In order to gain control over your smallest muscles, you have to first start paying close attention to what they're doing...

Okay!

Pay close attention... Hnng!

Meditation can help with that.
Close your eyes and focus all your attention on your nervous system.

You'll be able to feel what your entire body is doing from your head to your toes...

The air as it caresses your skin...
Feel what your muscles underneath are doing, and learn how to control them!

Your mind plays an important role, but your muscles are the ones doing all the work. They come first, second, third, fourth... Hundredth and foremost!

Now, come with me!
We're going to do ten laps of this park while dragging these tires around!

Oh... O-Okay...!

Your mind and muscles need to work together in order to achieve perfect control. Next, we'll do an exercise which covers both!

Stretch your arms out and gently squat like you're sitting down... Okay, stop there! Now stay in that position for ten minutes!

This exercise isn't just designed to help strengthen your muscles. You have to finely control them in order to maintain the same posture. So, try to hang in there!

N-Nooo... M-My legs are starting to wobble...

You can do it, Emu! Hang in there!

Think about the role you're playing!
Are you going to break character because of a little pain?

You can do this!
The muscles in your bodies are made for this!

Right!

L-Like this...?!

Yeah, that's perfect!
Now try to stay still while keeping your arms stretched out and bottom down.

O-Oww!
My legs are getting wobbly...

Just a little longer...!

You guys got this! Just thirty more seconds...!

...twenty-nine, thirty! Okay, that's it!

*Sigh*
That was rough!

I can't feel my legs...

And you guys have been doing stuff like this every day, Emu?

Yup! The exercise you just did is meant to help strengthen your thighs and core!

It's to make sure you can keep your posture while performing no matter what your body is doing...!

That's incredible.
Can you tell us about any other exercises you've been doing?

Yes, to list a few...

We've been meditating, pulling tires around and...

Oh, this might sound a little weird, but we also did cat's cradle and even an exercise that involved learning to move our ears...

I haven't managed to yet, but anyone apparently can given enough practice...

Strength training and conditioning are both important, but the primary goal of these exercises is to achieve perfect control of our bodies.

We've mostly been learning how to control every muscle right down to our fingertips, including ones we don't think about normally.

Really?! That sounds challenging, but also fun...! Can you tell us more about what you guys have been doing later?

Sure.

It's nice to hear that you're already learning so much from this other troupe.

And they sound very different from Shunmeiza, so I'm sure you all stand to gain quite a lot from working with them!

Especially you, Emu.
You seem really pumped up today for some reason!

Oh, is it because you were chosen to play the lead?

Yup!
Also...

I absolutely want this play to succeed so that we get to be a part of Mikazukigumi's next production!

Since working with lots and lots of people on lots and lots of different things seems like the best way for us to learn!

Yes, I agree...

Even when we were working with Shunmeiza, working with proven talent helped us make quite a few new discoveries.

Yeah, from Seiryuin to Asahi and Bakuno...
Getting to perform alongside such talented people has already helped us learn a lot.

Yes, and...
Performing on a real stage is simply the best way to gain experience.

So, in order to make our dreams come true, let's make our play about Ushiwakamaru a good one.

Yeah!

Alright, let's all do some of those exercises again together!

Starting from the top of the Kijima Special! Sprinting at full speed! Let's go!

Emu, wait! I wanna run with you!

We should join her as well!
Not so fast, Emu!

Oh, everyone's so full of energy today.

I love how motivated they are!
Let's all run with them, shall we?!