7 Exercises the Japanese Do to Stay Youthful

According to a recent study, more than 1 in 4 people in Japan are 65 or older. To a certain extent, it is due to their balanced diet and exercise. “Rajio taiso” is a set of incredibly popular dynamic aerobic exercises that are easy to perform and can help you become more active without taking up much of your time.

We at Bright Side believe that exercising is the best way to relieve stress. We want to share these 8 fantastic and enjoyable exercises the Japanese do to stay fit. We are absolutely sure that they’ll transform your life.

1. Remember to warm up.

Warming up is an essential part of any fitness routine because it prepares your body for aerobic activity and reduces the risk of injury. When your body is warmed up enough, it becomes more flexible and helps you achieve better results. The first most important step is to relax and stretch your spine. This exercise will help you improve your posture. You need to do the following:

• Stand up straight.
• Gently raise your arms above your head.
• Stretch your spine.

2. Do some deep breathing.

Don’t forget that rajio taiso is a type of aerobic exercise, so it’s important to focus on your breathing, which is very similar to the concept of pranayama in yoga. Breathing supplies your body with oxygen while removing toxins. What’s more, breathing exercises can help you lose weight.

• Breathe in and out deeply, without holding your breath.
• Move your arms up and down.
• Focus on your abs and glutes.
• Repeat twice.

3. Flex the calves.

Most of your muscle mass is located in your lower body. That’s why it is crucial to stimulate your calves. It goes without saying that this exercise will improve your blood circulation too.

• Bend your knees and continue to breathe deeply.
• Raise your heels so your calves are flexed.
• Touch the ground with your heels for a second.
• Repeat 8 times.

4. Exercising your hands is important too.

This is perhaps one of the easiest exercises from our list:

• Stretch out your hands.
• Make sure your hands and fingers are rounded.
• Rotate them for a minute or so to increase the blood flow.

5. Open up your chest area.

This exercise is also very simple and doesn’t require any special equipment.

• Stretch your arms diagonally above and behind you.
• Stretch out your chest muscles.
• Face the palms up while stretching.
• Repeat 4 times.

6. Heighten your reflexes.

In the middle of your rajio taiso practice, remember to enhance your reflexes by doing the following:

• Touch your shoulders.
• Stretch your arms toward the ceiling.
• Return them back to the shoulders, then point downward.
• Repeat twice and make sure these movements are conducted quickly to strengthen your reflexes.

7. Rotate your upper body.

This is a full-body exercise that will make your body move.

• Keep breathing steadily.
• Keep the distance between your hands.
• Rotate your body from the waist.
• Repeat twice in both directions.

Don’t overdo it.

Just like with any type of exercise, it is important to remember not to overdo it.

• Don’t push yourself too hard.
• Do things at your own pace.
• Don’t force it so your body can naturally adjust to your new routine.

What’s your favorite type of exercise? Do you enjoy doing fast-paced cardio or slow exercises more?