“If you play two or three games of tennis, your body and mind become lighter.” Joo Kwang-deok, Namyangju Mayor’s health care method [양종구의 100세 시대 건강법]

“After failing to win re-election in the 19th National Assembly election in April 2012, I was very disappointed. I suddenly had nothing to do, so I had to do something, but tennis caught my eye. At the time, I had given up golf, which was a clear single score. I was evaluated as good at sports, but tennis wasn’t easy.”

Joo Kwang-deok, 63, mayor of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, is a sports fanatic. He enjoyed soccer and foot volleyball from a young age, and as an adult, he took up skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, and even horseback riding. Having fallen in love with tennis since 10 years ago, he has been giving elementary school students free tennis lessons after becoming mayor last year. Mayor Joo said, “If he experiences tennis from an early age, which emphasizes manners and rules, he can live physically and mentally healthy.”

Mayor Joo Gwang-deok plays tennis at the Namyangju Sports and Culture Center Tennis Club in Gyeonggi Province. Namyangju = Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

I hit a ball hit by an acquaintance on an empty tennis court during the day. He said, “Sometimes I hit the ball for over four hours. It was a kind of stress reliever. Then I started taking private lessons because I didn’t want to do this.” A year later, Shin Choong-sik, former president of the Korea Tennis Promotion Association, a former talent, and Joo Won-hong, then president of the Korea Tennis Association, president of the Korea Tennis Association for the Disabled, said, “You are not at this age. Play good golf or play” I heard. He was only 53 at the time. Mayor Joo said, “There is an error.” Although he was ‘Terrin (Tennis + Children)’, he had the opportunity to play tennis while taking lessons from pros, serving meals to masters, and buying chicken and beer. He said, “In tennis, when there is a difference in level, masters do not play against each other. If you improve your skills, you have to play with the masters.” Mayor Zhu took lessons twice as often as others and continued to increase his chances of playing with masters.

Mayor Joo Gwang-deok plays tennis at the Namyangju Sports and Culture Center Tennis Club in Gyeonggi Province. Namyangju = Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

“Since I don’t have much time, I’ve found a way to improve my tennis skills in the least amount of time. It means learning from the most competent coach possible. And you have to play a lot with the masters. I paid a lot for lessons and bought a lot of beer.”

As a result of this effort, my skills have also grown. Mayor Joo said, “After being elected as the 20th member of the National Assembly, around 2017, when there was a national amateur tennis tournament in Mok-dong, Seoul, I played a mixed doubles demonstration game. At that time, former chairman Shin Choong-sik and chairman Joo Won-hong said, “Mr. Congressman, now it’s tennis.” It’s amazing,’” he said, laughing.

After two or three games of tennis, my body and mind felt lighter. When the body is healthy, the mind is also clear. He said, “I can’t shake off his mental stress just by working and studying. Exercise is a must,” he said. Mayor Joo said, “My family couldn’t understand when they saw me changing clothes and going to play tennis after work, saying, ‘Oh, I’m tired.’ I think I need to rest when I’m tired, but I have to sweat profusely to get rid of fatigue and stress.”

Yang Jong-goo’s 100-year-old health method

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“When I feel better after playing tennis, I have a pleasant dinner with my family that evening and spend time in harmony. I prepare for the next day with a happy heart. Even if someone calls in the middle of a busy day, I answer it well. We also listen to citizens’ complaints. After exercising, not only the body is healthy, but the mind and spirit are enriched and healthy.”

Mayor Joo Kwang-deok visits the site where the children’s tennis academy is open and encourages the students. Provided by Namyangju City

Starting this year, Mayor Joo is running free classes for 115 5th and 6th grade elementary school students who want to learn tennis on seven courts in Namyangju. It is a special program that utilizes public facilities and is being conducted with the talent donations of 34 citizens. The mayor of the state also serves as a lecturer. He said, “I felt the positive effect of tennis myself. Children are also valuable citizens and assets of Namyangju. I hope that children who are tired of studying can pioneer a healthy future by playing tennis.” This policy was implemented out of pity for the reality that students in Korea are forced to study only, despite numerous scientific results showing that exercise creates and activates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain neurotransmitter, that can make the body healthy and study well. He said, “It is regrettable that the Korean education system has deprived students of their right to exercise.”

Mayor Joo Gwang-deok (third from left) poses after receiving a racket from Sung Gi-choon, president of the Korea Tennis Promotion Association (center). Provided by Namyangju City

“When children are physically and mentally healthy through exercise, their imagination and creativity are enriched. You have to be healthy to be considerate of others and to love your parents. You cannot get rid of mental stress by just studying and playing games.”

In fact, Mayor Joo constantly persuaded club members to use the tennis court. He said, “In a way, it can take away the time of friends. It is a tennis academy created by seeking understanding from the presidents of each club. Seeing it as giving a good opportunity to the children in the neighborhood, the club members also actively cooperated. I am just grateful,” he explained.

Mayor Zhu is considering opening free tennis classes for housewives these days. He said, “After hearing about children’s tennis classes, housewives also asked for a chance. This is a good phenomenon. Isn’t the family healthy when the housewives are healthy?”

On April 6, Mayor Gwang-deok Joo (left) and City Council Chairman Hyun-taek Kim teamed up to play badminton with Namyangju citizens, singers Jin Seong and Yoon Tae-gyu. Provided by Namyangju City

Mayor Joo also started playing badminton this year. It is to exercise together with citizens and listen to their reactions to the city administration. He said, “There are 30 clubs under the Namyangju Badminton Association. I go around clubs twice a month, play badminton, communicate, and listen to complaints.” I didn’t learn badminton separately. He laughed, saying, “I apply tennis motions to play, and my club members evaluate me as a high level.”

On April 6, Mayor Joo teamed up with City Council Chairman Kim Hyeon-taek to play a badminton doubles match with Namyangju citizens and Namyangju public relations ambassadors, singers Jinseong and Yoon Tae-gyu. He said, “Jin-seong has been playing for over 7 years, and Yoon Tae-gyu also said he was good at it, so I made a bet for dinner. But we won 2-1. He said, ‘I’m new to badminton, how can I play this well?’ and was amazed, so he said it was because he had played tennis for 11 years.” Mayor Joo said, “The power of sports is that the mayor and the chairman of the city council can play badminton with the citizens. Sports take care of health and learn how to live together. I will always think about it so that all residents of Namyang can live healthy lives.”

Mayor Joo Kwang-deok (second from right) teamed up with City Council Chairman Kim Hyeon-taek (left) to pose after a badminton match with singer Jin-seong (second from left) and Yoon Tae-gyu (right), Namyangju citizen and public relations ambassador for Namyangju City on April 6 took Provided by Namyangju City

Mayor Joo enjoys various sports in his free time, but since 2004, when he is not feeling well, he has been taking care of his health by climbing Mt. Surak barefoot. “When I go hiking barefoot, my five senses are revived and it is fun like dancing. Your feet feel the ground, and your nose smells all kinds of trees, plants, and the ground. The body feels a sense of refreshment in the pleasant wind. There is no need for wild ginseng and restorative medicine.” It is known that walking barefoot on bare ground has acupressure and grounding effects. The main effect of grounding is that active oxygen in the body is discharged when the feet touch the ground.

“When you go up the mountain, there are various hiking trails. Wherever you go, the soles of your feet are evenly stimulated. Sometimes I step on stones, sometimes I step on dirt, and sometimes I step on coarse sand. The effect is the best when stepping on the coarse sand with the soles of your feet. When I’m not feeling well, my energy goes up when I go up a mountain barefoot.”

Mayor Joo Gwang-deok serves tennis at the Namyangju Sports and Culture Center tennis club in Gyeonggi Province. Namyangju = Reporter Jeon Young-han [email protected]

Mayor Joo said, “The central political scene is too busy to come up with proper policies. It’s different here. If I decide that I am good and communicate with public officials, there is nothing I cannot do. The small but free tennis academy for children is also according to my convictions. It’s time to start. In the future, we will consider various policies so that all citizens of Namyangju, regardless of gender or age, can enjoy ‘one person, one sport’ and live a healthy life.”

Namyangju = Reporter Yang Jong-gu [email protected]