Unleash your brain stack!

Hello, everyone. I'm Makoto Okumura, Office Space Project & Break Time Designer.
Today, I'd like to introduce Office Project through a rather unfamiliar sport: Sport Stacking!

■What is "Sport Stacking"?

So, have you ever heard of the sport called Sport Stacking?
This sport originated in the United States and is a timed battle sport that anyone—from kids to adults—can easily enjoy.
Believe it or not, records are measured down to thousandths of a second!!

It seems to have started around 1985 with American kids playing with paper cups. Recognizing its educational value as a sport, Bob Fox founded an association, and now it even has world championships.

In Japan, it might still be relatively unfamiliar, but the benefits of Sport Stacking—such as hand-eye coordination, reflexes, and concentration—are beginning to be proven in the US. It's being incorporated not only in competitions but also in school lessons and rehabilitation programs for the elderly.

■The current world champion is Japan's Tsuyoshi Seo!!

The current world champion in sport stacking is none other than Japan's Tsuyoshi Seo!
He is the world's only professional stacking athlete, dedicating his life to promoting stacking in Japan and around the world.
Mr. Seo travels to event venues across the country, showcasing his stacking performances. He captivates audiences daily, from adults to children.

 

■Hey everyone, are you "brain stacking"?

Obon has passed, and summer will soon be over. But the sweltering days continue.
As for the office environment, with the air conditioner set to higher temperatures, work efficiency inevitably tends to drop. Aren't quite a few people feeling the heat and experiencing brain freeze?

To help everyone out, we introduced a new break time activity: Office Stacking.

■Office Stacking Begins with Champion Seo!

This time, we had Mr. Seo join us in person for a 30-minute Office Stacking program.

 

Of course, it was the first time stacking for all participants.
First, using Seo's technique as a model, participants practiced earnestly. Despite their belief they could do it, the cups kept collapsing, and it didn't go smoothly.

Still, as everyone gradually got the hang of it, their skills improved in no time!

With a satisfying clatter, they built and dismantled their cup castles with a sense of accomplishment.

Finally, it was time for the time trial!
Each participant steps forward one by one, competing for thousandths of a second using the same measurement method as the world championships!

Here's Kobayashi-san, the first to go, who immediately clocked a time in the 4-second range and achieved a great result.
He was completely focused during his run. Though it's only 4 seconds, it tests both concentration and reflexes.

And the winner this time was Mr. Nemoto from DPR. He clocked in at just under 4 seconds, with a margin of victory over second place of a mere two thousandths of a second. It was a truly heated battle.

 

■Instantly boosts your concentration!

I'm Ryo Takahashi, Office Project & Break Time Designer!
After trying it myself, my concentration instantly skyrocketed. Once you get the hang of the basic cup assembly, you can complete one set in about 4 seconds—and during that time, your mind and body are working at full speed. That sharp state persists even after the time trial ends. When you're feeling sluggish or spaced out, just a little practice should perk you right up. Plus, it's easy and can be done anytime, so you'll keep improving. I think it would be fun to eventually hold department or company championships.

■Message from Champion Seo

We received these words from Seo-san, who actually provided the instruction:

When I first heard from you, I intuitively knew, "Stacking is absolutely perfect for Office Project!" Here are three reasons why:

・Stacking is a very simple exercise that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can do.
・It requires only equipment and a desk, can be done anywhere, and doesn't take up much space.
・It uses both hands, refreshing both the body and mind tired from work.

Every participating employee became completely absorbed in the challenge.
The final all-hands time attack became a heated battle, demanding intense concentration. The gap between 1st and 2nd place was a mere "two thousandths of a second." This razor-thin margin fuels the urge to repeat, making everyone hooked on aiming for an even faster time next time!

Given that this was a large corporation like Dentsu Inc., with employees gathered from different departments, some likely didn't know each other well beforehand. However, stacking has proven effectiveness as a communication tool, so I believe the time attack fostered new conversations and relationships.

Watching the quick work in videos is great, but the real fun, challenge, and appeal of stacking come from the actual experience. We hope feeling that leads to a refreshing effect.

Internationally, it's even adopted in elementary school curriculums, and as a result, the number of countries participating in the world championships is increasing year by year. Japan still has a ways to go, but we want people all over Japan to learn about it through "Officepo." Once you try stacking, many people get hooked! Please give it a try!

■Unleash your brain stack!

We plan to add Office Stacking to our regular menu and also incorporate it into break times during power sessions.
How about taking a little break with sports stacking when you need to stack your brain?
We're eager to keep expanding the range of Office Sports activities. We'll continue introducing new Office Sports in this Dentsu Inc. News series, so stay tuned.

Next up might be "Office Zen Meditation."

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