Tomoko Tamura works as a Pilates instructor at community center events in various cities and regions of Wakayama Prefecture. She is also certified in Yamuna Body Rolling and currently continues her health promotion activities mainly through local circles and events.
We interviewed her about her thoughts on daily activities and exercise, the importance of core training she wants to spread in the community, her concerns and preferences regarding foot health, and why she continues to choose Knitido socks.
Focusing on the Potential of Pilates through Personal Experience
Ms. Tamura originally worked as a sports club instructor, but after getting married, she obtained a health exercise instructor qualification. Later, she encountered Pilates at an event for renewing her qualification and realized the importance of training core muscles.
The trigger was the muscle soreness she felt in areas she had never experienced before, after consciously using her transverse abdominis muscle for the first time in a Pilates lesson. She was shocked by the fact that despite working as a sports club instructor, she hadn't been using her core muscles correctly and sufficiently, so she decided to enroll in a Pilates training course. As she deepened her learning and repeatedly practiced in the training course, she said that her lower back pain and headaches became less bothersome. She also told us that she realized the importance of not only core muscles but also aligning the spine and being aware of the body's axis.
Challenging Yamuna Body Rolling, a Self-Maintenance Method from NY
Yamuna Body Rolling (hereafter, Yamuna) is a self-maintenance method originated in New York. It is an exercise that uses a special ball to release tension throughout the body and balance bones, muscles, and joints. Ms. Tamura obtained her Pilates certification in 2008 by attending a training course, and then her Yamuna certification in 2016.
"The reason I got my Yamuna certification was a comment from my mentor. She recommended it, saying, 'If your muscles become more flexible, Pilates will be easier.' I thought it was an attractive qualification for me to grow as an instructor because it improves muscle quality and increases joint range of motion."
Now, she carefully addresses each client's body by utilizing her knowledge of both Pilates and Yamuna. Ms. Tamura believes that by combining both, she can better bring out the client's full potential.
I want to spread activities in the community that enable people to use their core muscles.
"Many people don't really use their core muscles in daily life. This is why many people are in a pre-frail state, so I want to spread activities in the community that enable people to use their core muscles," says Ms. Tamura.
According to Ms. Tamura, people who attend sports clubs and studios generally have a high health awareness and are proactively trying to exercise. On the other hand, a higher proportion of people who participate in public lectures and community events do not fully realize that "exercise is necessary for maintaining health." Therefore, Ms. Tamura's classes start by having participants move their bodies and feel actual changes, such as "my body feels lighter" or "my pain has eased." She says that being able to encourage such "first steps" is the significance of teaching in the community.
"Looking at the actual situations while involved in public lectures and long-term care prevention programs, I find that an unexpectedly large number of people are not consciously using their core muscles. Because I myself experienced understanding the importance of core muscles thanks to attending a Pilates training course, I really want to do something about this situation. Looking at age groups, there's a big difference in physical condition between people aged 65 and older who exercise and those who don't. That's why it's important to be conscious of your core and live your life from your 40s and 50s, before you become frail. I hope to be able to help people in the community by utilizing the knowledge and practices I've cultivated so far."
Ms. Tamura spoke about her aspirations for community activities, saying that she wants to continue expanding environments where people can easily start exercising in their daily lives and places where they can be conscious of their health as an extension of their daily routines.
Motivation to continue activities
Ms. Tamura finds joy in taking Pilates lessons via video to improve her skills. She says that regularly taking video lessons taught by top-notch instructors is essential for her to continue her work as an instructor.
She also mentioned that taking video lessons had various impacts on her own teaching and way of thinking. Pilates exercises have various levels, from beginner to advanced, and a major feature is that they can be freely arranged, for example, "beginner level for intermediate" or "advanced level for intermediate." She explained that with a wider range of arrangements, she can choose exercises according to the lesson and participants at the time, and by increasing the variety of exercises, she can now offer more enjoyable and engaging lessons.
Applying what she learns to her own lessons and expanding her teaching range is the driving force behind Ms. Tamura's continued activities.
Knitido's five-toe socks support daily body shaping
Ms. Tamura's main concern during activities was foot stability. In intermediate to advanced Pilates exercises like side bends, regular socks would slip, making it difficult to maintain a firm stance. She felt that "if I could hold my ground without my feet slipping, I could enjoy Pilates more."
What Ms. Tamura finds appealing about Knitido's five-toe socks is their comfort and the non-slip grip on the soles. Especially during lessons and other dynamic situations, she says she can stand firmly and feels the stability of her feet. She shared that being able to concentrate more on the body axis and form she wants to achieve has made her movements easier and her lessons more enjoyable.
THREE Standard Ankle
She also shared that her everyday favorite is Knitido's "SNUG Deer Hike Crew."
Summary
Ms. Tamura told us that even if she reaches an age where she has to give up her driver's license and can no longer go to a studio, she wants to continue being involved in Pilates and Yamuna by setting up a studio at home. This is because she knows that training her core muscles and paying attention to her feet are the secrets to maintaining her health and staying energetic forever.
Knitido's five-toe socks will continue to support Ms. Tamura's activities as an indispensable foot partner for both daily life and exercise.
After graduating from Wakayama University Faculty of Education, she entered the fitness world by training as an aerobics instructor while working as a company employee. After marriage, she obtained a health exercise instructor qualification to shift her activities from teaching at sports clubs to regional exercise guidance supported by the local government. Subsequently, for her own health management, she also engaged in Pilates, Yamuna Body Rolling, and Yamuna Face. She is actively working to convey the wonderfulness of both.
