Otaku Moves: Starting Out

Wow, this had a better response than I had originally thought it would. I have already had people accepting and willing to be my online exercise buddies! So happy to have the online support from you all! Now for the big question, where do we start? I am not talking about the actual exercise moves themselves. I shall first handle the more popular discouragements and excuses as for why we don’t exercise.

1. I do not have exercise clothes

I don’t buy this for one moment, although I fully understand. I spent most of my birthday money on ‘gym clothes’ a few years back and although it does set the mood for me mentally it has not increased my desire to exercise, nor has it any affect on me actually exercising. As long as your clothes allow you to move freely and are not a heavy material you can exercise in them. So a nice loose pair of shorts and a plain cotton t-shirt will do. If push comes to shove you could even work out in your pj’s. I’m not talking lingerie, I’m talking about the lounge around the house all day kind. Although a tracksuit would also work. I just happen to be one of those people who don’t own a tracksuit, yes I am serious.

2. I do not have the equipment

Fair enough. However, there are ways around this. Plus as we start off there will be no equipment needed. If equipment is eventually needed I shall show you how you can create your own variation using common house hold items.

3. Who has the time?

Well if you are part of the sedentary lifestyle of watching t.v or playing on the pc or consoles, then you my friend have the time. Not all exercise is an hour long. In truth according to multiple studies, short high intensity exercises can offer more benefits and results than long drawn out exercise sessions. I aim to put together exercise routines that will challenge us and that can be done relatively quickly. It has been suggested that we do daily challenges and I love that idea. However I know in reality that will probably end up flopping. So I have an alternative plan.

During month one, focus on exercising twice a week and doing challenges two days a week. So that is four days a week, where I am already hearing the ‘say what?’ comebacks. Hear me out:

• Day 1 –  Exercise
• Day 2 – Relax
• Day 3 – Challenge
• Day 4 – Exercise
• Day 5 – Relax
• Day 6 – Challenge
• Day 7 – Relax

When looked at like that it still seems a bit extreme so what is a challenge and how is it different from the exercise? Basically the challenge is one simple move that you will be asked to repeat X amount of times in one day. For example, do 50 star jumps. Those 50 can be done in 10 sessions of 5, or 5 sessions of 10 or even all 50 in one go. It is up to you entirely to do them when you want as long as you do all 50. So see it first sounded like a lot but you can break it down into segments you can handle. The important thing is that you keep active daily, although those rest days are important too.

I will be posting regularly on my experience and results so I will be your online exercise buddy! I know you don’t see the connection to the anime side just yet, but don’t worry we will get there!

I will be starting Monday 9th January on this whole journey. I hope you will be joining us and please feel free to join in at any time. If you would like to follow the progress please follow #OakuMoves. Also if you would like to participate and comment your own progress please include that hashtag so that we can keep in touch with one another and not miss out!

*Results will vary person to person!