6 Exercises Japanese Elders Do Daily To Stay Young (No Gym)
This routine takes six no-equipment movements associated with the daily habits of Japanese elders — including the national radio taiso exercise broadcasts that have run since 1928 — and presents them as a short daily practice for balance, hip strength, joint range of motion, posture, circulation and leg endurance.
Full written guide: step-by-step form, the muscles worked, common mistakes and easier and harder versions in our calf raise guide. Browse more moves in the exercise library.
What are the six exercises?
| Exercise | Stated purpose | Prescription |
|---|---|---|
| Side leg raise | Hip abductors, for balance and gait | 8 to 12 reps per side, slow and controlled, holding a chair for support |
| Hip bridge | Glutes, to take load off the lower back | 8 to 12 reps, 3 to 5 second hold at the top |
| Deep squat | Hip, knee and ankle range of motion | 8 to 12 reps with the heels flat; or a 15 to 20 second hold at the bottom |
| Reverse plank hold | Posterior chain and posture | 20 to 30 seconds, or a tabletop version to start |
| Calf raise | Lower leg strength and circulation | 10 to 15 reps, slow on the way down |
| Wall sit | Lower body endurance without impact | 20 to 30 seconds, adding 5 seconds a week |
What is radio taiso?
Radio taiso is a set of short, rhythmic calisthenic routines broadcast in Japan since 1928 and practised across all age groups. The video uses it as the organising idea behind the routine: consistent, low-impact, whole-body movement done daily rather than hard training done occasionally. It also invokes kaizen — small continuous improvement — as the underlying principle.
Read the research behind it
We have written at length on this tradition and what the evidence behind it actually shows in Japanese longevity exercises and Japanese interval walking training, which covers one of the better-studied protocols to come out of Japan. Because the video frames balance as the thing that protects independence, balance exercises for fall prevention after 60 is the natural companion piece, along with the sitting-rising test.
Get every new breakdown
New research-backed workouts on YouTube every week — no gym required.
