GO ASIA TRAIL 
It has been a while, but I am doing well. To be honest, the new coronavirus has left me with nothing to write about. Races in Asia have been postponed or cancelled across the board, and although there are plans for autumn and winter, there have been decisions here and there to cancel full marathons in Japan...so even if I do make it to the races, I am not sure if I will be able to travel to Japan.
So I had to take a break for a while. However, since I am working remotely, I have more time to train. I have been watching Youtube videos until the end of April, but to be honest, I didn't have any training that I felt like I had completed. I tried watching Youtube videos until the end of April, but I honestly felt that there was no training that I could complete and it was too much of a hassle to search for it.
Around Golden Week, I saw a hardcore training app called "Freeletics" advertised on Instagram and Facebook, so I installed it out of curiosity and was hooked. From there, I continued for about two weeks, and I'd like to introduce it to you, because yeah, this is a great idea.
About Freeletics
Freeletics is a weight training app that originated in Munich, Germany in 2014 and is compatible with iOS and Android. It seems to be very popular in Europe and the United States, and landed in Japan in November 2016 (with Japanese language support). Freeletics is made in Germany, so it has a solid image, and a search on Twitter shows that there are some users in Japan as well.
Freeletics uses AI to suggest training content based on the individual's level. Basically, training contents are paid for, with one-time payment for 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year. Of course, the one-year lump sum gets a discount, which is cheap considering the per-week price. Incidentally, I used a 20% off coupon I found lying around online, so I bought a 12-month subscription (7,840 yen, I'll post it at the bottom of this page). Credit card registration is required, but there is refund coverage for 2 weeks.
1 month: 4200 yen
3 months: 7400 yen
12 months: 9,800 yen
Even in the case of a one-year lump sum, the price is about the same as the price of one month at a gym, so it seems cheap when you think about it.
What kind of training is provided?
The content of training will depend on the purpose of training, the frequency of daily training, and the level of exercise (in the case of running, running ability).
For example, if the goal is to lose weight, to strengthen muscles, or to increase endurance, etc. When you start using the app, you will be asked these questions and a training menu will be suggested accordingly. In my case, the app suggested a menu called "Hybrid Running. The content is a combination of body weight training, interval training, and endurance running (6km or more).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cRSvyL2_G4
However, this does not mean that you will do weight training, interval training, and endurance running on the same day. The training time is designed to be within 30-70 minutes. So, the training menu will be designed to be effective even in a short time. In addition, the training contents are explained in detail in videos (the video below is in English, but the explanation is in Japanese in the app).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOGE4cxECOk
After training, the app provides feedback on whether the training intensity is appropriate for you on a 5-point scale. This allows the AI to set training for the next day and beyond according to the individual's level. If it's too easy, it will make it tighter, and if it's too hard, it will loosen it up.
My impression after using it for about 2 weeks.
Freeletics, it's a good app. It's the perfect app to keep me motivated to train. I am able to train in ways that I normally wouldn't think of, and even after only two weeks, my running has become more consistent. It's a good stimulus. It's like having a virtual personal trainer.
The training menus are different each time, so I never get bored. It is also easy for the AI to automatically create training menus for you. It is surprisingly difficult to come up with training menus on your own, and it is easy to become biased or stuck in a rut. Many runners, in particular, tend to run all the time.
However, the training menus are hard, as if it were a German-made application with a solid and solid quality. I and other heavy users of this blog have more training experience than most people, so I think we can handle it, but I hear that it is very hard for people who do not usually exercise.
Interval training is very hard.
I personally don't find body weight training to be that demanding (but I do have slight muscle soreness the next day).
The first interval training I did was 10 sets of "100m, 30 seconds rest, 400m, 3 minutes rest. When I saw this menu for the first time, I thought, "Oh, come on, this app is going to make me fall down again," but I managed to complete it. I gave feedback that it was hard work, and the next week's interval training menu consisted of one set of "3000m + 10 min rest" and 10 sets of "200m + 2 min rest"... There is no such thing as easy interval training in this world, so I had no choice but to work hard.
As for body weight training, I still find it relatively easy, mostly rep-heavy training. Hybrid Running is not a macho workout, so I guess that's why there are a lot of rep workouts. But this week, the menu is getting tougher and tougher.
