As a competitive lifter in Japan, I faced limitations at the gym owned by one of our administrators. Deadlifting and other weightlifting exercises that required a spotter were not allowed. After enduring this restriction for 6 months, a 20-minute rule was added, prompting me to create my own home gym. Now, I have a fully equipped gym at home complete with a platform, over 300kg in plates, cables, and nearly every attachment imaginable. I couldn't be more content with my setup. In my opinion, if you are seeking general fitness, Japanese gyms may suffice. However, for those looking to build strength or compete, the gym experience in Japan can be quite challenging.
Thank you for sharing! This is what a lot of people don't understand - while these rules don't affect casual gym goers that much, when it comes sports based lifting, such as competitive powerlifting or weightlifting, training for those will be heavily hindered by rules such as this. I'm thinking of making a follow up video showcasing more dedicated Japanese gyms that are made by passionate Japanese lifters that give Japanese people who love lifting a place to go to.
@@Livakividepending on your location. I might be able to help you. I now run the powerlifting division in my prefecture and am connected to a few powerlifting gyms spread across Japan. Also, for anyone curious, for about the same amount you'd pay for a standard year-long gym membership in Japan, you can build a decent home gym. Two years worth and you'd get more than enough to get you by for a long time unless you are a very serious competitor.
@@Hajiroku That's very interesting to hear, and thank you for offering! I very much agree with the home gym investment being a good idea, especially in the long term and when it comes to saving time. I wonder if there are any powerlifting type gyms in Japan that you would like to recommend to people?
@@Livakivi I wonder if any mma gyms in Japan would have the equipment your looking for as strength is a big component in a fight I'm sure somewhere they would be equipped with what your looking for.
@@Livakivi Also you won't have any confrontations via proxy at an mma gym or likely at all as long as your respectful cause if there's a real problem in an mma gym you can solve it by just fighting one on one
@@fullertakos yeah but also you can’t let them bully you, I’m a lot bigger now than when I started so that really helps now they leave me alone occasionally sending a stern look my way. For reference when I arrived in japan this time I was around 107kg 178cm and when I started I was 72kg 175cm so yeah
@@aecao1792 been here for over 5 years myself and really can't complain (except for the tattoo rule, that one is honeslty stupid). I had a similar experience as described in the video at a tipness (which is not a gym but a fitness club) but things have been good for the last 3 years since switching to anytime. Never had anybody complain to me, only "soft" time limits (keep rack use to 30ish mins at very busy times), can do any movement I like. It helps if you can speak Japanese. Probably also because kansai
This is literally the best thing you can do when moving to a new place. You get to explore the city while looking for a gym that isn't dogshit, you establish a routine where you have to get out of the house several times a week, you will be constantly exposed to roughly the same group of people who are doing the same thing as you which means you can more easily make new friends, and on top of that you get sick gainz. The only thing that rivals it would be joining some kind of a martial arts club.
Well, Japanese culture itself is anti-anime. Japanese only get all those impossible self-expression through manga/anime. If manga/anime is not making money, they would have eliminated it.
NEED MORE JAPAN CONTENT!!!! I love that you have similar interest(to me), and making videos about them. I'm really excited for more Japan videos. Keep up the great work
Sorry to hear you had bad luck with the gyms in Japan! I went to a gym in Japan for about 6 months and nobody seemed to care about the rules, not even the staff (they used to compliment my lifts which was very sweet). There were some huge dudes too who grunted a lot and filmed themselves all the time. I also have helped a few random people with their form. I thought that was normal but after your video seems like that gym was an exception.
Now he just needs to find an abandoned house to renovate and then build a Linux based setup in his bedroom to play runescape (with a nice custom keyboard)
I heard all about how difficult gyms can be in Japan and was anticipating trouble before my move, but suprisingly I've found myself to have a pretty good experience at AnytimeFitness. Had some encouraging experiences, people smiling and are all friendly so that worry was essentially settled.. I've seen some wild takes online that you should "take your headphones off during a set because it's respectful", then I see a local bopping it with the fattest Bose headphones you've ever seen. look forward to see how your new home gym project turns out!
Using gyms in Japan has been an experience lol. Luckily I go to a relatively chill one. I still pay roughly 6k yen a month though. If you're going to build a home gym, I'd highly recommend going through your apartment contract and checking what it says about weight limits and noise etc. If I ever get a house here, I'm for sure gonna build a home gym, but that's just not feasible for me atm.
I lived in Japan for 6 years the gym rules were: >no sounds while lifting >20 minutes max for equipment (reduced from 30 minutes because of covid) >Not allowed to squat etc without shoes on >gym shoes must not have been used outside >injuring yourself is preferable to dropping weights if you fail a set because you won't scare anyone (yes I was legit told this) >NO LATERAL RAISES because someone might walk into you >no tattoos >1 hour 30 mins max (you had to go back to the reception and check-in again to stay longer. And yes, this was on an unlimited use contract) >filming and photography were actually allowed I met some great friends there though, so worth it. I miss many things about Japan but the gyms suck ass.
This is awesome. I'm learning Japanese to reconnect with my family over there and it's really interesting to see how you're finding living there, as I might do the same later on in my life. I'll keep my preconceptions and opinions on Japan to myself for now, looking forward to seeing how it goes
No way! I had sworn I saw someone exactly like you recently in the Misatodai area where I live. Now I watch this video, and I feel like the gods are messing with me. I also eventually worked my way to realizing that a home gym was the best option, though it took a couple years of failed attempts. Good luck, and I know you're gonna love it here!
I missed your content for about two weeks D: and I was worried thinking you'd leave youtube but after I've watched this video it seems the channel is gonna pass through neat changes and also neat kind of new or improved content so I'm happy for you
I always use the Anytime gyms when in Tokyo and staff are incredibly friendly, courteous and helpful. Yes there are limits on how long you can use squat rack etc but this is only during busy times so that others have the opportunity to train. Never had any other issues really.
Thanks for another great video, Livakivi. As somebody who recently joined an independent gym in the UK, this video was mind-blowing! Crazy differences.
From first video about duolingo to gym in Japan. Congratulations, you have learned Japanese and I still haven't learned German, but I will keep going. 3 years with your channel, good luck in Japan, have fun
Honestly makes me glad I have the commercial gym I do. Franchisee/Owner who was a former competitor and multiple staff with their on stage wins proudly displayed up front, Record wall for men and women on different lifts, Student Discount, Friendly staff, Regulars who are decent. Pretty much all the necessary machines and thank god, Power racks and Free-weights. Grunting and clanging allowed. Open 24/7.
This is so inspiring to see you finally visited Japan and can stay here for a while. Keep us updated about your journey, can we expect more vlogs from Japan? And are you visiting Japan as a tourist or student/worker? (sorry haven't finished watching yet) GOOD LUCK
I have the same experience in my Japanese university’s gym. Can’t use phones or earbuds in the lifting section, only on treadmills and bikes. We have to wear red laces to show we are wearing indoor shoes, even though you could just put red laces on your outdoor shoes. I had to take a “training session” before I used any of the machines, and then had to wait a month before I could take another training session to be able to use the squat racks and dumbbells. But the training sessions were so infrequent (once a month), that I didn’t end up doing it until 4 months later because the sessions were always at a time when I had class. The gym is pretty nice and well equipped though. And I’ve heard many people grunt and yell during sets, and there is no timer for using equipment. But the training sessions were pretty annoying. The worst part now is that I can’t listen to my own music while lifting, so I have to listen to the terrible, corny, royalty free rap that they put on
My two cents as someone living in a hub in Japan. Most (if not all?) chains are franchises so the experience varies VASTLY between location. Hubs like where I live are super crowded, so the timers and superset rules are a necessary evil to get access to the machines you want. If it's not crowded, everyone ignores the timers 90% of the time. The no teaching rule is pretty common, but in all locations I was at it was there to recent private personal trainers from using the gym, not to stop people teaching their friends. I wonder if the gym in the video is just an outlier or if it's a communication problem. Either way, I'm pretty happy with my gold gym membership now, expensive but no timers, plenty of space and a sauna. Couldn't imaging making a personal gym with both space and noise problems
Sorry to hear about your negative experiences with gyms in Japan. I also live in Japan and i go to Anytime fitness but I haven't had trouble so far( I am still a beginner tho so maybe that is why) Most gyms are really small and can get pretty busy. That's why I started going super early in the morning when there are only 2 or 3 at most other people training so i don't have to do the 20 mins timer thing. But a home gym is probably the best thing ever. In the future I definately want one!
You're my favorite RUclipsr! The Japanese gym scene sounds inadequate, but I'm sure there's some better options. Best option is home gym if you can have one anywhere.
I like how you casually mentioned that you moved to Japan and will stay there for about a year (': can't wait for more Japanese content as well as new Japanese manga purchases - I'm sure you'll treat us with it
When I moved to Japan about 6 years ago, I was surprised to see how prohibitively expensive the gyms were. So I ended up going to a local park with some simple calisthenics bars. It ironically turned out to be one of the best things to have happened for my strength and fitness, as I made some amazing gains during my 1 year stay there. But you will be missing out on a lot of lower body exercises 😅
I guess I had it easy. Studying in Hokkaido University, the gym on campus wasn't that well equipped, the machines often stayed unusable for weeks, and the dumbbell selection was abysmal, but at the end of the day it was free, you could do everything you needed to do for recreational lifting, and it was an enjoyable and large hall environment with nice people and a relaxed, private atmosphere. Indoor shoe requirement was a bit annoying but used gym shoes weren't very expensive to find.
Going to those gyms there seems super frustrating, 迷惑をかけない at all costs I guess. Super looking forward to hearing more about your story living in Japan! Subbed to patreon. I think a more 'vlog' style where editing is more loose could totally work for videos like these where you share your thoughts about a topic. Just wondering - as I'm planning on doing something similar when I start approaching fluency - and I know this question prob comes up ad nauseam - what visa type are you on? Are you currently working in Japan aside from RUclips? - just ignore these if they're too personal or anything, just curious and hungry for any info about this lol.
Thanks for the support and for reading and giving feedback about the post! I'm using the working holiday visa, I'm not working in Japan though, the visa just allows you to do work during your stay in Japan as well!
Kinda jealous ngl :P Moved and don't have the space for a home gym anymore. Hopefully that changes in the coming year. Glad to see you being so passionate about training 😁
I`m a home gym trainer myself, you`ll be fine training that way! I even found that my training was way better at home due to me HAVING to use all the main/proper compound movements (Deadlift, Squat, Chin Ups, Dips etc) instead of my previous experience at a gym where i tended to rely on the ease of machines. I have added more muscle and strength this way and thats 10 years older than i was before!
When I lived in Japan, I was a member over time of three different gyms. The first two were like the one in this video. I was living in Osaka and maybe the culture is different there because lots of the gym members lifted super heavy, dropped weights, and grunted. All the other rules, like no filming, no taking off your shirt, I see those same rules in the USA and I like those rules. I never saw a rule about only having 20 minutes on equipment or there being timers, but I wish there was that rule. In Japan, some people will literally spend a whole hour on one piece of equipment. They don't even seem to be doing anything, just chilling out. In the end, I joined a Gold's Gym in Osaka and it was just like a Gold's Gym in the USA equipment wise and open 24/7. If you want to train hardcore in Japan, you must join a hardcore gym. Gold's Gym was not cheep either. You have to be willing to pay for quality. I've seen in other videos that Japan has hardcore Olympic weightlifting gyms and powerlifting gyms but those might charge a lot more and you might need to know someone to join as it might be more like a club. I also lifted at highschool and university gyms with the judo teams. They lift old school with only barbells and dumbbells and just lift crazy heavy. Think lots of deadlifts and power cleans. If you get a job teaching English over there at a school, use the school's gym. Also, buy a pair of shoes just for the gym. Most gyms will require you to have a clean pair just for the inside of the gym. I will say the gyms are more sanitary as a result. Also, serious lifters do this anyway in that they don't train in street shoes.
I live in India and to some degree I also had gym challenges. Coming from Ireland I expected gyms to be good but the problem with gyms in India is that they come in 3 types: 1). Local trendy gym. Looks nice but it’s very small, maybe 1500 sq feet in size and the equipment looks nice but it all comes from China and is crappy with low weights and quite dangerous to use. Also usually overcrowded. 2). Basement type bro gyms (actually on the first floor but basement type). They are basic and dirty with old semi broken equipment. But this old equipment is often pretty good quality although not maintained properly. Lack of weights is still an issue and overcrowding is an issue too as once again they are small gyms. 3). Trendy gyms which have good equipment and are large but they are very expensive and far away from where I live. After toughing it out for 8 years in 5 different gyms I finally took the plunge in 2019 and I buying a bunch of gym equipment. The cheap stuff I bought by and large from Amazon and the more important equipment by and large from Decathlon. I am now very happy with this home gym, it’s not perfect and it takes a lot of imagination, but my home gym takes up 10 x 5 feet when not in use and 10 x 15 feet when used. It’s in my living room and we put a wooden partition in front of it when not using it. Today I have no interest in returning back to commercial gym but it would still be ideal to have a much bigger gym, there you go it still gets the done but you have to think carefully before buying each piece of equipment (space is a huge issue in a home gym so you have to take out your measuring tape and do some planning before you buy) and you have to use your imagination to make the most of it. Also things like loading and unloading and reloading Olympic dumbbells (for example, putting on 5kg plates and locking them and then unlocking them , removing them and doing the same process all over with 10kgs plates)is a huge pain when compared with just picking up and dropping off different dumbbells in a commercial gym, but that’s the price you pay for a small home gym.
Honestly most of these rules rock. 20 min is enough to do anything you need to. Even heavy squats and deadlifts. And the infestation of selfie taking gym influencers makes me think taking photos should be banned everywhere. The Japanese are awesome.
I'd also rather make my own gym at home, I don't go to the gym here in Australia but if I were in Japan I sure as hell wouldn't want to start. If I wanted to train with someone I'd just invite them over.
Japan is a country made up of the most asinine social and legal practices I've ever seen. What a strange, counter productive place! Collectivism AND xenophobia? Moralism AND worker exploitation? They value social convention and conformity like no other, but will also say and do the meanest shit LOL. Having ridiculous rules that make everything worse, but ease the minds of the kool-aid drinkers is very on-brand, to say the least
damn i expected you to go on vacation in Japan, not live there for a whole year, that`s awsome! I can`t wait for this arc lol. Also face reveal at 8:55 ??
Congrats on the move to Japan! Since you're only there for up to a year, I'm guessing you're on a working holiday visa? I have plans to do the same later this year, so this is actually really enlightening. My only question though, is how you have enough space for a home gym, considering the size of most Japanese apartments.
8:16 is that the Gym! in Veeriku, Tartu? 👀 Used to go there when I was living in Tartu, now I'm disappointed that I never ran into Rauno loading up a 10 plate deadlift, lol.
I was in Japan for 3 weeks for holidays and decided to visit a climbing gym or two. All of them require you to pay extra to register as a member, but I was obviously only going to ever come there once. (I stayed in Tokyo for 10 days and Osaka the rest) Me and my wife played stupid foreigners in Tokyo and managed to get in for the cost of someone that's already a member. And that seemed to go fine. It was a tiny place but really good vibes. In Osaka I went there with my Japanese friend and there was no option but to pay for the registration there. I find this to be a strange business decision. Even in my home country I always go to different gyms because they offer different things. Why make it difficult to get new customers?
I’m a member of anytime fitness in Japan and I find it pretty good. My only gripe is it’s a bit expensive (¥8000/$80) a month. A lot of the rules are not imposed at Mt gym and the 20 minute rule is something I support because I hate it when people sit there and play with their phones instead of working out.
I visited Tokyo in January on holiday, and one of the first things I did was scope out the gym situation. Finding a gym as a foreigner to use just for a week or so definitely was a taxing situation. Most of them were only open on certain days, and if they were open 24/7, they were unstaffed on those off days, so you couldn't get inside unless you had a membership already. Ended up finding a pretty decent one called "Oasis" that offered discounted day passes through the hotel I was staying at. Each pass was like $15USD tho. The gym was nice, didn't have all the equipment but enough, and the locals (for the most part) left me alone. Tattoos definitely are a no go tho, as the first time I tried to buy a pass, I wasn't covered up and the hotel staff denied me the pass, even though I promised to wear a hoodie the whole time. Edit: also, just about everyone had the most dogshit form I've ever seen when doing compounds.
my home gym has a resistance band machine and that's it. new research showed resistance bands and weights yield the same results, so no weights clanking and no need for a spotter
No one who is serious about fitness or “weights think this way. You also don’t need a spotter for most lifts if you have safeties and know how to bail properly. Also you should look more into the research, I can assure you 100% that the research does not support the claim that bands are superior or even comparable to a well programmed bodybuilding, powerlifting or fully athletic program involving weights for general health, muscle mass gain or strength.
