"One, two, three, four..." that is the 1 for six people facing a cold, dark morning at Kamezuka park in Tokyo to bend, stretch, jump, and run in the 2. It has become a 3 of daily life in Japan since the broadcasts, known as radio calisthenics (广播体操).
The three-minute workout is the 4 way to start the day, says Yukihide, a 79-year-old retired businessman who has 5 the routine nearly every day for a decade. "The exercises aren't that 6 and afterwards you feel like your body has 7 woken up."
Today, as Tokyo prepares to 8 the 2020 Olympics, Japan is hoping to 9interest in radio calisthenics. Children perform radio calisthenics before school sports days, earning 10 that can be exchanged for stationery (文具). Regular participants 11 a broad range of Japanese society: construction, factory and office workers who are encouraged to 12 their desks and start moving at 3 pm every weekday.
Studies show that people who exercise this way for just a few minutes a day have improved bone density (密度), 13 risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, and are generally in better 14 shape than other people their age who don't 15.
"There is evidence that physically active older adults have 16 rates of high blood pressure, compared with more 17 adults," the report said.
The Kamezuka park regulars have finished their workout. "It can be 18
going on a dark morning, but for some reason we all keep 19 up," says Maruyama, who has sweated. "And I'd say we're all in pretty good 20."
