A small building at the south entrance of Wangfujing, which is the office location of the National Sports Federation Preparatory Committee.

"Comrade Chen Qiang, Director Wang asked me to inform you and go to the conference room for a meeting." A woman's voice sounded.

"Secretary Yang, I'll go there right away." Chen Qiang picked up his notebook, tidied up his clothes, and walked towards the conference room.

This Secretary Yang was born in a wealthy overseas Chinese family. He studied gymnastics and sports management in Japan when he was young. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, she resolutely studied and went to Yan'an to devote herself to the anti-Japanese cause. When she was in Yan'an, Secretary Yang had organized many colorful sports activities. After the founding of New China, she served as secretary in the Sports General Preparatory Committee.

When everyone was present in the conference room, Director Wang announced the start of the meeting.

Director Wang took the lead in speaking: "Comrades, the country has clarified its policy on developing sports. We are now in the period of economic recovery, and we do not hold large-scale sports meetings. We focus on the popularization of sports. Sports work requires schools to factories, from the army to local areas, from cities to rural areas, focusing on schools, factories and troops. This is also the guiding direction for our next work."

"Next, let's talk about the first item of our meeting today. I have a document here, which is the physical examination statistics from the recruitment office. Comrades pass it on and read it. In addition, I will emphasize it again and pay attention to confidentiality discipline." Director Wang said, handing out the document.

Everyone quickly circulated the document, and Director Wang said: "Comrades, you all saw that the situation is not optimistic. A simple enlistment physical examination actually blocked many passionate young people who are willing to join the army from the gate of the army. Many people are either too short or too thin, and have many diseases. It is no exaggeration to say that the physical fitness of young people does not meet the requirements of recruitment has affected our national defense security!"

After the founding of New China, the physical examination standards for recruits were much stricter than before. However, China in that era had just experienced wars and was in ruins. At that time, the average life expectancy of China was only 35 years old, the mortality rate of infants and young children was as high as 20%, and more than 90% of the people were malnourished. The physical fitness of the Chinese was generally poor. The threshold for recruitment was slightly raised, which was enough to stop a large number of aspiring young people who wanted to join the army and serve the motherland.

"Director Wang, our country has a weak foundation, and most people have not even solved the problem of food and clothing. Malnutrition is a common phenomenon. Isn't this malnutrition just because of thin and short!" someone said.

"You are right. There are so many people in our country, and it is not easy to fill our stomachs. Therefore, all the leaders have always attached great importance to grain production, hoping that every people can eat enough! We are powerless in the matter of grain production, but now that the country is facing difficulties, we should also find ways to solve the problems of the country. It is our important task to improve the physical fitness of the whole people and improve the health level of the people through the development of sports. This time, we convened everyone for a meeting, hoping to brainstorm and see if there are any methods that can make the physical fitness of the people quickly and significantly improve." Director Wang said.

"Director Wang, there are so many people in our country. It is not something that can be accomplished overnight. This matter is not urgent, so you have to take it step by step." Another person said.

Director Wang nodded helplessly: "Professor Chen, you are right. I also know that developing a sports career cannot help you grow. The comrades here are all experts in sports. I still urge everyone to think of ways and come up with ideas."

Everyone suddenly fell into deep thought, and it was obvious that this was a big problem.

Seeing that everyone had no idea, Chen Qiang sighed helplessly and said, "Actually, there is no way."

"Comrade Chen Qiang, do you have a solution?" Director Wang asked anxiously.

"I thought of something that if I promote it, it may improve the physical fitness of the masses." Chen Qiang said.

"What is it?" Everyone also looked at Chen Qiang.

"Broadcasting gymnastics." Chen Qiang said these four words.

"Is radio gymnastics? Is it a kind of gymnastics?" Director Wang asked.

"Radio gymnastics is a kind of bare hands exercise. It does not use equipment and only requires a limited venue. It can be regarded as a bare hands exercise that follows the radio, or it can be used to direct the rhythm with a command." Chen Qiang explained.

Everyone nodded with great enlightenment: "So it's just fucking with bare hands."

"In the past, Japanese people had a kind of 'chip fucking', which was a kind of 'naked-handed fucking. Japanese students all had to learn that kind of chip fucking. I also learned some at that time." Secretary Yang said. She had studied in Japan and had a good understanding of the situation in Japan.

Another person next to him also spoke: "Under the German gymnastics system, there are also many exercises for bare hands."

"When I was studying in the Soviet Union, I also saw comrades in the Soviet Union perform bare hands exercises. There are three types of gymnastics, one is hygiene exercises, one is auxiliary gymnastics, and the other is instrumental gymnastics, among which hygiene exercises are a kind of bare hands exercises."

