Face yourself every day and make new changes.
``Inside Story'' is an interview project that approaches the important thoughts and aspects of people who live in this day and age that are not usually shown.
The first episode featured windsurfer Rina Niijima.

Niijima was born in Kamakura and is currently 23 years old.
As an Olympic-trained athlete, he has competed in races all over the world, winning a silver medal at the recent French competition, and is attracting attention as one of Japan's leading windsurfers.

When you think of an ``athlete,'' you think of someone who pushes himself stoically every day, but Mr. Niijima's personality is quite gentle. I am moving toward my dreams at my own pace while listening to my own condition and inner voice.
What is inside Mr. Niijima? I'd like to hear your story.

Rina Niijima｜Windsurfer
Born in Kamakura in 1999. Started windsurfing at the age of 4 and won the All Japan Junior Championship five times in a row. In 2018, he was selected as a special reinforcement player for the national team. Currently, he is training and practicing every day in preparation for participating in the Paris Olympics.

Started windsurfing at the age of 4 and fell in love with the sea

─ First, please tell us how you started windsurfing.

Niijima: My father is a former professional athlete, so I started windsurfing when I was four years old.
The first time I went sailing was in Saipan, but I don't remember much about that time, and I feel like I just did what my father told me to do.

I think the appeal of windsurfing is that you can go anywhere on the ocean without using an engine.
For example, you can get from Hayama to Enoshima in about 10 minutes by windsurfing, and it is very suitable for the current SDGs era (in that it does not use an engine).

The fun part of the competition is that it's fast-paced and exciting. It feels like something out of the ordinary, so it's fun to get a rush of adrenaline.

One of the attractions is that the sea shows a different expression every day.
My favorite time is during the ``calm'' period, when the sea looks like a mirror, and it's really beautiful and calming.

─ Do you have any memories or stories about the influence of your father, a former professional player?

Niijima: I love windsurfing now, but there was a time when I was reluctant to do it because my parents forced me to do it until I was in high school.

I became a representative of the Youth Olympics during the high school entrance exam period, but it was really difficult to balance studying for the entrance exam and practicing. But my father kept telling me, ``Don't study, just practice wind!'' We used to fight a lot (lol)

One of my fond memories is the first time I was able to play planing when I was in the third grade of elementary school.
Planing is the creation of a sliding condition, which is the basis of windsurfing, and my father was following me from behind, telling me, ``Now's the time!'' and ``Get out of here!''. I was happy when I was able to plan for the first time with my father's support.

It's like a father teaching you how to ride a bicycle in a normal family; it's a windsurfing version of a bicycle.

It's easy to get sick. That's why I'm so particular about food

─ Please tell us what you are careful about in your daily body training.

Niijima: (Windsurfing) uses the muscles of the entire body, but if I had to put it simply, the back muscles and thighs are the base muscles, so I train them thoroughly from the basics.

Other than that, I'm trying to "gain weight in a healthy way."
In windsurfing, you can run faster if you have a certain amount of weight, so increasing your weight is also necessary for the competition. However, I am physically unable to gain weight, so I am having a hard time gaining weight.

I have a weak stomach and intestines, and my body reacts quickly when I eat something bad. That's why I try to avoid eating out and cook my own meals even when I go on overseas trips.

─ You tend to get sick easily. Is there anything you should be careful about when it comes to food and nutrients?

Niijima: Basically, I don't eat oily foods or processed foods.
I'm careful about the ingredients I use, and I try to choose foods that are good for my body even if they are a little more expensive.

All that's left to do is eat what you want to eat that day.
I think that what the body wants is often what it needs at the time. When I think, "I want to eat this today!", I make it right away.

The most important nutrient is ``vitamin C''. I usually supplement my vitamin C with Lypo-C supplements.

Windsurfing is a sport where you are very concerned about sunlight, and vitamin C is a really essential nutrient for taking care of your body.

─ You have been using Lypo-C supplements on a regular basis. What made you start taking them?

Niijima: At first, I was introduced to it by my mother.
My mother secretly took Lypo-C supplements and was like, ``It's really good, I'll tell Lina about it.''

