Hello! It’s your Niku onee-chan! We otaku don’t usually prioritize fitness or good nutrition, which is probably one of the reasons Doga Kobo decided to animate the ecchi-cational fitness manga Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?. And we love them for it! You’ve probably already read this writer’s gushing over the best Summer 2019 sports anime, but now we’ve gone even further and created a workout routine for you all to follow and get in shape by the holidays!
Watching the anime and learning and practicing the moves for a bit at the end of each episode is cool and all but, really, how many of you have continued to practice what Machio and the girls taught us? I didn’t think so. Well, lucky for you, this article is written by a certified fitness trainer who has put together ALL the moves from How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? into complete workout programs you can truly get some results from! But, first things first…
Nutrition
If you remember from the anime, the one that struggles the most to keep her weight down and keeps getting pudgy no matter how much she exercises is Hibiki. She is constantly eating, which wouldn’t be so bad if she made better choices. So, if you want to see even more dramatic results, apply some of these nutrition tips besides picking up the exercise routine!
- Eat more grilled, baked, and steamed foods while limiting/avoiding fried, breaded foods.
- Limit sweets, sugary drinks, and packaged junk food (chips and the like) to one per day or less.
- Only eat when hungry and stop when starting to feel full.
- Give yourself a cheat day per week at the beginning when you can treat yourself to some of those junky and fried foods, as well as sweets. (But try not to overdo it). As you get more used to eating cleaner, your cheat day can happen every few weeks instead of weekly or go away altogether!
- Drink a lot of water! Try substituting as many sodas and sweet drinks with unsweetened teas and good old plain water. You can add lemon, lime, and other fruits to it too!
- Protein is your friend! Eat meats, fish, tofu, and other high-protein foods, and have a protein shake after your workouts! There are all kinds; from whey protein to collagen protein, and even vegetable and vegan protein!
- Aid your muscle growth and recovery with some BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) in your water while you exercise or mixed in with your protein shake after. They have the added benefit of helping us burn fat naturally!
Workout Programs
Ok, now to the good stuff. Now that we got the nutrition info out of the way, here are a couple of workout programs you can take advantage of! We have included episode numbers in case you need to consult Machio and the girls’ lessons. Let’s begin!
*First-timers & Beginners*: If very new to exercise or if you don't exercise often, start slow and only aim for 1-2 workouts per week, and incorporate some of the active recovery suggestions on other days.
Also, do exercises with little or no weight at first and aim for 1-2 sets of 10 - 20 repetitions. As you get stronger, you can add more weight and do shorter sets of 8-15 each and do 2-3 sets!
Warm-up/Stretching: Before every workout, make sure to warm up your whole body by doing some of the dynamic stretches the girls show in episode 2. You can stretch deeper at the end of your workout and even jump in the sauna or a hot bath if you have access to them. (Ep. 2)
Cardio / Recovery: On the days you don’t do the workouts, do some light cardio or other active recovery activities. Jogging, walking, dancing, leisurely cycling, swimming, yoga, stretching… (Ep. 2)
Workout Program:Do any of the following workouts 3 times per week, doing 2-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions for everything (unless otherwise noted)and so that the last repetition in each set feels like you can't keep going. Preferably, take a day or two of active rest in between As you get stronger, add more resistance and weight to your exercises to keep challenging yourself and get stronger and more toned. And don’t worry if you don’t have equipment or access to a gym, there’s a no-equipment workout too! 😉
You can alternate and do a different workout each day or do the same workout 3 times per week. Once you’ve been doing the same for a month or two and gotten stronger (or bored with it), you can switch it up to the next workout!
| Gym Workout 1 | Gym Workout 2 | No-Equipment Workout |
|---|---|---|
| Warmup (ep 2) | Warmup (ep 2) | Warmup (ep 2) |
| Burpees (ep 4) | Sprints/ High knees*—30 - 60 seconds (ep 4) | Burpees (ep 4) |
| Squats (ep 1) | Step-ups (ep 8) | Squats (ep 1) |
| Leg curls (ep 5) | Squats (ep 1) | Push-ups (ep 12) |
| Deadlifts (7) | Forward lunges (ep 8) | Dips or Reverse pushups (ep 4) |
| Burpees (ep 4) | Glute bridge (ep 11) | Bicycle crunches (ep 5) |
| Bench press (ep 1) or Chest machine (4) | Sprints—30 - 60 seconds (ep 4) | Chest isometrics (ep 11) |
| Bicep curls (ep 3) | Push-ups (ep 12) | Back isometricks (ep 11) |
| Jumping pushups (ep 6) | Lying triceps extension/skullcrushers (ep 10) | Sprints/ High knees*—30 - 60 seconds (ep 4) |
| Dips or Reverse pushups (ep 4) | Front press (ep 3) | Back extensions (ep 9) |
| Burpees (ep 4) | Shrugs (ep 12) | Glute bridge (ep 11) |
| Pullups / Incline Pullups (ep 6) | Sprints—30 - 60 seconds (ep 4) | Pike press (ep 11) |
| Plank—30-60 seconds (ep 2) | Incline bench press (ep 10) | Push -down arm curl (ep 11) |
| Bicycle crunches (ep 5) | Dragon flag / Leg lifts** (ep 2) | Side bend (ep 8) |
| Back extensions (ep 9) | Side bends (ep 8) | Plank—30-60 seconds (ep 2) |
Final Thoughts
There you go! Take these moves for a spin and let us know how they’re working out for you in the comments! And remember to drink water, eat well, and do some active recovery to reduce soreness. The era of fit otaku has begun!!! Give it a try! Try… try… triceps! *flex*
Author: Lizzy Nyanko
Recommended Post
3 Anime that Will Encourage You to Work Out!
Recommended Post