[One Day Ten Thousand Steps] Manage Spring Health with Barefoot Walking on the Hwangtotgil Trail

Barefoot Walking: Improving Blood Circulation and Even Insomnia

To loosen up a body that has been tightly curled up all winter, sufficient stretching is essential. This is because suddenly using muscles that were less active in cold weather can easily lead to injury. This is also why "walking" is recommended as a spring exercise. Spring walking exercises put less strain on the body, improve cardiopulmonary function, and help burn body fat. In particular, walking barefoot is known to promote smooth blood circulation, relieve stress, and improve insomnia. Various local governments are also drawing attention by planning "barefoot walking" campaigns to welcome spring.

Gwangyang City has launched the "23rd Jeonnam Gwangyang Maehwa Festival." About 120 people participate daily in the "Seomjingang Barefoot Walking" event, which started with the festival opening on the 8th. The "Seomjingang Barefoot Walking" is an event where participants walk about 1 km barefoot along the Seomjingang riverside, operating every day during the festival from 10 a.m. for two hours. The "Barefoot Amateur Competition on Ice," held on the opening day and weekends, attracted tourists from all over the country, including Wonju, Gumi, and Geoje, with participation applications closing early due to high interest. The "Barefoot Amateur Competition on Ice" symbolizes standing on melting ice to raise awareness of the Earth's suffering from global warming and the seriousness of the global environment. The barefoot event on ice takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in front of the Maehwa Culture Center main stage, recruiting 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis starting one hour before the competition on the day of the event.

The Busan Tourism Organization will hold the "2024 Super Earthing Busan, Barefoot Walking City" proclamation ceremony on the 16th around the Danggmoesan Hwangto Forest Trail in Hoedong-dong. Earthing refers to direct and continuous contact between the body and the Earth, meaning walking barefoot. Attendees of the proclamation ceremony can enjoy various ecological experience booths and earthing activities on Danggmoesan, where a long Hwangto (red clay) trail has been created. The "2024 Super Earthing Busan Festival" will also run until the 20th. Participants can enjoy gourmet explorations while walking through Busan’s beaches and forest trails. A representative from the Busan Tourism Organization said, "Starting with this proclamation ceremony, various earthing-related tourism programs will be held throughout the year," adding, "We will strive to provide tourists with unique experiences based on earthing activities."