When workers typically take a break, they have a cup of coffee, sit down and “relax”. This may be the thing to do, but according to the Russians, it is not very productive. They have done many studies, all of which show that taking an active physical break helps to improve productivity as well as how you feel. In other words, by taking an active break in which they move the arms, legs and trunk, without any outside resistance is enough to stimulate the circulatory system. This increased circulation carries away many of the waste products that build up in the body when sedentary and brings in new energy stores.
Because of this, you feel better and have more energy. After such breaks, employees tend to work harder, more precisely and more effectively. This in turn increases the work that is produced. The Russians have been doing such exercise breaks for well over 40 years.
One reason for initiating this research and practice was due to the fact that after World War II, the Russian (Soviet) population was severely depleted. (They lost over 20 million people.) They did not have enough workers to fill the jobs and they did not have enough mechanical equipment to do the work for the people. Because of this, they had to get as much work out of the people as possible to help rebuild the country. However, after beginning these exercise breaks and using them for many years, they were amazed at the effectiveness of this practice and have thus continued doing them. Today, there is an even greater emphasis on research in this area to improve health and productivity. The type of exercises done on the exercise break and their duration and frequency are being looked at more precisely.
As a result, they have programs that are specific to particular types of workers. For example, if you have a sedentary job where you merely push a pencil, your workout will be different than someone who stands on an assembly line. Each profession, because of the different work that has to be done, has different exercises for them. The exercises are used to help maintain well-balanced bodies. For example, if the work involves only the use of the arms but not the legs, the legs have a tendency to atrophy and get much weaker, creating a serious imbalance. Thus, by looking at neglected areas, it is possible to maintain total body fitness.
In the last few years, many industries in the United States have picked up on the value of exercise in increasing productivity (as well as decreasing the amount of absenteeism, injury and lateness). Because of this, the companies are instituting exercise areas at the work place and even paying for workers’ memberships in health clubs in order to produce more physically fit employees. The exercise programs will probably become more specific to each enterprise as the role of exercise is more accepted throughout the work force.