Study finds Chinese technique of ‘swinging the arms’ can improve overall health, slows down ageing

The exercise method is more than 1000 years old, consists of five sets of arm swings, as per researchers

Are you also seeking alternatives to spending money on expensive gym memberships because you want to keep in shape? A recent study found that walking speed, posture and flexibility improved in women who did traditional Chinese arm swing three times a week for two months. The women, who were in their 60s and 70s, discovered that exercising Shuai Shou Gong made daily tasks like dressing and cooking simpler. As per the study, this is a secret to a healthy old age.

According to researcher Professor Neil Roberts of Edinburgh University, these results show that older persons may easily learn and enjoy the gentle, rhythmic Shuai Shou Gong whole-body exercise sequence, which also enhances overall health and well-being, reports Daily Mail.

Simple swinging might help

The more than 1,000-year-old fitness practice consists of a series of five-arm swings. The first four entail raising the arms to shoulder height and swinging them back and forwards. On the fifth beat, you bend your knees twice, once when you move your arms back and once when you bring them forward. The procedure is then repeated several times, in this exercise method.

The seemingly straightforward actions have a wide range of advantages. The muscles in the hips and thighs are strengthened through knee bends. According to the journal Plos One, swinging the arms stimulates the muscles, tendons, and nerves surrounding the shoulder. In the first study, the researchers found that 56 women between the ages of 60 and 80 were separated into two groups.

Over the course of two months, one participant regularly attended three 40-minute Shuai Shou Gong sessions. The second group carried on with their daily activities as usual. The arm swingers then saw improvements in posture, a person’s manner of walking, and flexibility. They felt more confident and found everyday duties to be simpler. The walking of the other group did not improve at all; in fact, it became worse.

Using Shuai Shou Gong, according to Professor James Goodwin of Exeter University, would provide many benefits to the general public. It would sustain the quality of life, promote mental health, and maybe even slow down ageing in general, he continued.