There's always a warm-up and cool-down set up before and after each workout.
This is also very well thought out. Inevitably, when training individually, we tend to neglect the warm-up and cool-down, but I was reminded that they are still very important. The warm-up is not stretching, but is mainly a menu to get the heart rate up, or weight training to stimulate the muscles.
Knee-up
Lunges
Jump squats, etc., etc.
After doing this, running or interval training, I feel like I can run smoother than usual, probably because my body is in a fully awake state. This is exactly what a warm-up is, literally.
Also, I do a good cool down. The cool down is all stretching. I usually do only light stretching after a run, but thanks to Freeletics, I am able to do deep stretching every time. Even if my body is in a dizzy state after a very hard interval training, if I do the cool down as instructed, my body feels lighter and less fatigued.
Although in English, please refer to the description here regarding the importance of warming up before running. It's a good reminder that the basics are important.
https://www.freeletics.com/en/blog/posts/run-warm-up/
NO EXCUSE, no excuses. But the menu is flexible and adjustable.
For example, you may have many excuses (EXCUSE) for skipping training, such as not having enough time, having severe muscle pain in your shins, not being able to run today because it is raining outside, or your apartment is too big for jump training...etc. (laugh) Freeletics will gently accommodate such excuses, and will even suggest new training programs for you. Freeletics will gently accommodate such excuses, and even suggest new workouts for you.
For example, with Hybrid Running, you may run outside, but if you cannot run due to bad weather, you can switch to indoor training. Of course, if the suggested training is not enough for you, you can increase the intensity, and if you are short on time, the system will suggest training that can be done in a short amount of time.
Also, if you have a severe muscle soreness from the previous day's training, they can suggest a workout that does not include that part of the body (however, if you are really injured or out of shape, take it easy and rest).
One of Freeletics' catchphrases is "NO EXCUSE," and some of their original novelties even feature the words "NO EXCUSE" on them (yoga mats, for example). If you are serious about changing your body, you don't need any excuses.
I dare say there are some drawbacks.
The GPS included with the app is not very accurate: when I ran 3000m, I finished 3km on my GPS watch (Amazfit Stratos), but the app said I had only run 2.4km (LOL). (LOL) There is a 500-meter track in a nearby park, and I ran 6 laps, so I'm pretty sure! I don't know if they dare to design it that way, but to be honest, it was a little hard to run the last 600m.
Also, there is some kind of audio content or blog in the app, but it is basically still in English. The UI of the app and the most important training guides are in Japanese, though, so I don't think that's a problem.
Supplement (2020/09/14)
I was able to confirm that the cause of the poor GPS accuracy was due to the fact that the phone was in the pocket of my running pants. I experimented by running with it in my hand and found that it ticked almost the same distance as the Amazfit Stratos.
We also found that it varied depending on the model. When running with it in the pocket of my running pants, the Google Pixel3 would record a shorter distance than the actual distance, while the iPhone SE (2020 model) would record a slightly longer distance. Well, either way, care should be taken to ensure that the GPS signal is easily accessible, not in the pocket.
Conclusion.
Due to the effects of the new coronavirus, the holding of races in Japan and abroad is uncertain.
In Japan, marathons scheduled to be held in the fall (Fukuoka, Kanazawa, Yokohama, etc.) have announced that they will not be held in 2020. Also, there is a mood of self-restraint when it comes to trail training, making it difficult to go to the mountains... Most of the people around me also comment that they lose motivation when there is no race. I, too, feel quite stressed about not being able to visit my favorite places in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
However, I am thinking that some kind of restricted state will continue throughout the rest of the year. So I think the Corona race will be an opportunity for me to change the way I have been training and enjoying running. Of course, the race will be held at some point, so please train for it. My answer to your question is to enjoy training your body with Freeletics.
I have tried to say many things about Freeletics, but it is difficult to convey in my words alone. If you are interested, download Freeletics and try it for 2 weeks (credit card required, but 2 weeks money back guarantee).
https://www.freeletics.com/r/126497723
https://www.freeletics.com/r/126497723
↑ 30% off coupon!