Will radio exercise be out in the cold?
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Beijing's public radio station will resume its radio exercise program today after a three-year hiatus for the 2008 Olympics. About 4 million workers are expected to join the exercise.
The radio exercise program was started in 1951 to build strength. Once a popular activity, workers would exercise together during their work breaks to music on the station. Today, only seven government and public institutions still have work-organized exercise activities during their break times out of 30 surveyed by the Beijing Daily.
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Staff of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning doing radio exercise during work break on Aug. 3, 2010. |
The survey also found that 76.7 percent of workers have never exercised during their work breaks. Respondents said the main reason is because there was no organized mass activity. The lack of space and time also was a factor.
Some workers have fond memories of exercising to radio programming and welcome the return of the activity.
Yang, who works in a neighborhood committee in Wangjing in east Beijing, said he is a big fan of radio exercise programs. He said hundreds of people at the state-owned factory where he worked in the 1990s would exercise together in the morning to radio music.
"Radio exercise is simple and effective," Yang said. "What is there against it?"
Xiaona, who works at China Customs Press, agreed. She said radio-led exercise is a lot fun because it "builds strength, enlivens work atmosphere and reminds me of my childhood."
But not everyone is looking forward to its return.
Xiaoya, who works in the Tourism Bureau of Chaoyang District, is worried that the exercise would interfere with her work.
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