Beijing workers to resume radio physical exercises

(QQ) Having 59 years of history, the Radio Exercises (广播体操: set of gymnastic exercises for groups conducted through radio music) was stopped in Beijing for the past 3 years, but it will be resumed on august 9, 2010. According to city Federation of Trade Unions spokesperson, 40,000 employees of government organizations, departments and enterprises will be doing the group exercises together along with the music from the “big speakers”.

Yesterday, the Beijing Municipal Federation of Trade Unions said starting August 9, at 10 am and 3 pm daily, Beijing will resume the broadcast of the radio exercises music, the frequency is 102.5 FM.

The Federation of Trade Unions will pursue the Radio Exercises version number 8 to total of 40,000 employees at institutions, departments and enterprises, the length of the exercises is 8 minutes.

This means the awesome scene of Beijing workers following the “big speakers” doing group exercises together at the same time is about to reappear in the capital city.

In order to publicize this event, the Beijing Municipal Federation of Trade Unions, Municipal Sports Bureau, the Municipal Health Bureau and other organizations, also will launch the “2010 capital workers to demonstrate popularizing work-break exercises (工间操)” campaign between August 9 and August 16. At the same time they also launched the propaganda slogan of “doing work break exercises for 30 minutes, working in good health for 50 years”, and specially designed the even logo.

Prior to this, because of the 2008 Beijing Olympic broadcasting programs, the radio exercises music was off the air in 2007. In 2009, the Beijing government promulgated “Healthy Beijingnese – National Health 10 year Action Plan” which determined to promote work-break (or before work) exercises, and also required each employee to conduct daily fitness activities.

“The Radio Exercises has always been the main form of work-break exercises for all the organizations and enterprises.” City Federation of Trade Unions Vice-chairman Yu Junsheng introduced the first version of exercises in 1951, and the exercises are updated every 5 to 10 years.

Yu Junsheng said that apart from the Radio Exercises, the City Federation of Trade unions will also promote other forms of exercises base on different industries and jobs. Currently there are the exercises that incorporates dancing – “double-loop exercises”, Yoga exercises, and the Tai Chi exercises which are more suitable for white-collar workers.

In the future, diabolo (Hollow bamboo), shuttlecock (hacky sack), flower sticks and other traditional folk sports are also expected to be included into the work-break exercises.

The Radio Exercises Version 8: