Try this: Rajio taiso
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Want a fast, fun way to jump-start your morning or recharge your afternoon? Try rajio taiso ("radio exercise"), a popular Japanese dynamic movement routine, set to music, that lasts about three minutes.
Rajio taiso's origins date back to the 1920s, when radio stations in six U.S. cities broadcast the moves for 15-minute exercise routines accompanied by a pianist. The U.S. programs eventually faded away, but Japan adopted its own version.
Today, rajio taiso is practiced daily by millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in Japan, from schoolchildren to office workers to older adults. Participants cite its many benefits, such as increasing flexibility, stamina, balance, and energy levels.
Rajio taiso is designed to be accessible for everyone. Most routines follow the same sequence of 13 easy-to-do movements. These include bending side to side, twisting left and right, swinging the arms, stretching overhead, marching in place, and touching the toes. It can be done standing or sitting.
Japan's public radio and TV stations broadcast rajio taiso every morning, but many people in Japan do it on their own schedule. You can find many routines to follow by searching online and on YouTube.
Image: © andreswd/Getty Images
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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