How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? – Episode 6

Hibiki meets Zina in the Silverman Gym’s arm wrestling tournament.

Episode 6 – “Want a New Rival?”

Hmm.

Dumbbell‘s self-effacing humor lifts this show above its sports anime – a slice of life comedy premise. Oh, the fitness tutorials are great. The fanservice is great. The girls are so sexy and their characterization is great too. However, mixed in with all these elements is this irreverent humor that pokes fun at the sports drama genre in particular, and many other kinds of storytelling in otaku culture. You don’t have to be a fan of shoujo manga to get the references to Akemi being dramatic, but if you are, you will get an even bigger laugh out of the joke. Same thing with the rough dudes entering the arm-wrestling contest. The punchline was one of the guys handing another guy a pen to sign in. That was it. But if you love tournament-style battle manga, you will totally appreciate all the buildup for such little payoff. This kind of comedy has so many levels and it just makes the show with sexy, sweaty girls even more fun than it already is.

Now, allow me to get excited about Zina explaining the top roll in arm wrestling. Please, Meet Me Halfway, on this.

Thank you for sitting through as much as you could of the great Kenny Loggins masterpiece for one of Sylvester Stallone’s most underrated movies, Over the Top. You might almost figure out how old I am if I tell you I first watched this movie in a theater.

It’s pretty weird that they pick a girl whose hobby is arm wrestling to introduce the concept of neuromuscular endurance training. Kipping, a stylized workout technique relying on momentum for high repetitions, is a way to focus on training the nerves to fire muscle contractions to a rhythm to maximize efficiency. Efficiency for any athletic activity means using the least amount of energy for the most gain. Neuromuscular endurance training is the best way to train the coordination of certain repetitive motions for a sports activity with strength training. Examples are baseball players using elastic bands for the throwing motion, basketball players using a medicine ball to throw passes, or cyclists doing a heavy gear slow cadence session for their pedal stroke. As with most of these supplemental training techniques, they are meant to help an athlete get better doing certain activities specific to their sport, not to be the best at lunging at a pull-up bar or applauding during a set of push-ups.

Heh.

Finally. The last high school-aged girl, Zina Voyd, makes her appearance. The cast is almost complete.

Hibiki, still eating when and what she wants, now wants a new home theater speaker set. Arm wrestling? With a 10 grand prize? Which covers the cost of that speaker set? Hibiki wants in!

Satomi does pull-ups. This will factor in the show, I’m sure.

I know arm wrestling, but what does arm sumo look like? Macho Man needs to recruit women for the tournament, and he already targeted these four regulars. Hibiki knows what’s up.

Exercise Video for Arm Wrestling! When do we get to see the exercises the girls do on those bedsheets? I know, I know. Never… Arm wrestling is a full-body sport. Those two are not arm wrestling in bed!

Blam! Hibiki destroyed Ayaka. This is just like the punching bag. Hibiki has the power to put all of her energy in one spot for one instant. This is a battle anime! Look at these serious faces. I love how self-aware the show is to play the sports drama genre for laughs.

Oh ho. Macho Man has to get a little serious to take on Hibiki. I love it! The gritty thriller goes back to colorful comedy in such a cute way. Macho Man is already puffing his arm out. He is taking this seriously. Har. Ayaka hasn’t snapped back into comedy mode yet.

Battle Manga time. Thanks, narrator. Who are these guys? What are their stories and motivations? It doesn’t matter because they’re just signing in at the front desk and smiling. This self-aware humor always makes me laugh.

Traitors! They were supposed to arm wrestle too! And Akemi is sick? Hibiki is going straight to the finals! Macho Man’s women recruiting skills aren’t so great.

Enter Zina Voyd! Key facts: 17 years old, currently looking for a boyfriend. The Narrator is so timely with his character observations. This is a good comedy. Ha. Zina just needs the prize money for airfare back.

Hilarious. Silverman Gym athlete profile. Like we’re in the Olympics.

Two strategies for arm wrestling. Hook or Top Roll. Over the Top. Meet Me Halfway! I already wrote about this, but I’m watching that Kenny Loggins video again. Wait, one more time. Okay, I’m done. For now.

Video interview ends. Fin. Pitch perfect parody.

Yes, Zina, I’d also like to know why Macho Man had to be bulked out to referee this match.

Blam again! Look at Macho Man’s smug face. He knew Hibiki has the potential to be just like him, exploding clothes all the time. Hibiki is going to be spending all her money on food, the gym, and gym clothes from now on.

Haha! Zina really did need that money for airfare. She’s had to join Hibiki’s school. Had to because she stalking her! Rival or stalker? Why not both?

Aw yiss! Dumbbell lady is also a teacher at Hibiki’s school! Kure-sensei is Akemi’s homeroom teacher (now Zina’s too). Important stats: 34 years old, married, has two young children.

I keep saying it, but I love the meta-humor. Zina makes fun of the stereotypical Russian beauties, which is why she mixed and matched to make her own persona. How about just being yourself? Way too many Putin jokes, but I still laughed. Zina’s Silverman Gym didn’t have a lot of equipment, so they focused on neuromuscular endurance training instead of strength training. Nice. Zina has her own Russian Exercise Video.

Gee, I wonder who Zina’s host family is. Obviously, it’s Hibiki’s family!

The omake is on kipping push-ups or jumping push-ups. This is more aerobic than regular strength-based push-ups. A variation is clapping during the jump. Ah. A pufferfish is totally Macho Man’s spirit animal!