Getting in shape is vital not only to you but also to your employment in Japan. So, it absolutely makes sense to find ways to stay in shape and keep interesting enough so as to keep repeating it over and over again until you reach your desired physique, or maintain your current physique. Health is wealth. And, one of the building blocks that makes a person healthy is exercise – along with a balanced diet and ample rest. So, aside from going to the gym, what other exercises can you do at home?
Home Workouts You Can Do When In Japan
Ready to start your home workout? Keep reading and try one of these 4 At-Home Workouts you can do without any equipment. Here’s a list that would help you!
1. Radio Taiso
Rajio Taiso or Radio Calisthenics is something that you see being done mostly by elderly people and japanese workers usually seen in parks. In a nutshell, it involves the radioman giving quick, easy-to-follow exercise routines with upbeat music and a manual voice counting – one, two, three, four, etc.
There’s Japanese radio taiso, and there’s English radio taiso. There’s also a TV version of the radio taiso featuring women dancers – both seated and standing. So you can follow them whether sitting down, or standing up.
2. Yoga
Yoga, in a nutshell, is a series of postures that you need to hold over a period of time. One thing I may have forgotten to mention is that it also involves a little bit of pranayama which is an art of breathing for relaxation. That being said, you are to hold a challenging posture while relaxing in order to maintain that posture.
Yoga has been known to help people reduce weight, improve posture, and overall health. Another noteworthy feature of yoga is that it isn’t a physical practice, it is a spiritual practice that is, in fact, part of 8 limbs of the yogi practice that acts like a vehicle or path towards enlightenment. Pretty cool if you ask me.
3. Pilates
Originally, pilates was used to assist dancers suffering from injuries to recover ro improve their movement by way of controlled, mechanical body movements. Modern-day pilates is used to regain or improve balance and/or to improve posture, overall health, and body awareness.
To quote Joseph Pilates, the one who developed Pilates: “A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence are worth doing sloppy exercise or forced contortion.”
The routines often target very specific muscle groups which is great if you’re trying to tone or sculpt a specific part of your body.
4. Body Weight Workout
Of course, the good old body weight workouts. The principle is fairly simple – use your own body weight as resistance – no dumbbells, no barbells, no equipment needed. The guiding principle is as sweet as self-love – all you really need is you and a little space for a workout.
The exercises are fairly common. Perhaps, too common we already know some of them and quite possibly have done quite a few of them – like planking, wall sits, pushups, pull-ups, and squats.
Conclusion
Keeping your body fit, strong, and healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, classy, or complicated. These 4 on the list above proves that quite as much. It doesn’t matter if you’re stuck at home, working from home, in a park, or at the office – arguably, any of these 4 can be done pretty much anywhere. The key to any exercise is consistency. That you do it over a long period of time. Experts advise to start small and do increments as soon as you see progress. Always challenge yourself and be stronger than you were yesterday or a week ago.
Furthermore, along with proper exercise, don’t forget to eat healthy and to rest. You know what experts say, your muscles grow when you rest. The more you rest, the more your muscles grow. Nutrition and ample rest is as important as your exercise routine. Keep at it! Gambatte!
References:
https://kokumura.medium.com/how-the-japanese-exercise-to-stay-youthful-be2d6105e6e6
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200609-the-life-long-exercise-that-keeps-japan-moving
https://www.japankuru.com/en/culture/e2263.html