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00:09 Swing your arms forward, up and round. A big stretch for your back.
00:16 One, two, three, four.
00:20 For over 90 years, this is how millions of Japanese have started their day.
00:27 It's a system of calisthenics set to music from the radio.
00:34 Raggio Taiso.
00:36 Every Japanese knows these exercises.
00:41 They'll also have done them many times as a warm-up before PE classes and sports events.
00:47 How do you like it?
00:54 It was fun!
00:56 [Music]
00:59 I'd been wondering about joining this group.
01:02 It was a lot of fun, so I reckon I'll be here every morning.
01:05 This is a whole body workout that takes just three minutes
01:14 to gently exercise around 200 bones and 400 muscles.
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01:26 Many companies encourage their employees to start each work day with these exercises.
01:31 Perfect for taxi drivers who sit in their cabs all day.
01:41 It's a very effective way to prevent lower back problems.
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01:50 Doing these exercises before starting work gets my blood flowing.
01:54 My whole body feels lighter.
01:56 The city of Kasai in Hyogo
02:03 was the birthplace of one of the inventors of Raggio Taiso,
02:10 Buichi Otani.
02:14 A professor of physical education,
02:18 Otani's goal was to help people stay healthy and vigorous throughout their lives.
02:23 Otani's legacy lives on in Kasai today.
02:33 This is the city's largest shopping mall.
02:42 Inside, a big group of people is doing the Raggio Taiso exercises.
02:47 This is a joint program between Kasai City and the mall
02:56 to encourage people to combine exercise with shopping trips.
03:00 Taking part earns points that will get you a discount in many city stores.
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03:15 I never miss a session.
03:18 The mall kindly lets us use their space to do the exercises
03:21 and this makes it very easy for anyone to work out regularly.
03:25 Do you feel any improvement when you do these exercises?
03:29 Of course, I always feel great afterwards.
03:35 Created in Japan, this system of exercises is gaining popularity around the world.
03:41 Japanese instructors have now given Raggio Taiso courses in 12 countries.
03:47 Fun, simple to do and great for your health,
04:00 Raggio Taiso are exercises for life.
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