@@rhomboidq7001 "No one who is serious about fitness or “weights think this way." Yea cause they have some bs to sell to you, it's a billion dollar industry, ofc ppl are gonna outright deny the evidence to save their own bottom line. "You also don’t need a spotter for most lifts if you have safeties and know how to bail properly." Most lifts?? well resistance bands you don't need anyone at all and also it's much safer. You can assure me something is wrong without even looking at the evidence? great argument there /s "I can assure you 100% that the research does not support the claim that bands are superior or even comparable to a well programmed bodybuilding, powerlifting or fully athletic program involving weights for general health, muscle mass gain or strength." that's straight cap. go do the research you clearly haven't bothered to. instead of using all of these buzz words. oh wow a "well programmed bodybuildidng program". I suggest you stop listening to some bs fitness guru trying to sell you a program
This is interesting but not what i experienced in Japan. I trained in Tokyo at gold's gym. I had to cover my tattoos with tape the gym provided...that was the only weird thing. It was amazing training there...i love Japan.
I'm lucky to have a good gym near me (Iron Body Fitness in Idaho) where the owner is competing on a national level. It's a great atmosphere, and means I don't have to set up a home gym which I not only have space for, but would not work out (haha) because it would be too easy for me to go do something in between sets and get distracted.
I always figured that if I ever had to move to a country with bad gyms, I'd just get some rings and do calisthenics at a park then come to terms with losing some lower body strength.
It depends on what kind of gym you go to in Japan. Generally commercial gyms in Japan are very strict on rules and don't have the best variety of equipment. If you can manage to find some bodybuilding or powerlifting focused in Japan, which do exist, you'll have better equipment and they'll generally function like what you're used to in a Western style gym. The caveat is that these gyms are usually more expensive.
As usual Kivi, Spectacular Video!! I'm unsure if you have tried rock climbing before .. but rock climbing gyms are amazing in Japan, maybe try it out .. and perhaps make a transition into rock climbing.
I see you are reading most of the comments, so I hope you reply: Wasnt there any Anytime Fitness branches nearby? I expect that given that it is a foreign company they are still more lax than local brands.
My gym in Canada also has the "no personal training" rule, despite not offering their own personal training AFAIK. No one follows it and it seems to be nit enforced at all, but I don't blame the gym for "banning" it as some of the people I've seen "coaching/training" others seem to be almost clueless and are almost certainly going to get someone seriously hurt.
I lucked out and my gym lets me do pretty much all that stuff without time limits or anything. I only wish Japanese people were more open to working in with others, since there's only one cable machine.
Thats the reason I love me my small local gyms here in germany. Everyone is friends with eachother, no one gives a fuck if you grunt / do heavy weights, and don't even get me started on the 20 minute timers cause wtf. If you're short on time just ask the guy if you can work in. Simple as that.
Increased muscle mass on one side of the body is common among most humans who are not ambidextrous. So if you are right side is more dominant, it may turn out you have more muscle there as well.
I know its not the same but you can go and climb at the gym I work at for a monthly pass of around 14000 yen and its probably one of the best climbing gyms in the world
I walked into a gym in Japan and paid 3$ for a day, I was thinking how nice having a timer for rest times next to the equipment was. No clue it was a time limit 🤣🤣
As a competitive lifter in Japan, I faced limitations at the gym owned by one of our administrators. Deadlifting and other weightlifting exercises that required a spotter were not allowed. After enduring this restriction for 6 months, a 20-minute rule was added, prompting me to create my own home gym. Now, I have a fully equipped gym at home complete with a platform, over 300kg in plates, cables, and nearly every attachment imaginable. I couldn't be more content with my setup. In my opinion, if you are seeking general fitness, Japanese gyms may suffice. However, for those looking to build strength or compete, the gym experience in Japan can be quite challenging.
Thank you for sharing! This is what a lot of people don't understand - while these rules don't affect casual gym goers that much, when it comes sports based lifting, such as competitive powerlifting or weightlifting, training for those will be heavily hindered by rules such as this. I'm thinking of making a follow up video showcasing more dedicated Japanese gyms that are made by passionate Japanese lifters that give Japanese people who love lifting a place to go to.
@@Livakividepending on your location. I might be able to help you. I now run the powerlifting division in my prefecture and am connected to a few powerlifting gyms spread across Japan. Also, for anyone curious, for about the same amount you'd pay for a standard year-long gym membership in Japan, you can build a decent home gym. Two years worth and you'd get more than enough to get you by for a long time unless you are a very serious competitor.
@@Hajiroku That's very interesting to hear, and thank you for offering! I very much agree with the home gym investment being a good idea, especially in the long term and when it comes to saving time.
I wonder if there are any powerlifting type gyms in Japan that you would like to recommend to people?
@@Livakivi I wonder if any mma gyms in Japan would have the equipment your looking for as strength is a big component in a fight I'm sure somewhere they would be equipped with what your looking for.
@@Livakivi Also you won't have any confrontations via proxy at an mma gym or likely at all as long as your respectful cause if there's a real problem in an mma gym you can solve it by just fighting one on one
Been living in japan for the past 5 and 1/2 years, training in gyms here for the past 3, and I gotta say it just never gets better
Better start a gym for foreigners then? idk
So you confirm what he’s saying?
@@Jokervision744or a home gym 💀💀💀
@@fullertakos yeah but also you can’t let them bully you, I’m a lot bigger now than when I started so that really helps now they leave me alone occasionally sending a stern look my way. For reference when I arrived in japan this time I was around 107kg 178cm and when I started I was 72kg 175cm so yeah
@@aecao1792 been here for over 5 years myself and really can't complain (except for the tattoo rule, that one is honeslty stupid). I had a similar experience as described in the video at a tipness (which is not a gym but a fitness club) but things have been good for the last 3 years since switching to anytime. Never had anybody complain to me, only "soft" time limits (keep rack use to 30ish mins at very busy times), can do any movement I like. It helps if you can speak Japanese. Probably also because kansai
Bro is a chad: he arrives in Japan, first thing he does is to search for gyms
This is literally the best thing you can do when moving to a new place.
