BEIJING (XINHUA) – In downtown Beijing, a 24-hour chain gym hums with activity around the clock, as white-collar workers pack into the 40-square-metre space, squeezing workouts into their hectic schedules.
Over 70 lockers stand constantly occupied while all equipment remain in use, with queues often forming for popular stations like the bench press racks.
The gym operates out of a high-rent space in an office building in Beijing’s financial district, known locally as Jinrongjie, just three kilometres west of Tiananmen Square.
“The gym has tapped into a niche market by staying open around the clock, as many white-collar workers here don’t finish work until 8pm or 9pm,” said manager of Feelingme Fitness Zhang Pengfei.
“You’d better keep an eye on your dumbbells during breaks. If you get distracted replying to a message on your cellphone, someone might grab them,” said newcomer to the gym Guo Xiaoyu.
Flexible-hour gyms have mushroomed in Chinese cities as fitness enthusiasts embrace the convenience of fitting workouts into their busy schedules.
According to the latest report on China’s sports and fitness industry released in early March, the number of gym members in the country exceeded 87.5 million by the end of 2024.
“After the news dubbed by netizens as ‘The country is calling on you to drop those pounds’ went viral, I realised I couldn’t let myself stay overweight any longer, since it has become a public health concern,” Guo said.
The health tip that Guo was referring to is a seven-minute speech delivered by Head of the National Health Commission (NHC) Lei Haichao at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual gathering of national lawmakers in Beijing in March.
There, Lei announced plans to set up more weight management clinics at medical and health facilities, aimed at helping people lose weight safely and adopt healthier lifestyles.
Social media platforms were abuzz with reactions to the news. “Personal weight becoming a government concern might sound odd, but given the importance of public health to Chinese modernization, it’s worth raising awareness at a national level,” said professor at Shanxi University’s School of Political Science and Public Management Wang Yi.
“Beyond the growing public awareness of health, gyms have become a driving force in the fitness industry’s rapid development due to their space efficiency compared to sports like football, badminton, or swimming that require specialized facilities or large spaces,” explained professor at Shenyang University, in northeast China’s Liaoning Province Wei
Pengfei.
Compared with an indoor stadium, a gym can accommodate more people within the same timeframe while occupying less floor area, he said. Guo said he finds his workouts rewarding, as in just over two weeks, his bench press weight has increased by 10 kilogrammes. “This exercise is one where I can see progress as long as I put in the
effort.”
