The Soviet Union was known for its athletes and overall popularity of sports, both professional and amateur. Skiing, hiking, football, gymnastics – a significant portion of the population was involved in at least one form of physical activity. In fact, it was hard to avoid exercise altogether. 

Nationwide workouts

Before TVs became the norm at every house, everyone listened to the radio. If you turned it on in the morning, you’d hear instructions for – you guessed it – a set of fitness exercises, or zaryadka (зарядка). As families got ready for work or school, they could join in for a quick morning stretch. 

A few hours later, at 11 AM, there would be another workout break with a more confusing name – proizvodstvennaya gimnastika (производственная гимнастика; roughly translated as “workplace gymnastics”). At this time, workers everywhere, from offices to factories, would pause to join each other for a brief exercise session. It was a collective activity, and skipping it was frowned upon.

The Soviet fitness routine involved simple movements: swings, sit-ups, bends, and stretches. It may not sound like much, but these exercises were actually developed by scientists, for example, at the Leningrad Scientific-Research Institute of Physical Culture.

Their goal was to create a short workout that delivered maximum efficiency with minimal effort. And it seems like they succeeded: studies showed that such exercises increased productivity and improved the overall well-being of workers.

A second life 

Proizvosdvennaya gimnastika was practiced from the 1930s until the 1980s; in the following decades, this tradition mostly died out. Today, some might argue that it’s inappropriate for employers to pressure workers into exercising. Fair enough! But on the other hand, as a sedentary lifestyle becomes more and more widespread, the idea of taking a break from work to do some stretches doesn’t sound so bad after all.

Think of it as you will: maybe it’s a controversial and outdated practice from Soviet times, or maybe it’s a healthy habit some of us could benefit from, at least individually. Either way, it certainly left its mark and impacted the daily life of Soviet people.

If you’re wondering what a typical workout was like, you can find recordings online. Maybe you could even try to follow along?

Find more low-effort ideas on how to relax and move your body in our Sports and Lifestyle stories.