(NOAH) Scorching hot training! Manabu Soya trains for 30 minutes in a sauna over 70 degrees. "I was so into it, that I entered into new ground"

1st August 2024
BBM Japan

On August 1st, Manabu Soya held a public practice in Tokyo for the single league, "N-1 VICTORY 2024", which will begin at the Yokohama Budokan on August 4th. 

The N-1 is a competition where the strongest participants compete, but Soya says that his biggest enemy is the heat. In order to survive the midsummer league matches, he has been doing endurance training in saunas, which he has not been good at until now, for the past two weeks. This time, to show off the results of his training, he opened up a special sauna training session to the press at Yunomori Shindaiyu in Chofu, Tokyo.

Soya, clad in short yellow tights, had been working hard on his body during his absence, and his toned body showed off his abs. "I'm going to train here for 30 minutes!" he declared as he bravely entered the sauna, torturing his body with basic physical training such as squats and push ups. Due to the room temperature being over 70 degrees, Soya's body was dripping with sweat within the first few minutes. Afterwards, he took several cold baths in between, but as he had declared, he completed the scorching hot 30-minute training session, proving that he was fully prepared both physically and mentally to deal with the heat. Below is the Q&A.

SOYA: I think it's been about the last two weeks. Of course, I have opponents, but as the league is taking place at this time of year, I have to fight the heat. So, I thought that if I didn't overcome the heat first, it would greatly affect the outcome of this fight. To be honest, I hate saunas, so I thought that if I could overcome the heat then it could contribute a lot to winning, so I decided to work on it with that thought in mind. 
Q: Are you feeling the effects? 
SOYA: I've gotten better at dealing with the heat, but it's still a sauna, however, I'm not fighting in temperatures of over 70 degrees. I try to get as close to my limit as possible, but if I were to get heatstroke, I won't be able to participate. Yeah, it's not just a bit of a gamble, but I've been doing it without forcing myself, and as a result, I think I've grown to like saunas a little bit. 
Q: In the ring, the temperature never gets above 70 degrees, so does that work to your advantage? 
SOYA: On the contrary, I want to use the heat to my advantage and make it even hotter with my own enthusiasm.
Q: Have you always disliked the heat?
SOYA: I said earlier that I hate saunas, but I really don't like hot weather. I like these public baths, so I come here, but even if someone asks me to go to the sauna with them, it's usually five minutes in the sauna, and fifteen minutes in the cold bath. Since the cold bath is longer (laughs), I'm in it for at least ten minutes, so I think I've had some results. 
Q: Did challenging yourself in a way that you were bad at, train you mentally? 
SOYA: Yes, it trains you mentally, but it also makes you like things you hate. I used to hate saunas, but now I love them.
Q: How has your condition changed before and after your absence? 
SOYA: I've been slimming myself down like this, restricting my diet, and reviewing my diet. I've been reviewing my training, and I think overcoming my weaknesses is mentally is the best I've ever been able to do. 
Q: The first match is a critical match against Kenoh
SOYA: I'm going to go all out from the beginning, just like the heat. The temperature in my heart is always the same. 70 degrees from start to finish. I'll fight with that heat and go all out. 
Q: What are your thoughts on the league? 
SOYA: The biggest thing is that I felt regretful that I couldn't make it to the finals last year, and this year I feel even more determined to do whatever it takes. That's how I feel.
Q: When you enter the sauna, do you feel like you entered a new realm? 
SOYA: I was so into it that all my blood vessels, capillaries, and sensibility were completely opened. Everything was open. 

After his sauna training, Soya appears to be in top form. The much-anticipated N-1 tournament will kick off on August 4th at the Yokohama Budokan, so be sure to check it out! During the N-1, admission will be free for elementary and junior high school students!  

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