Radio Taiso Morning Calisthenics Routine Script (Class 1-5)
A complete Radio Taiso morning calisthenics routine script for primary school students in Japan, featuring short, standard, and long leading versions.

- Lengths
- 3 min · 5 min · 10 min
- Lines to lead
- 22 in the standard run
- Breathing
- 4 in · 4 out
- The words
- Official text, as issued
- Stop and sit if you feel dizzy
- Only for Yoga, Exercise, Radio Calisthenics
Stand up quietly and make sure you have room around you.
Stand straight with feet together.
Next: Safety first. Stop and sit down if you feel dizzy.
The 4-0-4 breath
In for 4, out for 4. 4 rounds. Natural breathing synchronized with rhythmic movements throughout the routine.
- Breathe in4s
- Breathe out4s
The whole script, with the seconds
Hand this to whoever leads tomorrow. The left column is said aloud, the right is what the room does. A number is the seconds that line takes, silence included.
3 minute run20 lines · runs 3:14
Before you begin: Stand up quietly and make sure you have room around you.
- 5s Good morning everyone. Let us start Radio Taiso together.🤫 Speak clearly into the microphone Stand tall with feet together and arms at sides.
- 5s Please check your space so you do not hit anyone. Extend arms out wide to check personal space.
- 5s Stretch your arms up high and reach for the sky. Raise arms overhead and reach upward gently.
- 15s (silence) Reach high overhead and slowly lower arms to sides.
- 5s Bend your knees softly and lift arms to the sides. Prepare for knee bends.
- 20s (silence) Bend knees rhythmically while lifting arms to shoulder height eight times.
- 5s Circle your right arm up and over to the side. Prepare arm circles.
- 15s (silence) Circle arms inward and outward four times.
- 5s Open your chest wide and breathe in fresh morning air. Prepare chest expansion.
- 15s (silence) Open arms wide to the sides four times.
- 5s Reach your right arm over and lean to the left. Prepare side stretch.
- 15s (silence) Side stretch left twice, then right arm over twice.
- 5s Bend forward three times, then gently bend backward now. Prepare forward and back bends.
- 15s (silence) Bounce forward gently three times, then place hands on hips and lean back.
- 5s Twist your body left and right with relaxed arms. Prepare body twists.
- 15s (silence) Swing arms side to side rhythmically four times.
- 5s Jump softly on tiptoes four times and step out. Prepare light jumps.
- 15s (silence) Perform four light hops and two step outs wide.
- 5s Take a deep breath in as you reach up tall. Prepare final deep breath.
- 14s (silence) Inhale deeply raising arms overhead, exhale lowering arms.
The room repeats: Thank you everyone, let us have a wonderful day.
5 minute run22 lines · runs 5:00
Before you begin: Stand up quietly and make sure you have room around you.
- 5s Good morning class. Stand tall for our morning Radio Taiso.🤫 Maintain steady cadence Stand straight with feet together.
- 5s Safety first. Stop and sit down if you feel dizzy. Check personal space and make sure feet are grounded.
- 5s First exercise. Stretch your whole body up toward the sky. Raise arms overhead and stretch tall.
- 20s (silence) Stretch arms high overhead, circle them wide down to sides twice.
- 5s Second exercise. Bend knees softly and lift both arms side. Prepare knee bends.
- 25s (silence) Rhythmic knee bends with side arm lifts for eight counts.
- 5s Third exercise. Rotate your arms in smooth circles around now. Prepare arm rotations.
- 20s (silence) Circle arms inward four times, then outward four times.
- 5s Fourth exercise. Open your chest wide and stand up straight. Prepare chest stretches.
- 20s (silence) Expand chest wide by pulling elbows back four times.
- 5s Fifth exercise. Reach overhead and bend sideways to the left. Prepare lateral side bends.
- 25s (silence) Lean left twice with right arm overhead, then right twice.
- 5s Sixth exercise. Bend forward gently, then place hands on hips. Prepare forward and backward bends.
- 25s (silence) Bounce forward three times softly, then lean back slightly.
- 5s Seventh exercise. Twist your torso left and right with rhythm. Prepare trunk rotation.
- 25s (silence) Twist left, right, left, right, then reach diagonally up.
- 5s Eighth exercise. Lift your heels and reach arms up high. Prepare heel raises.
- 20s (silence) Rise onto tiptoes four times while raising arms.
- 5s Ninth exercise. Light hops in place, four jumps and step. Prepare jumps.
- 25s (silence) Hop lightly four times, then do two jumping jacks or steps.
- 5s Final exercise. Deep breathing to bring calm to our bodies. Prepare cool down.
- 35s (silence) Inhale deeply raising arms slowly, exhale lowering arms fully.
The room repeats: Thank you everyone, let us have a wonderful day.
10 minute run26 lines · runs 8:50
Before you begin: Stand up quietly and make sure you have room around you.
- 5s Welcome everyone. Let us begin our full morning exercise routine. Stand in neat lines facing front.
- 5s Check your safety space. Stop and sit if feeling dizzy. Extend arms out to confirm safe clearance.
- 5s Warm up sequence. Roll your shoulders back gently four times. Prepare shoulder rolls.
- 25s (silence) Roll shoulders backward four times, then forward four times.
- 5s First full movement. Stretch arms overhead and reach very tall. Prepare full stretch.
- 35s (silence) Raise arms overhead, reach high, and circle down. Repeat four times.
- 5s Second movement. Knee bends with side arm lifts in rhythm. Prepare knee bends.
- 40s (silence) Perform sixteen counts of knee bends with side arm lifts.
- 5s Third movement. Circle both arms inward and then outward wide. Prepare arm circles.
