Fit 3 minutes of "Oraho no Radio Taiso" into your day!

Starting your morning off just right is important for many of us as it may impact how you go about the rest of your day.

For some, this may mean taking a morning shower, stopping by at your favorite cafe for a morning cup of coffee or waking up at a certain time so that you have plenty of time to eat breakfast, dress nicely, and have a smooth transition to work, to school, or to wherever you are headed for the day.

Well, recently, I've added a new routine to my mornings :)  The new routine is to do a “radio exercise”( rajio taisou: ラジオ体操).

For those who are unfamiliar with this term, radio exercise is one of the famous styles of exercise which has been frequently shown on TV or the radio for quite a long time in Japan. In just three minutes, this brief exercise allows you to go through diverse movements (stretching, turning,  jumping) which targets the major muscles and joints of the body. The majority of Japanese people (across generations) are familiar with this exercise, as well as the background music that goes with it. They even know the exact order of each movement!

So, my new morning routine was to do a radio exercise. Not just any radio exercise but the "Oraho no Radio Taisou", which was introduced earlier in this blog: a project launched in Ishinomaki to help maintain and promote the health of the region’s residents affected by March 11th, and to contribute to the restoration of the community.

What inspired me to incorporate this into my day was actually a brief TED talk  by Matt Cutts which states to simply try something new (e.g., take a picture everyday, ride your bike to work everyday) for 30 days. So my first challenge was to complete the "Oraho no Radio Taisou" for 30 consecutive days! 

It was so great, starting my day with smiles from Ishinomaki, exercising together, and feeling closer to the people in Tohoku (I also love that it is in Tohoku dialect!) that this routine has stuck with me past the 30 days.

I hope you will try it out one day, too!!