You get to explore the city while looking for a gym that isn't dogshit, you establish a routine where you have to get out of the house several times a week, you will be constantly exposed to roughly the same group of people who are doing the same thing as you which means you can more easily make new friends, and on top of that you get sick gainz.
The only thing that rivals it would be joining some kind of a martial arts club.
Isn’t a “Chad” any guy who isnt a loser and has a girlfriend to incels?
and then posts a video to bitch about Japanese gyms
Even better, he makes his own home gym almost straight afterwards as well
I mean if you have a hobby youre gonna want to continue it despite moving
Sad to see the home of anime have a culture completely counter to becoming an anime character.
Impossible to live there
Well, Japanese culture itself is anti-anime. Japanese only get all those impossible self-expression through manga/anime. If manga/anime is not making money, they would have eliminated it.
Their society is quite literally dying (population shrinking) for a reason.
LOL
@@cniht I mean so is every western country, it's just hidden underneath immigration
NEED MORE JAPAN CONTENT!!!! I love that you have similar interest(to me), and making videos about them. I'm really excited for more Japan videos. Keep up the great work
Sorry to hear you had bad luck with the gyms in Japan! I went to a gym in Japan for about 6 months and nobody seemed to care about the rules, not even the staff (they used to compliment my lifts which was very sweet). There were some huge dudes too who grunted a lot and filmed themselves all the time. I also have helped a few random people with their form. I thought that was normal but after your video seems like that gym was an exception.
I wonder what gym it was
@@Livakivi It was Mira Fitness in Kofu, other branches will be different though I think
Nice name
gym video x japan video crossover no way
Thought I'd never experience it
Now he just needs to find an abandoned house to renovate and then build a Linux based setup in his bedroom to play runescape (with a nice custom keyboard)
Man has finally done it
Had no idea you were a Natural Hypertrophy enjoyer. One of the best fitness channels for sure.
BOM and Basement Bodybuilding too! Great channels.
its like 4:30am. i can definitely tell ur in japan. excited to see ur videos while over there
I heard all about how difficult gyms can be in Japan and was anticipating trouble before my move, but suprisingly I've found myself to have a pretty good experience at AnytimeFitness. Had some encouraging experiences, people smiling and are all friendly so that worry was essentially settled.. I've seen some wild takes online that you should "take your headphones off during a set because it's respectful", then I see a local bopping it with the fattest Bose headphones you've ever seen. look forward to see how your new home gym project turns out!
a part of the video may or may not have been about anytime fitness haha
love your vids bro. It aint much but i wanna support you however i can
Thank you very much bro!
Using gyms in Japan has been an experience lol. Luckily I go to a relatively chill one. I still pay roughly 6k yen a month though. If you're going to build a home gym, I'd highly recommend going through your apartment contract and checking what it says about weight limits and noise etc. If I ever get a house here, I'm for sure gonna build a home gym, but that's just not feasible for me atm.
i would also be interested in seeing more videos about your drawing and art stuff (if you have had time to do that)
I'd really like to make some related to that, if I can find the time for it
would be very cool if u do@@Livakivi
I would also like that
bro finishes his house and immediately dips💀
I lived in Japan for 6 years the gym rules were:
>no sounds while lifting
>20 minutes max for equipment (reduced from 30 minutes because of covid)
>Not allowed to squat etc without shoes on
>gym shoes must not have been used outside
>injuring yourself is preferable to dropping weights if you fail a set because you won't scare anyone (yes I was legit told this)
>NO LATERAL RAISES because someone might walk into you
>no tattoos
>1 hour 30 mins max (you had to go back to the reception and check-in again to stay longer. And yes, this was on an unlimited use contract)
>filming and photography were actually allowed
I met some great friends there though, so worth it.
I miss many things about Japan but the gyms suck ass.
So excited to see the vids in Japan! I've rewatched your japanese learning series countless of times and this is like the culmination of all that !!
DUDE UR SUCH AN INSPIRATION. I had no clue you were going to Japan. I love your content and you inspire me in so many ways! Keep it up!!! 🎉🎉🎉
This is awesome. I'm learning Japanese to reconnect with my family over there and it's really interesting to see how you're finding living there, as I might do the same later on in my life. I'll keep my preconceptions and opinions on Japan to myself for now, looking forward to seeing how it goes
No way! I had sworn I saw someone exactly like you recently in the Misatodai area where I live. Now I watch this video, and I feel like the gods are messing with me. I also eventually worked my way to realizing that a home gym was the best option, though it took a couple years of failed attempts. Good luck, and I know you're gonna love it here!
I missed your content for about two weeks D: and I was worried thinking you'd leave youtube but after I've watched this video it seems the channel is gonna pass through neat changes and also neat kind of new or improved content so I'm happy for you
I was legit searching for this video like right before it was posted as I am studying to live there. Thank you for this.❤
I always use the Anytime gyms when in Tokyo and staff are incredibly friendly, courteous and helpful. Yes there are limits on how long you can use squat rack etc but this is only during busy times so that others have the opportunity to train. Never had any other issues really.
Thanks for another great video, Livakivi. As somebody who recently joined an independent gym in the UK, this video was mind-blowing! Crazy differences.
I dont't where when the montage got that good, but I'm not gonna complain. It's AWESOME !
From first video about duolingo to gym in Japan. Congratulations, you have learned Japanese and I still haven't learned German, but I will keep going. 3 years with your channel, good luck in Japan, have fun
Honestly makes me glad I have the commercial gym I do. Franchisee/Owner who was a former competitor and multiple staff with their on stage wins proudly displayed up front, Record wall for men and women on different lifts, Student Discount, Friendly staff, Regulars who are decent. Pretty much all the necessary machines and thank god, Power racks and Free-weights. Grunting and clanging allowed. Open 24/7.
This is so inspiring to see you finally visited Japan and can stay here for a while. Keep us updated about your journey, can we expect more vlogs from Japan? And are you visiting Japan as a tourist or student/worker? (sorry haven't finished watching yet) GOOD LUCK
I've found some answers to my questions at the end of the video, thx, u doing great content!!!
I have the same experience in my Japanese university’s gym. Can’t use phones or earbuds in the lifting section, only on treadmills and bikes. We have to wear red laces to show we are wearing indoor shoes, even though you could just put red laces on your outdoor shoes. I had to take a “training session” before I used any of the machines, and then had to wait a month before I could take another training session to be able to use the squat racks and dumbbells. But the training sessions were so infrequent (once a month), that I didn’t end up doing it until 4 months later because the sessions were always at a time when I had class.
The gym is pretty nice and well equipped though. And I’ve heard many people grunt and yell during sets, and there is no timer for using equipment. But the training sessions were pretty annoying. The worst part now is that I can’t listen to my own music while lifting, so I have to listen to the terrible, corny, royalty free rap that they put on
lmao bro thats fkn depressing
this is exactly the video i needed. great info, thank you
My two cents as someone living in a hub in Japan.
Most (if not all?) chains are franchises so the experience varies VASTLY between location.
Hubs like where I live are super crowded, so the timers and superset rules are a necessary evil to get access to the machines you want. If it's not crowded, everyone ignores the timers 90% of the time.
The no teaching rule is pretty common, but in all locations I was at it was there to recent private personal trainers from using the gym, not to stop people teaching their friends. I wonder if the gym in the video is just an outlier or if it's a communication problem.
Either way, I'm pretty happy with my gold gym membership now, expensive but no timers, plenty of space and a sauna. Couldn't imaging making a personal gym with both space and noise problems
Sorry to hear about your negative experiences with gyms in Japan. I also live in Japan and i go to Anytime fitness but I haven't had trouble so far( I am still a beginner tho so maybe that is why) Most gyms are really small and can get pretty busy. That's why I started going super early in the morning when there are only 2 or 3 at most other people training so i don't have to do the 20 mins timer thing.
But a home gym is probably the best thing ever. In the future I definately want one!
You're my favorite RUclipsr! The Japanese gym scene sounds inadequate, but I'm sure there's some better options. Best option is home gym if you can have one anywhere.
Can't wait to see the next part of your journey
Can't wait for more Japan content, Keep up the good work
I like how you casually mentioned that you moved to Japan and will stay there for about a year (': can't wait for more Japanese content as well as new Japanese manga purchases - I'm sure you'll treat us with it
It's so cathartic to see how far this man has come and having re-watched your first ever video a few days ago makes it even crazier. KEEP GOING!!
When I moved to Japan about 6 years ago, I was surprised to see how prohibitively expensive the gyms were. So I ended up going to a local park with some simple calisthenics bars.
It ironically turned out to be one of the best things to have happened for my strength and fitness, as I made some amazing gains during my 1 year stay there. But you will be missing out on a lot of lower body exercises 😅
You have slowly become my favorite youtuber!
btw, It would be cool if you made a video with Mudan!
Super cool writeup dude! very insightful to what Japanese gyms are like! cheers :)
I guess I had it easy. Studying in Hokkaido University, the gym on campus wasn't that well equipped, the machines often stayed unusable for weeks, and the dumbbell selection was abysmal, but at the end of the day it was free, you could do everything you needed to do for recreational lifting, and it was an enjoyable and large hall environment with nice people and a relaxed, private atmosphere. Indoor shoe requirement was a bit annoying but used gym shoes weren't very expensive to find.
Going to those gyms there seems super frustrating, 迷惑をかけない at all costs I guess.
Super looking forward to hearing more about your story living in Japan! Subbed to patreon. I think a more 'vlog' style where editing is more loose could totally work for videos like these where you share your thoughts about a topic.
Just wondering - as I'm planning on doing something similar when I start approaching fluency - and I know this question prob comes up ad nauseam - what visa type are you on? Are you currently working in Japan aside from RUclips? - just ignore these if they're too personal or anything, just curious and hungry for any info about this lol.
Thanks for the support and for reading and giving feedback about the post! I'm using the working holiday visa, I'm not working in Japan though, the visa just allows you to do work during your stay in Japan as well!
@@Livakivi Awesome, enjoy!!
8:10 Lol I love the women casually walking in the background. No reaction. It's just that crazy strong guy again.
Kinda jealous ngl :P
Moved and don't have the space for a home gym anymore. Hopefully that changes in the coming year.
Glad to see you being so passionate about training 😁
No way I'm rewatching some of your videos and you randomly just post a new one
Coool! Looking forwards to new content
I`m a home gym trainer myself, you`ll be fine training that way! I even found that my training was way better at home due to me HAVING to use all the main/proper compound movements (Deadlift, Squat, Chin Ups, Dips etc) instead of my previous experience at a gym where i tended to rely on the ease of machines. I have added more muscle and strength this way and thats 10 years older than i was before!
Nice vid mate
I'm so glad that all the gyms in Finland I've been to have none of these issues. Also nice to see an estonian bro
His strategy to grow as a RUclipsr is becoming great at every single hobby in the world plus moving to Japan. The perfect formula lol
Great video!
Commercial gyms are already a pain in the ass but apparently Japan takes them to the next level.
Makes me appreciate my small home town gym even more.