- 35s (silence) Perform eight inward arm circles and eight outward arm circles.
- 5s Fourth movement. Open your chest and pull shoulder blades back. Prepare chest expansions.
- 35s (silence) Open arms wide to stretch chest muscles for eight counts.
- 5s Fifth movement. Side bends left and right with high reaches. Prepare lateral bends.
- 40s (silence) Lean left twice, lean right twice. Repeat full sequence.
- 5s Sixth movement. Bend forward three times and lean back gently. Prepare forward and backward stretches.
- 40s (silence) Rhythmic bounces forward three times, hands on hips, lean back.
- 5s Seventh movement. Twist body smoothly left and right with arms. Prepare dynamic twists.
- 40s (silence) Swing arms side to side four times, then diagonal reach left and right.
- 5s Eighth movement. Heel raises on tiptoes with deep breath. Prepare heel raises.
- 35s (silence) Rise onto tiptoes eight times while lifting arms overhead.
- 5s Ninth movement. Around the world circles with whole upper body. Prepare body circles.
- 40s (silence) Rotate torso in large full circle clockwise twice, counterclockwise twice.
- 5s Tenth movement. Light jumps on tiptoes and wide step outs. Prepare jumping routine.
- 35s (silence) Perform eight light hops followed by four jumping jacks or steps.
- 5s Cooling down now. Deep breathing in through your nose softly. Prepare final breathing.
- 60s (silence) Inhale slowly for four counts raising arms, exhale for six counts lowering arms. Repeat six times.
The room repeats: Thank you everyone, let us have a wonderful day.
In its own language, and what it means
おはようございます。ラジオ体操を始めます。手を上に伸ばして、深呼吸をしましょう。
Ohayou gozaimasu. Rajio taisou wo hajimemasu. Te wo ue ni nobashite, shinkokyuu wo shimashou.
What it means
Radio Taiso is a traditional morning exercise routine practiced across Japan to warm up the body and energize the mind. It helps students improve flexibility, posture, and focus for a healthy school day.
Where it comes from
Official reprinted unaltered Source ↗
How to stand, and when to stop
Posture
- Stand straight with feet together
- Keep shoulders relaxed and back flat
- Let arms hang naturally at sides before starting
So the room follows you
Worth knowing before you lead
- Radio Taiso is a daily Japanese exercise routine broadcast on NHK radio at 6:30 AM.
- The standard routine contains 13 easy exercises designed to awaken the whole body.
- It requires no special equipment and takes about 3 minutes to complete.
- Millions of people in Japan practice it in schools, parks, workplaces, and homes.
- It helps build community spirit, improves circulation, and prepares students for the school day.
Words in the script
Radio calisthenics or exercise routine broadcast daily in Japan
Japanese school sports day where Radio Taiso is often used as a warm-up
Rhythmic bodyweight exercises designed to improve fitness and flexibility
Why this, and how it is done
Leading morning calisthenics is a wonderful way to help your classmates awaken their bodies and start the school day with energy. This page gives you a step-by-step Radio Taiso script formatted specifically for primary school student leaders. You can choose from three timing options depending on how much time your morning assembly allows: a quick 3-minute short routine, a standard 5-minute version, or a full 10-minute long session with deep cooling down.
Before you begin, make sure you stand in front of the group where everyone can see you. Speak clearly, keep your rhythm steady, and mirror the movements so younger students can easily follow along. Always remind your class to check their space and sit down safely if they feel tired or lightheaded.
About this piece
- Radio Taiso is a traditional daily exercise routine broadcast across Japan by NHK public radio at 6:30 AM.
- First introduced in 1928, the modern Radio Taiso No. 1 routine was established in 1951 with piano music composed by Tadashi Hattori.
- The routine contains 13 simple bodyweight exercises designed to mobilize joints, improve posture, and boost blood circulation.
- Millions of students, workers, and seniors practice Radio Taiso daily in schools, parks, and workplaces.
- It requires no special equipment and is suitable for participants of all ages and physical abilities.
How it is done
- In Japan, Radio Taiso is performed daily in groups to music and instructions broadcast on NHK radio, serving as a popular morning warm-up and sports day tradition.
Sources: Current time information in Japan. · Radio Taiso: Benefits & Exercise - Japan Avenue · Radio Taiso Background Notes - The Japan Society · Radio Taiso - A Storied History - Japan-America Society of Houston · Radio Taiso: The 3-Minute Japanese Exercise Routine - yes2next · Radio Taisō: Japan's 3 Minute Workout Millions Do Every Morning | Impakt Blog · Japan awakens to Radio Taiso exercise tradition. One face of the country's longevity - 10TV · Radio Taiso: Japan's 3-Minute Morning Exercise for 50+ · Radio Taiso: The Simple Japanese Warm-Up with Lasting Benefits - Pulse Social · 5 Proven Benefits of Doing Radio Taiso Exercise Every Morning - YouTube · Radio Made the Exercise Star - by Hiroko Yoda - Japan Happiness · Radio Taisō: A Nuanced History of a Nearly 100-Year-Old Tradition - Unseen Japan · Radio Taiso: A Three Minute Exercise the Japanese Do Every Day - InsideHook · Radio Taiso - The Japan Society · Radio-Taiso-Movements-Card.pdf - The Japan Society · Radio Taiso - YouTube · Radio Taiso Japanese morning exercise for health & wellness
Next in the calm
Radio Calisthenics · 3 / 5 / 10 minMorning Radio Calisthenics Routine for Students
Radio Calisthenics · 3 / 5 / 10 minRadio Taiso No. 1 Routine for School Assembly