2 . On Us TV shows, you may sometimes see rubber balls on people’s desks. These balls are known as “stress relief balls”. People can squeeze them when they feel stressed out. It’s believed that by concentrating on the act of squeezing, they can let go of the negative energy in their bodies.

    1    Fortunately, we have many ways to deal with it.

In fact, the rubber stress relief balls that are so popular today in the US are believed to date back to ancient China.     2     By squeezing them during moments of anxiety, soldiers were able to calm themselves down before going into battle. And in the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644), people started rolling walnuts in their hands. Ordinary citizens—not just soldiers—developed the habit of rolling two walnuts, or balls made from iron or stone, around in their hands.     3    

And today, we have many gadgets (小器具) and toys that are designed to reduce stress in addition to stress relief balls. One example is the popular fidget spinner (指尖陀螺).     4     You just spin the gadget around. There’s also the fidget cube, which features different “gimmicks (机关)” on each side of the cube. You can click, spin, pull, push and rotate different parts of the cube.

    5     But perhaps we should take them more seriously. “After all, the history of stress balls is a history of modern-day coping,” reporter Nadia Berenstein wrote for Woolly magazine.

The Chinese arm swinging exercise, also     1    (call) Shuai Shou Gong is so simple. You do nothing more than swing the arms, and     2     takes you only 10 minutes to learn. If you do it     3    (continuous), you will enjoy its benefits in a matter of days. It is an excellent way     4    (relax) your body after a day’s work. Practice it daily over time, and it brings you many benefits. It helps you stay healthy and in shape. There are also many reports     5     how it helps in healing. The women,     6     were in their 60s and 70s, also found day-to-day     7    (activity) easier after practicing it. Researcher Professor Neil Roberts of Edinburgh University, said “These findings demonstrate that the gentle, rhythmic, whole-body sequence of movements of Shuai Shou Gong may be readily learned and enjoyed by older adults and improves general health and wellbeing.”

The exercise routine, which is more than 1,000 years old,     8    (consist) of a sequence of five arm swings. The first four involve swinging the arms back and then forward, to shoulder height. During the     9    (five) swing, you bend your knees twice-once when     10    (swing) your arms back and again when bringing them forward. The sequence is then repeated multiple times.

10 . If you're looking for new and creative ways to get fit and stay healthy, the following clever apps can do everything for you except the exercise itself.

Hot5 Fitness Platform: iOS     Cost: Free

From abs(腰腹训练)and core(核心力量), to yoga(瑜伽)and flexibility(柔韧性)and everything in between, this app contains workout pages and videos that are easy to follow. You can find workout videos of all varieties and difficulty levels that will give you a thorough workout in only five moves.

While most fitness app videos look like they were filmed in the 1980s, Hot5's are modern. The interface(界面)is also beautifully designed and user-friendly. It is to the point and clear-cut, saving you time by skipping the personal questionnaires and signing-up wart.

Zombies, Run! Platforms: iOS, Android     Cost: 25 yuan

Yes, the zombie craze has already reached the fitness field. This action-packed app adds an element that is often missing from other workout apps—fun.

Zombies, Run!, which has a simplified version called Zombies, Run! SK Training, mixes games and stories into your run as you complete missions(任务)in a world full of zombies. Whether you're gathering supplies, saving a fellow human, or avoiding a crowd of the undead, this app adds excitement to your normal jog with imagination and competition.

Sleep Cycle Platforms: iOS     Cost: 6 yuan

This app tracks your sleeping patterns by following your movements in bed, without having to spend a fortune on fitness trackers such as Jawbone Up. Based on your movements at night, the app wakes you up with soothing music when you're in the lightest stage of sleep, allowing a natural and easy transition(过渡)into your day. You'll also get detailed statistics telling when you were awake during the night, or in a deep or light sleep.

You can also add notes about your day - whether you had cottee, worked out, or were stressed-to better understand how your sleep is affected by different daily activities

RunKeeper Platforms: iOS, Android Cost: Free

This app allows you to track not only runs, but pretty much any kind of training you can think of-from walking to cycling to strength training and more. You can track your personal records and set goals for yourself, such as a weight loss goal or a distance goal. You can then view your progress over time.

RunKeeper also provides real-time coaching by giving you audible(可听的)updates on your pace, time, distance, and much more.