Another awesome video Liva, I hope you are going to do one dedicated to food.
banger video mr. kivi
When I lived in Japan, I was a member over time of three different gyms. The first two were like the one in this video. I was living in Osaka and maybe the culture is different there because lots of the gym members lifted super heavy, dropped weights, and grunted. All the other rules, like no filming, no taking off your shirt, I see those same rules in the USA and I like those rules. I never saw a rule about only having 20 minutes on equipment or there being timers, but I wish there was that rule. In Japan, some people will literally spend a whole hour on one piece of equipment. They don't even seem to be doing anything, just chilling out. In the end, I joined a Gold's Gym in Osaka and it was just like a Gold's Gym in the USA equipment wise and open 24/7. If you want to train hardcore in Japan, you must join a hardcore gym. Gold's Gym was not cheep either. You have to be willing to pay for quality. I've seen in other videos that Japan has hardcore Olympic weightlifting gyms and powerlifting gyms but those might charge a lot more and you might need to know someone to join as it might be more like a club. I also lifted at highschool and university gyms with the judo teams. They lift old school with only barbells and dumbbells and just lift crazy heavy. Think lots of deadlifts and power cleans. If you get a job teaching English over there at a school, use the school's gym. Also, buy a pair of shoes just for the gym. Most gyms will require you to have a clean pair just for the inside of the gym. I will say the gyms are more sanitary as a result. Also, serious lifters do this anyway in that they don't train in street shoes.
yo great video
I live in India and to some degree I also had gym challenges. Coming from Ireland I expected gyms to be good but the problem with gyms in India is that they come in 3 types:
1). Local trendy gym. Looks nice but it’s very small, maybe 1500 sq feet in size and the equipment looks nice but it all comes from China and is crappy with low weights and quite dangerous to use. Also usually overcrowded.
2). Basement type bro gyms (actually on the first floor but basement type). They are basic and dirty with old semi broken equipment. But this old equipment is often pretty good quality although not maintained properly. Lack of weights is still an issue and overcrowding is an issue too as once again they are small gyms.
3). Trendy gyms which have good equipment and are large but they are very expensive and far away from where I live.
After toughing it out for 8 years in 5 different gyms I finally took the plunge in 2019 and I buying a bunch of gym equipment. The cheap stuff I bought by and large from Amazon and the more important equipment by and large from Decathlon. I am now very happy with this home gym, it’s not perfect and it takes a lot of imagination, but my home gym takes up 10 x 5 feet when not in use and 10 x 15 feet when used. It’s in my living room and we put a wooden partition in front of it when not using it.
Today I have no interest in returning back to commercial gym but it would still be ideal to have a much bigger gym, there you go it still gets the done but you have to think carefully before buying each piece of equipment (space is a huge issue in a home gym so you have to take out your measuring tape and do some planning before you buy) and you have to use your imagination to make the most of it. Also things like loading and unloading and reloading Olympic dumbbells (for example, putting on 5kg plates and locking them and then unlocking them , removing them and doing the same process all over with 10kgs plates)is a huge pain when compared with just picking up and dropping off different dumbbells in a commercial gym, but that’s the price you pay for a small home gym.
Cant wait for the new content
Honestly most of these rules rock. 20 min is enough to do anything you need to. Even heavy squats and deadlifts. And the infestation of selfie taking gym influencers makes me think taking photos should be banned everywhere. The Japanese are awesome.
Just admit you don't lift
I'd also rather make my own gym at home, I don't go to the gym here in Australia but if I were in Japan I sure as hell wouldn't want to start. If I wanted to train with someone I'd just invite them over.
i love this channel!!!!!
That's actually mind blowing
Japan is a country made up of the most asinine social and legal practices I've ever seen. What a strange, counter productive place! Collectivism AND xenophobia? Moralism AND worker exploitation? They value social convention and conformity like no other, but will also say and do the meanest shit LOL.
Having ridiculous rules that make everything worse, but ease the minds of the kool-aid drinkers is very on-brand, to say the least
damn i expected you to go on vacation in Japan, not live there for a whole year, that`s awsome!
I can`t wait for this arc lol. Also face reveal at 8:55 ??
There was a reveal a few videos ago lol
1:16
Congrats on the move to Japan! Since you're only there for up to a year, I'm guessing you're on a working holiday visa? I have plans to do the same later this year, so this is actually really enlightening. My only question though, is how you have enough space for a home gym, considering the size of most Japanese apartments.
Home gyms are the way to go, especially here in America
8:16 is that the Gym! in Veeriku, Tartu? 👀 Used to go there when I was living in Tartu, now I'm disappointed that I never ran into Rauno loading up a 10 plate deadlift, lol.
fucking amazing video mate such a highly underrated feature
Bro knows the best fitness channels
I was in Japan for 3 weeks for holidays and decided to visit a climbing gym or two.
All of them require you to pay extra to register as a member, but I was obviously only going to ever come there once. (I stayed in Tokyo for 10 days and Osaka the rest)
Me and my wife played stupid foreigners in Tokyo and managed to get in for the cost of someone that's already a member. And that seemed to go fine. It was a tiny place but really good vibes.
In Osaka I went there with my Japanese friend and there was no option but to pay for the registration there. I find this to be a strange business decision. Even in my home country I always go to different gyms because they offer different things. Why make it difficult to get new customers?
Also, if you build your own home gym, you can get some of the money back by selling the equipment before you leave the country.
I’m a member of anytime fitness in Japan and I find it pretty good. My only gripe is it’s a bit expensive (¥8000/$80) a month. A lot of the rules are not imposed at Mt gym and the 20 minute rule is something I support because I hate it when people sit there and play with their phones instead of working out.