Take 2 to 3 Lypo-C supplements a day. When I wake up in the morning, and before meals, etc. I don't have anything in my stomach in the morning, so I like the feeling of it being absorbed, so I drink it.
In the case of a race, I drink it before the start and after the race as a care.

For me, Lypo-C is indispensable.
It's really necessary for both competitions and beauty care, so I think it's a little grandiose, but I think it's ``indispensable in life.''

To get out of a slump, "adjust your autonomic nervous system"

─ I heard that you have been suffering from poor health for a long time since the recent tournament in France. Could you tell me about your current physical condition?

Niijima: The cause of my slump was overwork.
After the French tournament, I went to the European Championships, but I got a fever in the preliminary stages. Then, he had the misfortune of getting stung by a bee.

After returning to Japan, I traveled to Aichi for a tournament, but because it was during the period of heavy rain and heavy rain, it took me 21 hours to travel by car, and I was extremely tired as I entered the domestic pro tour.
Up until now, we had been ranked 1st in the country, but at that time we ended up in 3rd place. I feel like I lost even more confidence because of that.

─ How do you bounce back when things don't go well or you have a setback?

Niijima: Lately, I've been thinking, ``It's not going to go well...''

There were many times when I seriously wanted to quit windsurfing.
But at times like that, the people around me, my parents and coaches helped me.

Especially since my coach always works with me, I feel mentally stable. I think it would have been even more unstable if I didn't have a coach.

I have received advice from various people, and through it I am gradually able to become more positive and get back on my feet.

Niijima: I've been in a bad mood for the past few months, but I've been getting better little by little.
My gastrointestinal doctor told me that my current discomfort was caused by fear that something bad might happen.

So lately, I've been conscious of ``regulating my autonomic nervous system,'' and I've been working hard to control my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

─ Are there any specific things you do to balance your autonomic nervous system?

Niijima: Recently, I stopped checking SNS!
Before, I didn't think anything of it when I saw other players' posts, but when I saw them when I was having a bad day, I started to notice everything.
I have now deleted all social media apps from my smartphone and only use my iPad.

I also write notes every night.
When I remembered my day and wrote notes, I found a lot of things that were good, moved me, and made me grateful. I think this is a good experience for me now.

For the Olympics and my future self

─ I think you are currently working towards participating in the Olympics. Please tell us your enthusiasm.

Niijima: It has always been my dream to participate in the Olympics.
I believe that this last year will be the deciding factor, so I definitely want to win the right to represent Japan, participate in the Paris Olympics, and do well.

What I am strengthening in preparation for the Olympics is definitely my mental health.
What I've learned from my experiences over the past few months is that I can't practice well if my mind isn't in good shape, and my physical condition won't be good either.

I think it's about strengthening your mental health, and then having good quality practice and training. I think it would be great if we could bring them all together and strengthen them all.

─ Mr. Niijima, is there anything you do every day to create your future self?

Niijima: There are two main things. The first is to "do what's in front of you."

I'm the type of person who gets really impatient when thinking about the future. When you have a big goal, whether it's the Olympics or anything else, there's a lot to do and you get anxious.

Therefore, I am conscious of doing my best each day by ``doing only what is in front of me.''

The other is "gratitude."
Due to my mother's influence, I pray every day at a nearby shrine.
At that time, we express our gratitude to God and our ancestors, saying, ``Thank you for allowing me to spend this day in good health.'' I think that kind of attitude will create the person I will become in the future.

─ The theme of this interview project is "Going inside the people who live today."
If you had to describe what's inside Niijima in one word, what would it be?

Niijima: Well...I think the word that describes my inner state right now is "peace."
It might not be suitable for athletes, but I don't really like conflicts.
Even when I watch the news about the current war, my heart hurts.

I want to get along peacefully with all kinds of people, and I think that in my heart I long for a ``peaceful daily life.''

Photo / Video Edit : Yikin HYO (sceeen)
Video : rakuda
Direction: Kei Fujieda (Banryu)
Edit / Text : Makito Uechi
Title : Mariko Hara

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