Nippon-Ham Nao Miyanishi pitcher Naoki Miyanishi (40) wrote on the 22nd in his column "Yuou Maishin" (Charging Forward), explaining the true meaning of his theme for this season, "Eating Until You're 80% Full," which he adopted during spring training. What new horizons has he discovered amidst his aging and moments when his motivation is about to waver? He candidly spoke about his thoughts on his 19th professional season, which he will be tackling with a new training method. Spring training is over, and there is less than a week until the start of the season. It is frustrating to be still adjusting with the minor league team at such a crucial time. However, I have only pitched in five actual games so far. I believe that the results and challenges of the training I have been working on since the offseason will start to show from now on. I want to transform the frustration of not being on the first team into something positive and be fully prepared so that I will be ready whenever I am called up.

As I wrote in last month's column, I've made significant changes to my training methods this year. To adapt to the changes in my body that come with age, I've reduced the amount of running I do compared to previous years, in order to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Instead, I've incorporated 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise on an exercise bike and 20 minutes of full-body workout using HIIT training, which focuses on flexibility and cardiovascular function. As a result, my body fat percentage continues to decrease, and my muscle mass has increased by about 4.5 kg compared to last year, so my physical measurements are steadily improving. I measure my body every day using a special machine, and this year my focus has shifted from my elbows to my entire body. Since my physical measurements are moving in the right direction, I want to think about how to translate that into improved performance in competitions.

During training camp, I told the media that this year's theme was "eighty percent fullness." Actually, that phrase has a deeper meaning. As I've gotten older, the number of things I have to do has been increasing in recent years, such as training menus and types of care, and honestly, I was on the verge of losing motivation and thinking, "Maybe I can't do this anymore." So this year, after consulting with my trainer and carefully examining what needs to be done, I'm focusing on the training that is truly necessary. I've always approached training with the mindset of "doing even just one percent more than others." That mindset hasn't changed at all, and "eighty percent fullness" doesn't mean I've reduced my training volume to 80%. My trainer has also advised me that I'm getting enough training volume. I'm consciously using "eighty percent fullness" to give myself some breathing room, to avoid feeling overwhelmed by thinking "this and that," and to tell myself, "this is enough."

As I take on this new challenge, I'm confident in what I've been working on during the offseason, and I want to see it through for the entire year. However, with the season opener fast approaching, I can't afford to be complacent. I want to return to the first team as soon as possible in top form and able to perform at my best. (Naoki Miyanishi)