Let's Go Back! To Girls' Generation... Songpa-gu Middle-Aged Women Running 'Now Is the Era of Exercise'

Implementation of Exercise Program to Increase Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity Practice Rate for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
▲Complex Circuit Training for Middle-Aged Women ▲Fast Walking Campaign... Leading the Way in Resident Health Promotion

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that it will promote the "Now is the Era of Exercise" health promotion project to encourage residents to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity to prevent and manage chronic diseases.

The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. According to the Songpa-gu Community Health Survey, the rate of practicing moderate or higher intensity physical activity is 28.5%, indicating that most residents do not meet the recommended amount, with the participation rate among women approximately 6% lower than that of men.

Accordingly, based on the 2023 Songpa-gu health survey results, the district has prepared the "Now is the Era of Exercise" program, a moderate-intensity physical activity initiative aimed at preventing and managing chronic diseases among residents.

"Now is the Era of Exercise" consists of ▲ ‘Complex Circuit Training’ targeting middle-aged women and ▲ ‘Fast Walking Campaign’ open to all Songpa-gu residents.

First, since obesity rates are high and walking and moderate-intensity or higher physical activity participation rates are lowest among women in their 50s and 60s in Songpa-gu, the district focuses on operating the ‘Complex Circuit Training’ program to improve the physical fitness of middle-aged women (50s to 60s).

‘Complex Circuit Training’ is a customized exercise program for menopausal middle-aged women with insufficient physical activity, consisting of Pilates, strength training, and aerobic exercise. It is divided into a 4-week program (12 classes) and a 12-week program (4 classes), running until November.

In particular, participants wear heart rate monitors during exercise to check exercise intensity in real time. This helps participants better perceive moderate-intensity exercise and encourages them to maintain moderate-intensity physical activity during other exercises.

Participants in September expressed high satisfaction, saying, “It’s great to be taught exercises tailored to our age,” and “It’s very helpful because they teach us the fundamental aspects, not just following along.”

Additionally, to promote health for all local residents, a ‘Fast Walking Campaign’ will be held throughout October. The campaign plans to strengthen the capacity for practicing moderate-intensity exercise through an ‘Online Walking Challenge’ and a ‘Proper Walking Lecture.’

The ‘Online Walking Challenge’ is a program themed “1150 (150 minutes per week) Run and Walk Together, Songpa!” aiming to achieve either ‘10 hours of fast walking’ or ‘10 hours of running’ during October. Participation can be registered through the RunDay app. The ‘Proper Walking Lecture’ is scheduled for October 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information, contact the Health Promotion Division at the Public Health Center.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “I hope these diverse exercise programs tailored to residents’ health conditions will greatly contribute to the health of our citizens,” adding, “We will continue to implement thorough health promotion projects so that more residents can benefit and ensure that everyone in the district can enjoy a healthy life.”