You should work on increasing your flexibility in addition to building more muscle, particularly if you want to feel good as you age or prevent issues and injuries in the gym.
Stretching and flexibility exercises are a frequent place for workouts of all kinds to begin, but there are also entire routines devoted to this, and experts believe it’s just as important for a full plan as strength and endurance activities.
And improving your flexibility doesn’t require you to do painful stretches or turn into a contortionist for the circus; all you have to do is pay attention to your body and concentrate on going forward gradually. The Japanese have a useful routine for this that has been around for a while.
Because of the healthy practices they practice every day, including flexibility work, the Japanese are among the healthiest people in the world.
The daily Japanese habit you need for more flexibility
There is an exercise called Rajio Taiso, which, according to the BBC, gained popularity in the 1920s and is currently done by millions of Japanese people in parks, schools, and even offices, sometimes more than once a day. Some people think that doing this is the key to living longer and aging more healthily and independently.
This practice is thought to increase flexibility as well as keep individuals busy and healthy, reduce discomfort, and lengthen lifespans. According to the BBC, the workout program is separated into three different exercises with varying degrees of difficulty: the first is called “dai-ichi,” followed by “dai-ni,” and finally “dai-san,” which is the exercise that demands the most movement and is performed by young people.
It just takes three minutes to complete the program, which involves moving your feet, shoulders, arms, and other body parts. People who work in offices or who spend a lot of time sitting or in the same position throughout the day are especially encouraged to try it.
The exercise typically includes 13 motions – a full-body workout
According to the BBC, Dai-ichi is a 13-movement form that starts with a slow raising of the arms over the head. The arms start across the chest in movement two and swing down like pendulums until they are stretched to either side. The knees are moved lightly in tandem with this, just enough to induce sweat. The participants do small star jumps to the beat of the music in movement 11. This is as strict a routine as there is. To give it a chance to settle down a bit, the final two moves repeat steps one and two.
According to The Economic Times, the audio contain directions that listeners should heed: “Rotate your arms after raising your arms and erecting your body. Now softly bend forward while rhythmically bouncing three times. then take a step back.”
Additionally, since the routines are broadcast on the radio in the nation, people are already aware of specific times of the day when they can stop for a while to get active and stretch their muscles, which also helps with conditions like back and neck pain. Another benefit is that it is an exercise that is done in a group.
