日本語 ｜ 繁體中文 ｜ English ｜ 한국어 ｜ Tiếng Việt
“I’d like to take up a sport for the sake of beauty.” When that thought comes to you, which sport do you picture?
Yoga, Pilates, walking — all lovely choices.
But stop and think for a moment, and doesn’t each of them come with a small worry?
An honest feeling: not wanting to show so much skin
Yoga and Pilates wear is cute.
The studios have a stylish air, too. But —
Tight leggings. Revealing tops.
“I want to move my body, but I’d rather not show much skin.” “I want to enjoy it in style, but I’m a little hesitant to bare skin in sportswear.”
Have you ever felt that way?
There is nothing strange about that feeling at all.
You set out to do it for beauty, and end up with more to worry about — that defeats the purpose.
So is there a sport you can enjoy with little exposure, dressed in a way that feels like you? Ask that, and the next problem appears.
Ultraviolet light, the invisible enemy
“Then what about an outdoor sport?” Now there is the problem of UV.
Have you ever noticed, partway through a walk, that your arms were getting sunburned?
Or the feeling that “all my work on skincare is undone just by stepping outside.”
That feeling is right.
Ultraviolet light comes in two kinds: UVA and UVB.
UVB damages the surface of the skin, causing sunburn and inflammation.
UVA reaches deeper, down to the dermis, and breaks down collagen and elastin — the main cause of wrinkles, sagging and age spots.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies UV radiation as “carcinogenic to humans,” and the skin aging caused by UV, known as photoaging, is said to damage the skin more than aging itself.
Even with sunscreen, you cannot fully protect yourself during long hours outdoors.
A sport for beauty that exposes you to beauty’s enemy — there is a contradiction here.
This is where pool comes in
Pool is an entirely indoor sport.
Zero UV. However long you play, there is no need to worry about sunburn.
In a comfortable, air-conditioned room, you can enjoy a sport without putting extra stress on your skin.
A privilege: your makeup stays intact
Have you ever looked in the mirror after a hard workout and felt let down?
Pool is a “sport of stillness.”
There’s no hard running, no pouring sweat.
You can play with your makeup on — a privilege that belongs to pool, one most other sports can’t offer.
No taking off your makeup before the studio and redoing it afterward.
Dressed up just as you are, you can head straight to a pool hall.
It trains your core — the same areas as yoga
“But if I’m not moving much, does it really count as exercise?” You may be wondering.
Imagine the moment you settle into your stance with the cue.
You lean over the table, your back lengthens on its own, your stomach tightens a little — that feeling is actually a sign that your inner muscles (deep muscles) are at work.
When your core grows stronger, the beauty benefits reach surprisingly far.
Better posture changes the lines of your body
As the spine and pelvis settle into the right position, a rounded back or an arched lower back gradually corrects itself. With deep muscles supporting the body like a corset, your waistline changes too.
An unexpected effect: a smaller-looking face
As posture improves, tension around the neck and shoulders eases, and the flow of blood and lymph around the face settles. If puffiness or a double chin bothers you, this may be an especially welcome change.
👉 Your face today was decided last night. — On puffiness, and pool.
A higher basal metabolism, a body that burns energy more easily
As your core muscle mass grows, the energy you burn in daily life rises across the board. Burning fat more easily even when you are not exercising — isn’t that welcome news for anyone living a busy life?
Muscles release “beauty hormones”
Recent research has begun to show that working your muscles releases hormone-like substances called “myokines.” They are thought to help suppress skin aging, and the link between muscle and beautiful skin is drawing scientific attention.
👉 Walk before the serum. — On skin and exercise.
Through the stance of pool, you can reach the same core that yoga and Pilates train.
For more on the beauty benefits, take a look at this as well.
👉 Pool turned out to be a sport that makes you beautiful from within.
Dress as yourself
Pool needs no special sportswear.
Everyday clothes are fine.
And precisely because of that, you can enjoy it in your own style.
Smart trousers, casual denim, sportswear — any outfit is welcome.
If anything, it is a place where you can freely express how you want to be seen.
And this awareness of being seen is, in fact, deeply tied to beauty.
Being conscious of how you want to be seen shapes your bearing, your posture, even your expression — and that becomes beauty.
👉 K-beauty × mindfulness × pool. We found our next beauty habit.
Hesitation about showing skin, worry about UV, fear of smudged makeup — none of it applies to pool.
Easy to start: an essential condition for a beauty habit
If you can’t keep it up, it means nothing.
Yoga studios and gyms often require joining fees and monthly dues, and many people hesitate to take the step, wondering whether they will stick with it.
Pool is charged by the hour.
No joining fee, no prepaid passes.
Go when you feel like it; stay home when you don’t.
That ease is what turns it into a beauty habit that lasts.
If going alone feels daunting, there’s no need to worry.
Many people at pool halls come on their own, and many halls have pros or skilled staff on hand, so even beginners can easily ask for a few pointers.
As a new beauty habit
Zero UV, no exposure, no smudged makeup, a stronger core, wear what you like, easy to start — few sports bring together this many conditions.
When you choose a sport for beauty, please add pool to the list.
👉 See the Yokohama Billiard Hall Guide
Why not make pool your next beauty habit?
References
- Fisher, G. J. et al. (2002). Mechanisms of photoaging and chronological skin aging. Archives of Dermatology, 138(11), 1462-1470. doi:10.1001/archderm.138.11.1462
- El Ghissassi, F. et al. (2009). A review of human carcinogens—part D: radiation. The Lancet Oncology, 10(8), 751-752. doi:10.1016/s1470-2045(09)70213-x
- Flament, F. et al. (2013). Effect of the sun on visible clinical signs of aging in Caucasian skin. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 6, 221-232. doi:10.2147/CCID.S44686
- Pedersen, B. K. & Febbraio, M. A. (2012). Muscles, exercise and obesity: skeletal muscle as a secretory organ. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 8(8), 457-465. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2012.49
👉 Billiards resources from Japan and around the world, organized by purpose: Billiards in Depth (latest updated hourly)
