Yasui Makoto's original training camp plan had set the first week's main tasks as testing and adaptation.
From the perspective of conventional training for the Classic races, the first half of the year's races were mostly mid-distance. The focus stayed on speed and technique while balancing the full demands those races placed on speed, strength, and stamina.
In the second half of the year, setting aside everything else and looking only at the Kikuka Sho, stamina special training became the absolute top priority.
Past results showed the average finishing time for that race sat around three minutes. Converted into speed, the full-course pace was not much slower than mid-distance races.
Just as he had reminded Kitasan Black before, without enough stamina and the matching skills, fatigue at the finish line could leave her unable to read the situation and cost her the win.
Because of that, the original training load would be reduced where needed, or shifted to emphasize stamina first, then strength. All of those changes required time to adapt to.
To Yasui Makoto's relief, Kitasan Black's physical foundation in this area was already excellent. She finished the first week's tasks in only half the planned time.
That accelerated the special training progress significantly.
In just half a month, many of the examination numbers had already reached the predetermined ideal range.
Unkaisou Inn frequently hosted various groups for special training and maintained a medical room with fairly complete facilities. Combined with the various testing equipment they had brought along, Yasui Makoto had a clear picture of Kitasan Black's adaptation status after the initial special training as he stepped out of the medical room that day.
Kitasan Black, who had just finished her examination, followed him out and asked curiously,
"Trainer, I should be able to start training again now, right?"
Yasui Makoto flipped through the physical examination report in his hand but did not answer directly.
"How do you feel? I mean, training in a different place these past few days… any discomfort? How does your body feel overall?"
"My body… it's great."
After a moment of thought, Kitasan Black smiled, patted her chest, and flexed her arm into a bodybuilding pose.
"I feel like my pectoral muscles and arm muscles have gotten bigger."
Yasui Makoto unconsciously glanced sideways.
They certainly got much bigger… No, wasn't this the original size?
No, what am I thinking…?
He quickly looked back at the physical examination report, cleared his throat, and said casually,
"After half a month of training, there should be some changes in your muscles.
Compared to when you first arrived, all indicators have improved significantly."
Various muscle indices were one of the standards for measuring stamina and strength. Converting them into action weights made the difference more intuitive.
For example, regular strength exercises like squats and leg presses.
Generally speaking, for professionally trained human athletes, the average squat level could reach 150 kilograms, and leg presses could reach 500 kilograms.
There were significant differences depending on the type of sport, but even athletes specializing in strength or stamina, such as weightlifters or long-distance runners, could absolutely not reach the level of a Uma Musume.
And even among Uma Musume, Kitasan Black's ability in this regard was extraordinary.
She had been tested on her second day at Mount Mitou.
From the examination results at that time, Kitasan Black's squat strength was around 400 kilograms, and her leg press was over 1.3 tons, nearly 20 percent higher than the average level for Uma Musume.
That data already far exceeded human limits, and it had now been further strengthened.
Her squat strength had increased to half a ton, and her leg press strength had risen to 1.5 tons.
Undoubtedly, this was once again much higher than the average level.
It also indicated that this Uma Musume of his truly possessed extraordinary talent in this area.
"By the way, Trainer."
While Yasui Makoto was deep in thought, Kitasan Black spoke again.
"Do I still have to eat that special nutritional meal later? Can't I add some fried chicken or something at all?"
As she spoke, the girl's small face suddenly wrinkled. Her eyebrows and eyes drooped, but her nose and mouth turned upward, looking a bit pitiful, as if she had thought of something unpleasant.
"No."
Yasui Makoto immediately retorted without hesitation.
"To refine stamina and strength, diet control is essential. You must maintain a specific ratio of muscle to fat.
The most ideal standard is… in terms of body fat percentage, it's best to keep it below 10 percent. Yours is currently a little over 12 percent."
Body fat percentage was one of the important standards across various sports.
During most of the process in most sports, the body primarily consumed carbohydrate energy, and only in the final fatigue stage did it begin to consume a certain amount of fat.
Unless it was a sport that required resistance to impact, like boxing or wrestling, too much fat could affect overall performance.
In terms of ratio standards, probably due to similar body structures, Uma Musume were quite similar to humans, with below 10 percent being ideal.
To reach that standard, diet was a crucial factor, but the taste would inevitably not be very good.
In past training, although she also ate nutritional meals, there had still been some flavor, and the Tracen Academy cafeteria would also offer a variety of dishes.
During stamina and strength special training, most of the time foods containing fat had to be completely eliminated.
However, foods high in protein and carbohydrates were certainly not very pleasant to eat, which was why Kitasan Black would complain.
"Actually, compared to two or three months ago, your current body fat hasn't decreased that little."
Yasui Makoto continued,
"But your weight has actually been increasing. If you don't control your body fat percentage, you're essentially getting heavier.
Take your current weight, for example. Your current weight is…"
He flipped through the physical examination report. Just as he was about to speak, his mouth was covered.
"Tr-Trainer!"
With an expression of both shame and annoyance, Kitasan Black covered Yasui Makoto's mouth. Her gaze rarely showed that mix of embarrassment and irritation.
She bit her lower lip, glared, then looked left and right as if guilty.
Seeing that there weren't many people around and no one was paying attention to them, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and glared again.
"Really, how can you talk about a girl's weight like that…?"
She grumbled a complaint, then slowly raised her hand. Seeing that Yasui Makoto did not seem about to continue, she withdrew it.
"D-Don't say that anymore, otherwise… otherwise I'll get angry."
"…OK, OK, no problem, no problem…"
Agreeing repeatedly, Yasui Makoto secretly chuckled to himself.
In his opinion, Kitasan Black's weight was indeed much heavier than most Uma Musume, but her body fat percentage and physique were actually quite good.
Especially her body fat percentage. Given her already heavier weight and larger frame, being able to maintain around 12 percent was quite remarkable.
With that foundation, it would not be a problem to drop below 10 percent with continued effort.
However, after thinking about it, he belatedly realized that mentioning a girl's weight was indeed a very impolite thing to do.
And strangely, in Trainer assessments and Tracen Academy requirements, there were regulations prohibiting the disclosure of Uma Musume's weight and other information.
So after agreeing repeatedly, Yasui Makoto changed the subject.
"In any case, all the training must continue.
But today, let's arrange a joint run first.
Let's hurry up. Don't let your two seniors wait too long."