This whole day began when I linked to the Muscle Park website after Elsie noted there was some event in October. They were soliciting for people to compete with Nagano and Takeda in a “surprise” event. Naively, I thought it would be something fun like the shooting, frisbee or bowling game. Sounds fun. I filled out the application form and a week before the date, I received a message that I had been chosen as a participant. I had no idea how many applicants there were. I wasn’t concerned either because I was planning to attend regardless.
With these events, including Sasuke Matsuri and actually Sasuke itself, they are looking for a variety of people. When you look at the final ten participants chosen, they were clearly wanting to pair people off. The two teenagers started first. Then they chose two older men in the 50s. I was the obviously the only woman who applied because they didn’t have a natural partner for me. (I paired with an old guy.) Ryo Matachi and Tomohiro Kawaguchi were chosen because of their appearance on Sasuke. Moody Yahagi because he had the best score (I think) out of the Park Stars. But the two other guys chosen because they were newbies. Keita Tomino and other Park Stars turned out for the fun of it, but they obviously didn’t make the cut.
When we got to Decks, they had already began preparing for the event. That was the first time I realized I would have to do Quick Muscle. Groan. I do half push-ups, girly-style. And I was wearing my clunker boots I couldn’t even arm curl with my left arm… (In retrospect, I should have taken them off but you see, I had striped socks on and didn’t want strangers to wonder why I was doing push-ups in my socks…)
There was around an hour break between the Sasuke Park event and Quick Muscle. Too nervous for lunch, I spent the time meeting up with my family. Before long, we received our guest badges. I started chatting with the staff. They were looking for more elementary school participants. Reina volunteered. Rio and Reiya Takeda declined, kind of a boys’ union thing. Reina wanted them to, and almost backed out but in the end, she braved it on her own and made me proud. Go girl.
I didn’t get really nervous until I saw the other participants. Groan. I also didn’t realize I would be participating against the Park Stars. I mean, I am me! I’m not the biggest Sasuke fan. I’m not the biggest All-Star fan. I should have done homework and checked out old ramblinricans. I should have airmailed Elsie to come. But there I was. Man, I got to pee.
At the park, (see part one) Nagano and Takeda wore Muscle Park towels around their necks. They were asked to because the staff needed some to distinguish the real All Stars from ALL the impostors there that day. Every other person looked like Nagano from the back. Short, black t-shirt, and bleached hair. Ryo Matachi is totally his younger brother. Even the older guy I competed against was Nagano in 15 years. And there's me! I hula dance a little, I do home exercise videos, and I’d never be caught wearing a Sasuke t-shirt… I'm not one of them. Besides, I have to pee very badly.
Having to pee while waiting my turn is another saga to be told at a later time. When I’m nervous, I chatter. I chat with the teenagers, know where they live and what kind of junk food they eat. I know the older guys weren’t expecting this either when they signed them. I recognize Matachi and Kawaguchi. Matachi is shy, doesn’t really know how to deal with a hyper-chatting lady who needs to pee. Kawaguchi is so cool. He is such a doll. “Hey I know you, you were on Sasuke. Promise me you’ll do better next time. Pinky promise?” He is accommodating. “So which of you will win this? Nagano and Takeda are old guys…” Kawaguchi pointed to Moody who is sitting right behind me. “Nah, it won’t be us, Yahagi pwned this thing.” I give Moody the thumbs up. He nods unsmiling at me. Hey, we all have our ways of dealing with being nervous, I chat, Yamada sprays, Yahagi moods.
The rules are then explained to us. It’s a 2-mins. contest. The top three scores will be declared winners and anyone who betters the combined average of Takeda/Nagano will be awarded special prizes. There is a twist to the game. After completion, you can opt to draw a card which would then either add or subtract from your total. That is why Moody who did the most push-ups came in third place because he refused to draw a card. Kawaguchi and the guy who won the stuffed Monster Box doll got bonus points. I know he didn’t look happy with it but I did whisper, “It’s the most expensive prize. I checked out the prices at the gift store.” He looked slightly happier.
Okay so what does Quick Muscle exactly feel? Unlike Sasuke Park where you are required to move in ways you’ve never imagined, this is just push-ups with your chin in a forward position. It’s about the only thing you can really practice for. But of course I can’t do push-ups. The rules here is that if at any point, your body touched the platform, your score is zero. I thought it would mean they stop counting your score at that point, but nope, I got a fat goose egg. Not that I would argue because according to my husband, I never even did one proper push-up with my arms. I merely moved my chin back and forth to touch the button. (Chin fronts BTW is WAY more fun!) Still I remembered where the girl put the 50 plus point card, and drew that so my final tally was 50. Finally, it was over. I was happy to go back to the bench and the serious business of hanging out with my Park Stars boys and flirt with Kawaguchi.
