カヌーポロ Vol.1

日本で育っていないので、僕の日本語は少し変です。この前に先輩から「小学生がヤクザのまねをしているみたい」と言われたことがあります。なので、今回は英語で書きます…

I started playing canoe polo when I was about 11 years old, back when I was living in Shanghai. A friend of my mom, who was an active member of the canoe club I went to just for fun, suggested that I try polo. At the time, I was also playing water polo, so I treated canoe polo as a fun game that helped me improve both my water skills and my kayaking. I was also part of the Shanghai U15 representative team when I was 12.

When my family moved back to Japan, I planned to keep playing canoe polo casually. However, after experiencing the level and competitiveness of the sport in Japan, my mindset changed. I realized that I wanted to take polo seriously and push myself to become a top player.

At 14, I was selected for the Japan National Team and competed in the World Championships in China last year, where I scored one goal. Playing against international teams was a huge turning point for me. The speed, physicality, and intensity made it clear that if I wanted to compete at a higher level, I needed to become stronger, more stable, and more durable in the water.

That realization is why Vol. 1 of this blog focuses on strength and conditioning. Canoe polo is a physical sport, and strength is not just about lifting heavier weights. It is about building a body that can stay balanced under contact, generate power in short moments, and recover quickly during games and training.

Since then, I have started to think more seriously about how I train off the water. I have been working on core stability, upper body strength, and injury prevention while still making sure my training supports my speed and mobility. In this blog, I want to share how I approach strength and conditioning, what has worked for me so far, and what I am still learning as a developing player.

This is just the beginning, but I hope this series can help younger players think more clearly about how to train and improve!

One of my favorite quotes from Igawa-san (or maybe it was Akira-san) is that “eating is also training.” That idea really stuck with me. In many Asian cultures, our diets are very carb heavy, which is great for energy but not always enough to support high intensity sports like canoe polo. Because of that, I try to be more intentional about what I eat.

One of my go to snacks is salad chicken from the convenience store. I usually buy two bars and eat them on top of the lunch provided by my school. It is not always enjoyable, but I have learned that eating is not just about pleasure. Sometimes it is simply a responsibility you have as an athlete if you want to recover properly and keep improving.

Now, onto the strength training part. Since I live in Hokkaido, it is way too fucking cold to train on the water during winter, so most of my off season training happens in the gym. I used to train five times a week, but I recently cut it down to three because I realized my body was not getting enough time to recover.

Here is my current workout plan:

A Day
Shoulder mobility warm up
Russian twists (3x50 @10kg)
Landmine shoulder press (3x15 @30kg)
Bodyweight dead hang
Stretching

B Day
Shoulder mobility warm up
Wipers (3x20 @BW)
Bulgarian split squats (2x30 @BW)
Pull ups (3x8 @25kg)
Five minute rowing cool down
Stretching

C Day
Shoulder mobility warm up
Russian twists (3x50 @10kg)
Landmine shoulder press (3x15 @30kg)
Pull ups (3x8 @25kg)
Five minute rowing cool down
Stretching

(On my off days, my friends forced me to join the school basketball team. Also I go skiing if the snow is good and I have the time)

This plan works because it focuses on what actually matters in canoe polo. The back, shoulders, and core do almost everything in this sport. A strong back helps with powerful paddling and staying solid in contact. Healthy shoulders let me shoot, pass, and paddle hard without breaking down. The core ties everything together and keeps me balanced and controlled in the boat. Training these areas consistently, while still giving my body time to recover, helps me get stronger without burning out.

This is just Vol 1, and honestly, this blog is not going to be super structured or serious. I will probably just write about whatever I am thinking about in canoe polo at the time, whether that is training, food, mindset, or random things I notice in games and practice. Hopefully some of it helps, and if not, at least it gives you a real look into how I am trying to get better.