official website (in Japanese) (you can see her 'before' pic on the site)
http://www.jungdayeon.jp/profile/

vs


That's a whole lot of plastic surgery to fix that mess.

[Technobabel]

Thanks for the insight guys. It seems like getting my pilates and yoga cert may prove useful.

[Greji]

Just my 2 yen about what is popular among housewives now- I think the 'in thing' now among Japanese housewives is still doing yoga, which the aim is neither for losing weight nor building muscle.

And what a market that has become! One of my girlfriends has just jumped into yoga as only a J-gal can do. Buy all of the name brand clothes shoes, etc. She even spent a week trying to find the best brand name yoga mat, which turned out to be (to her way of thinking) a Nike mat that cost as much as my car. Christ, its just a small mat to do exercises on. You can buy a cheap one for 1,000 yen, or two.

She is a small fortune wrapped up in this and probably won't lose 500grams, but I guess its what ever turns your crank....

[Iraira]

And what a market that has become! One of my girlfriends has just jumped into yoga as only a J-gal can do. Buy all of the name brand clothes shoes, etc. She even spent a week trying to find the best brand name yoga mat, which turned out to be (to her way of thinking) a Nike mat that cost as much as my car. Christ, its just a small mat to do exercises on. You can buy a cheap one for 1,000 yen, or two.

She is a small fortune wrapped up in this and probably won't lose 500grams, but I guess its what ever turns your crank....

I smell boasting! Careful, you might end up becoming a jack. Ignore the previously stated if you are indeed referring to goats who practice yoga.

[tidbits]

Thanks for the insight guys. It seems like getting my pilates and yoga cert may prove useful.

Not sure about goats..but if you love dogs (many Japanese love dogs), and if you can teach Dog Yoga, it might be an advantage ]http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/57471391b3ae273.jpg[/IMG]
from Japan Dog Yoga association. http://www.doga-japan.com/doga.html

Link from a company doing Doga http://dog-yoga.com/11.html

[Technobabel]

Thanks for the idea Tinateoh, but I'm not THAT desperate yet. I don't think I could keep a straight face doing Doga.

[climb678]

A Personal trainer and his subject (BOA)

[Greji]

I smell boasting! Careful, you might end up becoming a jack. Ignore the previously stated if you are indeed referring to goats who practice yoga.

She owns a goat. Is that a Jackism?

[Iraira]

She owns a goat. Is that a Jackism?

again, you are dating one of my exes. Met her at Tobu-doubutsukoen, where she was....well...how can I say this politely? She was tending her flock. If Jack is from Nova Scotia, originally, he would only get aroused, if the goat was at least a first cousin.

[Jack]

again, you are dating one of my exes. Met her at Tobu-doubutsukoen, where she was....well...how can I say this politely? She was tending her flock. If Jack is from Nova Scotia, originally, he would only get aroused, if the goat was at least a first cousin.

Come again?

[Iraira]

Come again?

Yes, I did, thank you for asking.

[tidbits]

Thanks for the idea Tinateoh, but I'm not THAT desperate yet. I don't think I could keep a straight face doing Doga.

I know, my dog laughed to tears too when it heard about it..

If Billy Bootcamp doesn't work for me, I might PM you when you are here. Good luck and all the best in Japan.

[Greji]

again, you are dating one of my exes. Met her at Tobu-doubutsukoen, where she was....well...how can I say this politely? She was tending her flock. If Jack is from Nova Scotia, originally, he would only get aroused, if the goat was at least a first cousin.

She lied to me. She said she was from Tama-doubutsuen. I'm crushed!