When I go to LA Fitness, I always see an Asian couple lying on the mat and stretching. I saw them both stretching their bodies flexibly several times. When the man was talking to other Koreans, I first realized they were Korean.
“Oh, you’re Korean?” So we exchanged greetings. However, his wife was said to be a national gymnast who participated in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He was said to be the first national representative of the Republic of Korea.
“Wow, the first national representative of the Republic of Korea! What kind of person would a husband like that be?” When I asked, he said he was a Taekwondo expert and had run a Taekwondo academy in the United States for 45 years. At the KBS morning show ‘Tuesday Invitational’, the couple introduced the story of spreading Taekwondo in the United States.
When I returned to my seat and finished my muscle exercise routine, I looked towards the mat and saw the former member of the Korean national gymnastics team lying down next to my husband, twisting one leg over his stomach and crossing his body to stretch. I went to her side, laid down next to her, introduced myself, and listened to her story.
When the 1964 Olympic Games were held in Tokyo, Japan, she was selected as Korea’s first national gymnastics representative and competed. At the time, she was a first-year college student majoring in physical education and dance. When I asked her how she met her husband, she said that they met while attending the same university’s physical education department, started dating, and then got married.
“Maybe it’s because you’re a member of the national gymnastics team or because you stretch at the gym, but you’re healthy even though you’re over 80. Many Koreans here are getting older. What kind of exercise would you recommend for them to live healthy lives without falling?”
“I would like to recommend stretching.”
“The kind of stretching you two always do here?” “Yes. Stretching is not excessive, it is safe, anyone can do it easily, and it also prevents falls.”
When we asked AI about the stretching that older people do on the mat, they recommended the following: Stretching increases the flexibility of joints and muscles, helps blood circulation, prevents falls, and relieves pain.
The first is the kneeling cat-cow pose. In the four-legged position, inhale and lower your back (small), then exhale and round your back. The second is to lie down and pull your knees to your chest. Lie on your back and slowly bring one knee to your chest. Hold for 10 seconds and then do the other side. Third, lie down and twist your back. Lie on your back, cross one knee in the opposite direction, and look with your upper body in the opposite direction. Fourth, raise your legs. Lie down and slowly lift one leg, hold for 10 seconds, and then repeat on the other side. Sixth baby pose. Kneel down, pull your hips back, place your forehead on the mat, and extend both arms forward. Rotating ankles and wrists: Slowly rotate your ankles and wrists while sitting comfortably. Lastly, continue breathing slowly without stopping. Do not force yourself and maintain natural breathing.
As I wrote in another article, I have been stretching every morning for about 40 years. When I was young, I suffered from back pain from playing tennis and golf too much, so I started stretching based on advice from an expert. After doing it for a long time, back pain disappears, and even as I get older, I hear people say, “I have a straight back.”
My stretching method to strengthen the back muscles is to lie down on your back and raise and lower your shoulders and head to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. Also, lie down, place your shoulders on the floor, lift both legs, push them to one side until they touch the floor, and repeat in the opposite direction to stretch your back. Lie on your side, supporting your body with one elbow, and bend your lower back to the floor, then straighten it up, and do easy push-ups. Sit on the floor and turn your waist as if turning a millstone, and also turn your neck. This is a stretch to strengthen my back muscles.
Before exercising to strengthen the back muscles, warm-up exercises include lying down, placing one foot on your stomach, putting the opposite finger between your toes and curling, rubbing your stomach with your bare hand, lying down and turning your eyes in all directions, rubbing your palms to warm them up and massaging your eyelids, and facial massage.
After stretching to strengthen your back muscles, stand up, hold the back of a chair, and stretch one leg long back. Do both sides alternately. Exercises such as standing on tiptoe and twisting your body to both sides, standing on tiptoe on one foot and lifting your weight from side to side, standing on one foot and kicking the opposite palm with the other foot like a jaggie kick to improve your sense of balance, and abbreviated squats. My morning stretching continues for about 30 minutes every day, focusing on strengthening my back muscles. The routine has changed several times over the years, but has continued every day.
Since my back started hurting, I am definitely seeing the effects of stretching over a long period of time. For those who are just starting out, it is important to start with well-known, easy movements. There are thousands of different types of stretching, including sitting on a chair, standing, lying down, and using equipment. There are many methods if you look for them, and if you find one that suits you one by one and stick to it, you will definitely see health benefits.