3:24 I knew before that bottom message that this was a NH program I recognise his style of listing out supersets
I visited Tokyo in January on holiday, and one of the first things I did was scope out the gym situation. Finding a gym as a foreigner to use just for a week or so definitely was a taxing situation. Most of them were only open on certain days, and if they were open 24/7, they were unstaffed on those off days, so you couldn't get inside unless you had a membership already. Ended up finding a pretty decent one called "Oasis" that offered discounted day passes through the hotel I was staying at. Each pass was like $15USD tho. The gym was nice, didn't have all the equipment but enough, and the locals (for the most part) left me alone. Tattoos definitely are a no go tho, as the first time I tried to buy a pass, I wasn't covered up and the hotel staff denied me the pass, even though I promised to wear a hoodie the whole time.
Edit: also, just about everyone had the most dogshit form I've ever seen when doing compounds.
Getting a home gym was the best decision I ever made. But many in Japan don't have that luxury because many apartments are way too small.
Vana hea tartu veeriku gym. Got recommended your video and liked it already👍
yes a new video 😃
wooow u finally in japan. eHHH u also watch natural hypertrophy? same
The no photos and recording thing is good
High rep calisthenics is what I'd recommend. Pushups, squats, hand stand pushups and pullups. You'll be set for life.
my home gym has a resistance band machine and that's it. new research showed resistance bands and weights yield the same results, so no weights clanking and no need for a spotter
No one who is serious about fitness or “weights think this way. You also don’t need a spotter for most lifts if you have safeties and know how to bail properly. Also you should look more into the research, I can assure you 100% that the research does not support the claim that bands are superior or even comparable to a well programmed bodybuilding, powerlifting or fully athletic program involving weights for general health, muscle mass gain or strength.
@@rhomboidq7001 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6383082/
@@rhomboidq7001 "No one who is serious about fitness or “weights think this way." Yea cause they have some bs to sell to you, it's a billion dollar industry, ofc ppl are gonna outright deny the evidence to save their own bottom line.
"You also don’t need a spotter for most lifts if you have safeties and know how to bail properly." Most lifts?? well resistance bands you don't need anyone at all and also it's much safer.
You can assure me something is wrong without even looking at the evidence? great argument there /s
"I can assure you 100% that the research does not support the claim that bands are superior or even comparable to a well programmed bodybuilding, powerlifting or fully athletic program involving weights for general health, muscle mass gain or strength." that's straight cap. go do the research you clearly haven't bothered to. instead of using all of these buzz words. oh wow a "well programmed bodybuildidng program". I suggest you stop listening to some bs fitness guru trying to sell you a program
This is interesting but not what i experienced in Japan. I trained in Tokyo at gold's gym. I had to cover my tattoos with tape the gym provided...that was the only weird thing. It was amazing training there...i love Japan.
When I joined a gym in South Korea, I had to bring in a new pair of gym shoes. It was part of the contract.
bro is NH-pilled and Basement Bodybuilding enhanced 💪
I'm lucky to have a good gym near me (Iron Body Fitness in Idaho) where the owner is competing on a national level. It's a great atmosphere, and means I don't have to set up a home gym which I not only have space for, but would not work out (haha) because it would be too easy for me to go do something in between sets and get distracted.
I always figured that if I ever had to move to a country with bad gyms, I'd just get some rings and do calisthenics at a park then come to terms with losing some lower body strength.
It depends on what kind of gym you go to in Japan. Generally commercial gyms in Japan are very strict on rules and don't have the best variety of equipment. If you can manage to find some bodybuilding or powerlifting focused in Japan, which do exist, you'll have better equipment and they'll generally function like what you're used to in a Western style gym. The caveat is that these gyms are usually more expensive.
This genuinely concerns me since Im moving to japan next year and dont want to lose my gains. Im hoping the gym situation in Tokyo is a bit better...
As usual Kivi, Spectacular Video!!
I'm unsure if you have tried rock climbing before .. but rock climbing gyms are amazing in Japan, maybe try it out .. and perhaps make a transition into rock climbing.
I see you are reading most of the comments, so I hope you reply:
Wasnt there any Anytime Fitness branches nearby? I expect that given that it is a foreign company they are still more lax than local brands.
Excellent, I do almost exclusively calisthenics because I don't want to depend on gyms, in Hong Kong where I live they can be pretty scummy.
Make a video teaching how you manage to went to japan spend a year.
Are you making a video about the moving process? I've heard a lot about foreigners finding housing / apartments in Japan being pretty difficult
My gym in Canada also has the "no personal training" rule, despite not offering their own personal training AFAIK. No one follows it and it seems to be nit enforced at all, but I don't blame the gym for "banning" it as some of the people I've seen "coaching/training" others seem to be almost clueless and are almost certainly going to get someone seriously hurt.
I lucked out and my gym lets me do pretty much all that stuff without time limits or anything. I only wish Japanese people were more open to working in with others, since there's only one cable machine.
Loving your vids! Hoping to see more info on Japan!. On what visa are you allowed to stay a year? :)
Working holiday visa!
ESTONIAN! That's why your accent sounded familiar. Siim Land's is similar. That's the bell it was ringing... *feels better now*
Thats the reason I love me my small local gyms here in germany. Everyone is friends with eachother, no one gives a fuck if you grunt / do heavy weights, and don't even get me started on the 20 minute timers cause wtf. If you're short on time just ask the guy if you can work in. Simple as that.
Increased muscle mass on one side of the body is common among most humans who are not ambidextrous. So if you are right side is more dominant, it may turn out you have more muscle there as well.
I know its not the same but you can go and climb at the gym I work at for a monthly pass of around 14000 yen and its probably one of the best climbing gyms in the world
I walked into a gym in Japan and paid 3$ for a day, I was thinking how nice having a timer for rest times next to the equipment was. No clue it was a time limit 🤣🤣