"I heard that there were military gymnastics exercises in the Whampoa Military Academy back then, and there were also bare hands."

Everyone started to discuss it in a slight manner.

Compared with other sports, bare hands do not require equipment, multiple people cooperate, and only a limited venue, which can be performed anytime and anywhere. This is indeed easier to promote than other sports.

Moreover, China was poor and deserted at that time. Not to mention sports that required equipment, there was not even a flat track in many places, and even a sprint training could not be completed. At this time, physical exercise through radio gymnastics was obviously the most in line with China's national conditions.

What's more, developed countries have already had precedents for exercise with bare hands. Not to mention Japan and Germany, the Soviet Union alone also had bare hands exercises, which would convince the National Sports Federation to promote radio gymnastics. After all, in that era, many things were learned from the "Big Brother of the Soviet Union".

Chen Qiang introduced the advantages of radio gymnastics in detail. Director Wang nodded repeatedly after hearing this. He immediately felt that radio gymnastics was very suitable for today's China, and it would be an important way to improve the physical fitness of the people.

"Comrade Chen Qiang, your idea is very good. I also hope that you can write a written report and I will report it to the superior leader." Director Wang said.

"No problem, I will write a detailed report on radio gymnastics immediately after I go back." Chen Qiang replied.

...

Chen Qiang's suggestion to promote radio gymnastics was quickly taken seriously by superior leaders, and the superior leaders also gave a reply, asking the Preparatory Committee of the China Sports Federation to create a set of radio gymnastics to mobilize the general public to participate in physical exercise and improve the physical fitness of the whole nation.

Director Wang summoned everyone to the conference room to discuss the creation of radio gymnastics.

"Comrades, this is the first time in China's strength. However, creating a set of radio gymnastics is not that easy. This time, I convened everyone for a meeting. I hope I can gather my ideas together. Let's think about how to create radio gymnastics. Let's complete this task together!" Director Wang finished speaking, and looked at Chen Qiang first, and then said: "Comrade Chen Qiang, you proposed the radio gymnastics. You should talk about your thoughts first!"

Chen Qiang did not refuse. He cleared his throat and said, "My comrades, I think creating and editing radio gymnastics is a very professional thing. It requires professional gymnastics talents, so I think we can ask professionals for advice and ask them to help us create radio gymnastics. Their Sports General Assembly Committee is all professional talents in sports, but in addition to our Sports General Assembly Committee, we also need to work together. There are also many excellent sports talents in various universities, such as Professor Ma from Peking University, Professor Yuan from Tsinghua University, and Professor Hu from Nankai. We can ask them for advice."

"In addition, we can learn from some successful experiences abroad. For example, our Secretary Yang has learned chili gymnastics in Japan? We can write a set of radio gymnastics based on chili gymnastics. Professor Chen, who once studied in the Soviet Union, could write a set of radio gymnastics based on the Soviet Union's hygiene exercises. Secretary Yang, Professor Chen, let you write a set of our own radio gymnastics based on what you learned abroad before. It is definitely okay?" Chen Qiang said and looked at the two of them.

"No problem!" the two of them said in unison.

Chen Qiang continued, "When we collect enough plans from the experts, we can conduct an evaluation, learn from others' strengths, select the best from the best, and even combine different plans together to finally develop a set of radio gymnastics suitable for us Chinese."

"It's right, it seems that Comrade Chen Qiang has a plan!" Director Wang said with a smile.

Chen Qiang had more than one set of radio gymnastics in his mind. He could directly take out the mature radio gymnastics that had been scientifically proven and promoted directly in later generations. However, Chen Qiang still considered the environment at that time and decided to start from a collective perspective to avoid individualism. He proposed to brainstorm and solicit opinions from professionals.

Of course, Chen Qiang will design a set of radio gymnastics like other experts and participate in the evaluation. When the evaluation is over, Chen Qiang's plan will be better and will eventually be selected as the official plan for radio gymnastics, and no one will gossip.

...

Sports people in New China were full of enthusiasm for work. Not long after the notice of the General Preparatory Committee of the Sports General Preparatory Committee solicited radio gymnastics plans was issued, several sets of plans were received, all from professionals from various universities in Beijing. Within the General Preparatory Committee of the Sports General Preparatory Committee, staff also created several alternative plans.

At this time, Chen Qiang submitted his plan, which did not seem abrupt. On the contrary, if Chen Qiang did nothing, it would be inappropriate.

With more than a dozen plans, the General Sports General Committee convened experts and held a radio gymnastics evaluation meeting.

—————
Chapter completed!