Japanese Radio Calisthenics PE minutes

This might be hard to start seeing as the end of the school year is quickly approaching, but this might be helpful to implement next year as a morning routine to students of all ages. It'll also be helpful in reaching those PE minutes. This will be at least 30 minutes a week.

I had heard of businesses and other professions in Japan taking breaks to practice tai chi, which helped production and stress-reduction, but I had no never heard of Japanese radio calisthenics. It is only about a 6 minute morning warm-up that is said to aid in overall physical and mental states of being. As I was researching the radio calisthenics, I was amazed to discover the history of the implementation, and how almost everyone in Japan knows the routine, young and old. I found countless videos of people who drop everything once they hear the music to perform the calisthenics. There is a set song and routine that Japanese have been taught since a young age. From what I understand, there is a Song #1 and Song #2 that contain different choreographed movements. Song #1 is the more popular from what I have found.

I think it's a great idea to try out. Obviously classroom management will have to be rigid when first implementing it (especially with older students), but I think it has the potential to be a great morning routine with a lot of great benefits for the students. It will be great to have a routine leader each week or day to lead the class for those who forget steps. The routine will likely run itself by the middle of the year. I'm looking forward to trying this out with my students.

Here are some links that provide instruction on the calisthenics; the latter of which provides an interesting history dating back to 1917.

http://slism.com/diet/calisthenics-workout-routine.html

http://thisjapaneselife.org/2013/05/15/radio-taiso-japan/