Episode 118: The Power of Cheers
July 29, 2026
G1 CLIMAX 36 is finally reaching its mid-tournament phase. With fierce battles night after night, fatigue and damage are steadily accumulating in the wrestlers' bodies. Especially during a stretch of back-to-back matches, recovery often just can't keep pace.
Looking back on my own active wrestling days, when my stamina was completely running out near the end of a match, the moment the "TA-NA-HA-SHI" chants erupted from the crowd, my body would move like magic.
My brain would be thinking, "I can't take any more!"—yet my body kept moving on its own. What on earth was actually happening back then? Now that I've stepped away from the ring, I decided to look into it properly.
From a biological standpoint, a huge factor is the secretion of adrenaline. When subjected to the powerful stimulus of cheers, the brain's amygdala gets excited, triggering the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands. Heart rate and blood flow surge, increasing oxygen supply to the muscles and temporarily creating a state where you can "keep going" (borrowed knowledge!).
Furthermore, there are endorphins, which dull pain. Often referred to as natural brain opioids, their secretion is said to be stimulated by the euphoria of crowd support. That’s why, strangely enough, pain becomes harder to feel (also borrowed knowledge!).
And we can't forget dopamine. Feeling supported creates motivation and pleasure, which gets converted into the power to dig deep for one last push. This aligns with what psychology calls the "Social Facilitation Effect" (yet again, borrowed knowledge!).
Humans naturally tend to boost their performance when they feel watched and expected to deliver (so they say!).
In short, cheers aren't just the wishes and hopes of fans—they are a legitimately science-backed "recovery potion."
As we head through the middle of the tournament, the wrestlers still have intense battles ahead of them. That is precisely why your massive support—both in the venue and in front of the TV—is essential.
As for me, there was a time when the "TA-NA-HA-SHI" chants didn't come, so during those days, I used to chant inside my own head: "TA-NA-HA-SHI! TA-NA-HA-SHI!" Self-sufficient cheering.
Your support as fans truly becomes our strength. Please keep sending your energy to the wrestlers right up until the very end!