You can grow muscles even while sitting! [Kikuchi gymnastics]!

Profile of Kazuko Kikuchi

Born in 1934 (Showa 9). Currently 88 years old. She graduated from Japan Women’s College of Physical Education. After working as a physical education teacher, she founded “Kikuchi Exercise” and has been teaching for over 50 years through daily classes, radio, television, and lectures. She has directly managed schools in Kanagawa and Tokyo. “Young and beautiful with ‘awareness’ and ‘movement’! He is the author of many books, including Kikuchi Exercise and “By changing the way you stand, you will never get old” with a DVD” (both published by Halmek).

What is Kikuchi Exercise?

Kikuchi gymnastics is not moving with a goal of form and number of times, but it is moved by sensing one’s own body with the brain. “Your body is your life itself. Let’s move together from today.” (Kazuko Kikuchi)

What kind of “posture” do you have when you watch TV?

Some time ago, I was addicted to watching the Korean drama “Crash Landing on You” at my daughter’s house. If you are engrossed in watching, your posture will be neglected. But one day, I thought, “This is no good,” so I sat down in a chair, stretched my spine, and used my whole body to sit “properly”. Then my grandson said, “Grandma is amazing. Even when she was watching a drama, she was sitting straight and shedding tears” (laughs).

Even if you are engrossed in watching TV, if your brain notices that your posture is out of alignment even for a moment and remembers, “Ah, I’m not kneeling. Let’s sit with knees together.” Only then can you protect your body. This “noticing” is very important. That’s what the brain does.

Use your brain to sit “with your whole body”

The point to be conscious of in the brain is…

• Lower the scapula by 1mm
• pull the chin
• stomach
• kneel
• stomp with toes and soles

Sit on a chair with the soles of your feet on the floor. Just by not leaning on the backrest, you can naturally turn your attention to the soles and thighs of your feet, and you will be able to use them properly.

First, bring your knees together. This will give you strength in your thighs. By putting the entire sole of your foot on the floor and stepping on it with all your toes, you can apply more force to your thighs.

When the soles of the feet, knees, and thighs are tense, the hip joints are naturally tense, the pelvis rises, and the spine lengthens.

I use my abs and back muscles. Don’t forget to drop your shoulder blades! If you bring your buttocks closer together, your stomach will tighten and you will be able to sit more firmly.

The muscles of the lower body start from the “toes”

The point to be conscious of in the brain is…

• raise the pelvis
• Bend your upper body forward so that your weight rests on your toes
• Stomp from the base of your finger. Focus on each finger

Use all fingers from big toe to little finger. By doing so, the muscles of the whole lower body will grow starting from each muscle.

Bend your toes from the base of your toes so that they are all on the floor. Bring the top of your foot forward so that your weight rests on your toes. Grab a chair and try to lift your buttocks just a little bit, using each toe to feel that you are standing.

It is especially difficult to apply force to the little toe, so check with your eyes and touch it with your hand to make sure that the little toe can be stretched.

Next, bend your toes in the opposite direction until you feel comfortable. If the floor hurts, you can do it on a towel or cushion.

After this movement, sit down again. Do your fingers feel more defined, and do you feel the soles of your feet firmly on the floor?

<One point advice>

• When you bend your toes with a par, especially your pinky finger!
• When you bend your toes with goo, it hurts at first, so start as much as you can.

There are tricks to maintaining good posture and building muscle. Next time, I will introduce the trick and two movements that you can do while sitting .

*If you are in pain due to an injury or illness, do not force yourself to move and follow the doctor’s instructions.
*All the movements introduced in this article should be performed in a stable chair so that you don’t fall over.

Photo = Noriyuki Nabeshima, Hiroto Nakanishi Illustration = Kyoko Ura Model = Nobuko Ota Hair and make-up = Kesaki
Kojima

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Held on November 30, 2022! [Venue held] Kikuchi gymnastics lecture

Why don’t you actually experience the movement of Halmek’s popular series “Kikuchi Exercise” and the story of Kazuko Kikuchi? In this lecture, Kazuko Kikuchi will move her body and talk passionately about living. We will also experience movements that can be done while sitting on a chair. Please feel the youthfulness and energy that makes it hard to believe that she is 88 years old.