Today’s blog post is blessedly short. And yes, I have an ulterior motive. I’m hoping you’ll walk away from your computer, put down that tablet, and shove your mobile phone in your pocket or purse.

And workout!

That’s right—morning calisthenics, exercises to get that blood flowing to start your day. The statistics appear to support the notion that Americans are working out more than ever.

Journalist Derek Thompson has the data to prove it. An American Time Use (ATUS) series of surveys going back to the turn of the century dramatically illustrate the increases in exercising or participating in sports on any given day:

And in the last four years, the trend hasn’t just solidified—it clearly shows that Americans are working out at all-time highs.

Thompson offers a number of theories as to why this exercise boon is happening—but that’s all they are—logical guesses. He speculates some of these increases in working out may be due to a post-COVID reality. He also notes that older people—particularly women—have been on a fitness upswing in recent years. It’s the same thing for young people, and their penchant for doing things alone rather than in groups.

But the one country that’s well ahead of the U.S. when it comes to health and physical fitness is Japan. Over the weekend the Associated Press’ Stephen Wade filed a story about Japan’s nearly 100-year history with working out, going all the way back to Emperor Hirohito’s regime that began way back in 1928.

The Japanese system is just a 10-minute program designed for the mornings and it’s calisthenics-based. Unlike what we see in American gyms, the Japanese typically run their routines in groups, often in open gathering areas like city parks.

Here are some quick data hits that are impressive:

• The Japanese are among the top-ranking national populations for life expectancy—85 years-old, compared to just 79 in the U.S.
• In late ’25, the Japanese government announced there were nearly 100,000 people who were centenarians—alive for 100 years or more. And yes, nearly nine in ten of them are women. No other country can touch Japan for these elders relative to the total population (122 million).
• A 2023 survey indicated that more than 20 million people participate in these morning workouts weekly or more often.

So, does this program have a name?

Yes, and it’s called Radio Taiso. In fact, the word “taiso” translates to “Exercise Radio” in English. This 100 year-old Japanese craze was actually inspired by America where it was started way back when by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (yes, the company repped in their advertising over the years by the “Peanuts” characters, notably Snoopy).

According to the AP’s Wade, “This is how Japan wakes up.” Radio Taiso starts with music that is the soundtrack for the calisthenics, along with basic instructions. Although Wade notes most Japanese know the basic moves by heart, Radio Taiso routines are shared by millions—often in visible spots (workplaces, schools, parks, and of course, at home).

It sure made the radio programmer in me wonder about the viability of a program like Radio Taiso here in the U.S. (Although I’d probably start it at 6:30am to ensure my version of this wildly popular 10-minute program would capture two quarter-hours, especially given the “three-minute rule” in PPM.)

What would happen if an already highly popular morning show—say, like Mojo here in Detroit—were to lock down an everyday routine—his version of Radio Taiso (Radio Mojo?).

Of course, the safest way to test drive the American version of Taiso would be to utilize an HD2 station for these dedicated calisthenics (along with a YouTube channel).

And that got me thinking about that rumored transaction between iHeartMedia and SiriusXM that broke last Friday. There’s been a lot of talk focused on what these two companies might be thinking.

The synergies are obvious—each company has a strong podcasting footprint. Each also has an impressive stable of talent, from Ryan Seacrest and Charlamagne to Howard Stern.

But with 850+ radio stations in its portfolio, combined with SXM’s 33 million or so subscribers, you’ve got a pretty solid base of users—albeit aging ones. Perhaps, just the types of people who could use a smart, 10-minute morning workout—with a radio soundtrack.

Given all those HD “extra stations” in iHeart’s stable combined with programming on 150+ satellite radio channels and you can imagine lots of programming synergy—and even more commercial avails.

There might even be room for a national Radio Taiso show.

Tapping into a mass appeal radio format is everyone’s Holy Grail. For me, a format like Radio Taiso might be bigger than Classic Rock (and much cheaper to run). You could run a fresh 1-minute routing on the quarter-hours.

Just be sure those “live reads” don’t start piling up.

Here’s a 10-minute Radio Taiso program:

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Fred Jacobs

President & Founder at Jacobs Media

Fred Jacobs founded Jacobs Media in 1983, and quickly became known for the creation of the Classic Rock radio format.

Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.

In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.

Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.

Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.

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