Twelve brief exercises for attention, body awareness, emotions, and self-contact. Choose one or two without turning the list into a compulsory routine.
This material is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or psychotherapeutic advice. If you are experiencing an acute psychological condition or need professional support, please contact a doctor, psychologist, psychotherapist, or crisis service.
Kemp came up with this complex partly because he found the existing calisthenics exercises too difficult and boring. Another reason was the already familiar idea that modern technologies take away from people the health and dexterity characteristic of our distant ancestors.
After the war, this set of exercises spread all over the world. Brochures describing the "daily dozen" were sold in the millions, as well as audio recordings with instructions. The Kemp complex became famous all over the world.
What is the "Daily Dozen"
This is a simple workout that should be done easily and with pleasure. It develops flexibility, improves posture, muscle coordination and sense of balance.
Kemp claimed that exercise has a positive effect on the work of internal organs, in particular the intestine, and also boosts cognitive functions, improving brain function.
The "daily dozen" is suitable for any adult, but is especially useful for middle-aged people who note some tightness in the body and sit most of the day.
Since the exercises do not cause fatigue and do not require a lot of time, Kemp recommended doing them at least once a day, and ideally three times: in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.
Kemp also advised supplementing training with ten hours of outdoor walking per week (a little less than an hour and a half per day) to support health and longevity.
What exercises are included in the "daily dozen"
1. Circles with hands
Develops shoulder, back and chest muscles, improves posture.
- Stand up straight, raise straight arms at shoulder level, palms facing up.
- Slowly describe with your hands small circles with a diameter of about 15 centimeters. Mainly the movement comes from the shoulders, the tension is felt in their back.
- Do five laps forward and five back.
2. Bend over with your hands behind your head
Stretches the abdominal muscles, strengthens the back, improves posture.
- Stand up straight, put your hands behind your head.
- With an exhalation, tilt the body to 45 degrees, the neck is in line with the back, look at the floor in front of you.
- With an inhale, straighten up, raise your head.
- Bend back slightly to feel the stretching of the abdominal muscles. Look at the ceiling.
- Straighten up. The head remains raised.
- Repeat 10 times.
3. Raising of hands
Develops shoulder strength, strengthens the arch of the foot.
- Stand up straight, raise straight arms at shoulder level, palms facing down.
- With an inhale, get up on your toes, raise your hands up to 45 degrees.
- With an exhalation, stand on your feet completely, lower your hands to parallel with the floor.
- Repeat 10 times.
4. Deep tilt to the side
Develops shoulder and waist muscles, stimulates the liver and intestines.
- Stand up straight, raise your arms at shoulder level with palms down — this is the starting position.
- Raise the left hand up, lower the right hand down along the body.
- Begin the bend to the right of the hips, the right hand crawls up the leg to the knee, the left twists around the head. At the extreme point, the left palm rests on or near the right ear.
- Slowly straighten up, spreading your arms to the starting position.
- Make a similar tilt in the other direction.
- Repeat 10 times.
5. Twisting
Raises and expands the chest. Stretches the abdominal muscles.
- Stand up straight, inhale, bend your arms at the elbows, put your fists under your armpits.
- While continuing to inhale, pull your shoulders back, bend your chest slightly, expanding your chest, lift your head up and look at the ceiling.
- With an exhalation, move your arms forward, then spread them to the side.
- While holding your breath, bend down parallel to the floor, take your hands back.
- Straighten and bring your arms forward, then spread them out to the side.
- Repeat 10 times.
6. Squats on socks
Strengthens the foot arch, leg and back muscles.
- Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands raised at shoulder level, palms down.
- With an inhale, rise to the socks.
- Continuing to inhale, lower into a squat.
- As you exhale, rise from the squat.
- As you continue exhaling, lower yourself to a full foot.
- Repeat five times.
7. Shoulder rotation
Strengthens shoulder muscles.
- Stand up straight, inhale and raise your shoulders.
- As you continue to inhale, bring your shoulders forward.
- With an exhalation, lower your shoulders.
- As you continue exhaling, pull your shoulders back.
- Repeat ten times.
8. Turning hands
Develops shoulder and chest muscles.
- Stand up straight, cross your arms in front of you with your palms facing you.
- Raise your hands in a circle crosswise (the right palm outlines the circle on the left side, the left on the right), spread the palms outward from above.
- Lower your hands in a circle without crossing them (the right palm draws a circle to the right, and the left palm to the left).
- Repeat five times.
- Lower your arms, don't cross them. The palms are next to the hips.
- In a circle, raise your hands up, turning your palms outward.
- Lower your arms crosswise, turning your palms towards you.
- Repeat five times.
9. Head tilts
Strengthens neck muscles, improves control over them.
- Stand up straight, tilt your head forward.
- Tilt your head to the left.
- Tilt your head back.
- Tilt your head to the right.
- Repeat five times.
10. "Mill"
Develops the flexibility of the back muscles.
- Stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, straight arms raised to the side at shoulder level.
- Bend over, twisting your body to the left and bending your right knee. The right hand touches the floor between the legs, the left is extended upwards. The head is turned to the ceiling, the gaze is directed to the left hand.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Do five times on each side.
11. Body slopes
Strengthens the back muscles, opens the chest and stretches the abdominal muscles.
- Stand up straight, raise your hands above your head and interlace your fingers, turning your palms to your head. The closer the hands are to the head, the more effective the exercise.
- Lean forward gently. The movement is controlled, without jerks and extreme tilts.
- Lean to the right.
- Lean back.
- Lean to the left.
- Do five repetitions in each direction.
12. "Wings"
Strengthens the muscles of the back and shoulders, develops the diaphragm.
- Stand straight, feet together, socks turned outward, arms hanging freely along the body.
- As you inhale, raise your straight arms in front of you.
- While continuing to inhale, spread your arms to the side.
- Exhaling, raise your arms above your head, palms facing forward.
- On exhalation, bend over, put your hands behind your back and raise them up. The head is raised, the gaze is directed forward.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise nine more times.
This is a menu of practices, not a daily test
You do not need to complete all twelve exercises or repeat them every day. Choose one that fits the moment: orient to the room when tense, move briefly when stuck, name an emotion when confused, or contact a trusted person when isolated. Afterwards, check whether things feel even slightly clearer or safer. Stop if a practice intensifies panic, a flashback, pain, or dizziness, and seek appropriate support.
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