For me, doing Quick Muscle wasn’t really fun, embarrassing in fact. But I had such a blast being a Park Star. There is such a comradery from doing something hard together, like being war buddies. The guys are all pretty friendly with each other. I see the same thing at Midoriyama. Back at the park, more people (guys) shake my hand, have their pictures taken with me. I have NEVER been a celebrity, and as my husband pointed out, I wasn’t even ANY GOOD at any of it. I think people just liked my tenacity. I wasn’t confident in my physical ability like Lucy. I wasn’t squealing around calling for attention like Olivia. I wasn’t out to promote my lousy career like those swimsuit models they always FF. I was just an ordinary woman challenging herself, and making the most of something that she knew she sucked at. It takes balls to by able to hang by them.
There was around an hour break between the Sasuke Park event and Quick Muscle. Too nervous for lunch, I spent the time meeting up with my family. Before long, we received our guest badges. I started chatting with the staff. They were looking for more elementary school participants. Reina volunteered. Rio and Reiya Takeda declined, kind of a boys’ union thing. Reina wanted them to, and almost backed out but in the end, she braved it on her own and made me proud. Go girl.
I didn’t get really nervous until I saw the other participants. Groan. I also didn’t realize I would be participating against the Park Stars. I mean, I am me! I’m not the biggest Sasuke fan. I’m not the biggest All-Star fan. I should have done homework and checked out old ramblinricans. I should have airmailed Elsie to come. But there I was. Man, I got to pee.
At the park, (see part one) Nagano and Takeda wore Muscle Park towels around their necks. They were asked to because the staff needed some to distinguish the real All Stars from ALL the impostors there that day. Every other person looked like Nagano from the back. Short, black t-shirt, and bleached hair. Ryo Matachi is totally his younger brother. Even the older guy I competed against was Nagano in 15 years. And there's me! I hula dance a little, I do home exercise videos, and I’d never be caught wearing a Sasuke t-shirt… I'm not one of them. Besides, I have to pee very badly. Having to pee while waiting my turn is another saga to be told at a later time. When I’m nervous, I chatter. I chat with the teenagers, know where they live and what kind of junk food they eat. I know the older guys weren’t expecting this either when they signed them. I recognize Matachi and Kawaguchi. Matachi is shy, doesn’t really know how to deal with a hyper-chatting lady who needs to pee. Kawaguchi is so cool. He is such a doll. “Hey I know you, you were on Sasuke. Promise me you’ll do better next time. Pinky promise?” He is accommodating. “So which of you will win this? Nagano and Takeda are old guys…” Kawaguchi pointed to Moody who is sitting right behind me. “Nah, it won’t be us, Yahagi pwned this thing.” I give Moody the thumbs up. He nods unsmiling at me. Hey, we all have our ways of dealing with being nervous, I chat, Yamada sprays, Yahagi moods.
The rules are then explained to us. It’s a 2-mins. contest. The top three scores will be declared winners and anyone who betters the combined average of Takeda/Nagano will be awarded special prizes. There is a twist to the game. After completion, you can opt to draw a card which would then either add or subtract from your total. That is why Moody who did the most push-ups came in third place because he refused to draw a card. Kawaguchi and the guy who won the stuffed Monster Box doll got bonus points. I know he didn’t look happy with it but I did whisper, “It’s the most expensive prize. I checked out the prices at the gift store.” He looked slightly happier.
Okay so what does Quick Muscle exactly feel? Unlike Sasuke Park where you are required to move in ways you’ve never imagined, this is just push-ups with your chin in a forward position. It’s about the only thing you can really practice for. But of course I can’t do push-ups. The rules here is that if at any point, your body touched the platform, your score is zero. I thought it would mean they stop counting your score at that point, but nope, I got a fat goose egg. Not that I would argue because according to my husband, I never even did one proper push-up with my arms. I merely moved my chin back and forth to touch the button. (Chin fronts BTW is WAY more fun!) Still I remembered where the girl put the 50 plus point card, and drew that so my final tally was 50. Finally, it was over. I was happy to go back to the bench and the serious business of hanging out with my Park Stars boys and flirt with Kawaguchi.
For me, doing Quick Muscle wasn’t really fun, embarrassing in fact. But I had such a blast being a Park Star. There is such a comradery from doing something hard together, like being war buddies. The guys are all pretty friendly with each other. I see the same thing at Midoriyama. Back at the park, more people (guys) shake my hand, have their pictures taken with me. I have NEVER been a celebrity, and as my husband pointed out, I wasn’t even ANY GOOD at any of it. I think people just liked my tenacity. I wasn’t confident in my physical ability like Lucy. I wasn’t squealing around calling for attention like Olivia. I wasn’t out to promote my lousy career like those swimsuit models they always FF. I was just an ordinary woman challenging herself, and making the most of something that she knew she sucked at. It takes balls to by able to hang by them.