Night workouts help busy urbanites let off steam
2019-06-21 08:38:50 China Daily Mo Hong'e
People work out in an unstaffed gym in a converted shipping container in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Users pay for the 24-hour facilities by scanning a QR code with their phones. （Photo by JIANG HONGJING/XINHUA）
Young white-collar workers are exercising at unsociable hours as relief from long working days and unsatisfactory social lives.
Fitness experts often advise against working out close to bedtime because of the belief that late-night exercise can hinder people's ability to nod off and may also result in poor-quality sleep.
However, as the grueling work schedule commonly referred to as 996-9 am to 9 pm, six days a week-becomes more prevalent in Chinese companies, energetic night owls and fitness fanatics have found respite by working out at 24-hour gyms.
While it is not a new thing for gyms to open their doors to members overnight, the phenomenon is becoming increasingly popular, especially among urban white-collar workers who do not have time to exercise until work ends late at night.
Frequent users of 24-hour gyms said exercising at midnight is not only a good way to stay healthy, it is also a distraction from long working hours and overtime, and a form of consolation for their hectic lives. It also helps them recuperate and deal with problems more efficiently the next day.
For the past year, Wan Gong, who works for a State-owned enterprise in Beijing, has regularly visited a 24-hour gym near his workplace.
"I usually get to the gym between 10 pm and 11 pm five times a week, which means it's quieter and I can use the machines without waiting. It suits my lifestyle perfectly," the 27-year-old said.
"When I stand on the treadmill, put on my earphones and turn on some music, the whole world comes to a standstill. I do not have to worry about anything. All my problems disappear. I know that for the next hour, I only have to focus on exercising."
Wan, a native of Chongqing in Southwest China, said his daily trips to the gym also mean he doesn't have to think about how to spend his spare time after work.
"I don't have many friends in Beijing because everyone seems to be busy with their own lives, so I don't really have a social life. So, instead of staying in my small, rented apartment and playing the same video games over again, I would rather go to the gym."
Moreover, compared with his other distant goals, such as buying an apartment in the capital, getting promoted to a managerial position or falling in love with someone special, going to the gym every night is a much easier ambition to achieve, he said.
"Realizing this small goal gives me a sense of achievement and satisfaction, and also reaffirms my belief that I will achieve my other goals," he added.
Fitness fanatics in Shanghai practice body balance at a course held by LeFit, a 24-hour gym chain, last year. [Photo/CHINA DAILY]
Supportive policies
A combination of greater awareness of health, lifestyle-related consumption upgrades, innovative use of digital technologies and high-quality equipment is spurring a boom in China's fitness industry.
In recent years, the government has introduced policies to vigorously support the development of the sector. In 2013, the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued a guideline to promote the industry by expanding a nationwide fitness campaign and raising awareness of healthy lifestyles.
In 2016, the National Fitness Program for 2016-20 was launched by the State Council to promote the development of general health, with the aim of getting 700 million people to work out at least once a week and to encourage 435 million people to take part in regular exercise by 2020.
China's fitness market also has huge growth potential thanks to a growing number of people seeking healthier lifestyles and relief from rising pressure at work.
Between 2013 and last year, the sector grew by 11.2 percent, according to IBISWorld, a global business intelligence information provider.
Meanwhile, a report published by Gymsquare, a Chinese fitness industry observer, said the country is now home to over 46,000 gyms, and the top 10 earners saw combined revenue of 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) last year.
Ren Xingrong, co-founder of LeFit, a 24-hour gym chain based in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, said an increasing number of people, especially young people who have to work late, are choosing to visit its facilities after 10 pm, accounting for more than 10 percent of the company's total customer base.
The multidiscipline fitness chain operates small-scale facilities across the country, and its LeFit app enables users to book workout sessions anywhere, anytime at their convenience and preference.
The first LeFit gym opened in May 2015, and the company now has around 500 facilities in eight cities, with more than 3.5 million members, Ren said, adding that monthly membership costs from 129 yuan to 199 yuan, depending on location, but longer-term membership costs less.
The mix of tech, convenience and multiple pricing options has made LeFit popular with urban fitness fanatics; so much so, that at some branches, sessions have to be reserved far in advance, Ren said.
Nighttime bodybuilders get to work at a gym in Shanghai. [Photo by YIN LIQIN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE]
Friendship
Beijing resident Zhao Yawei, who often stays late at his design company correcting work, regularly exercises at his local LeFit center.
He began visiting the gym after he was rebuffed by someone he liked, who told him he wasn't good-looking enough.
"I felt my physical condition was not as good as it had been, and I got tired easily. My work is very stressful, which is quite common in Beijing, so I started running, and found it a great distraction from work," he said.
When he joined the gym, he tried everything from body combat, a martial arts-inspired fitness class, to a weight-training program called body pump, spin classes, which feature indoor cycling, and even yoga.
Zhao, who has worked in Beijing since graduating from a university in Henan province in 2016, said going to the gym has helped him socialize.
"It's hard to persist on your own, but if you have a partner or other team members, the interaction and encouragement can support you in finally achieving your goal," he said.
"Apart from exchanging workout tips, we also talk about things, such as events at work, complaints about our bosses, Beijing's high rents, the latest movie and even relationships. It's comforting to know that I can talk about all my problems to my gym friends. I don't really need their suggestions to solve my problems, though, just good listeners."
Shanghai residents run on treadmills at night. Since the first 24-hour gym opened in the city in 2017, working out at night has become a prevalent lifestyle among young people. (Photo by YIN LIQIN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE）
Working mom
Huang Hui, 38, chooses to visit the gym late at night because her evenings are devoted to looking after her young son.
"I go to the gym around 11 pm four times a week when my son is in bed. Since I became a mother, most of my spare time is spent looking after my child, so I didn't think I had much time to work out," the working mother said.
However, encouraged by her husband who regularly visits fitness centers, Huang started working out at a 24-hour gym.
Although she only started about four months ago, after Spring Festival, she has already lost more than 10 kilograms.
Smaller gyms can greatly improve people's athletic abilities, as the coaches have more time for each member and can offer advice, according to Huang.
A traditional gym may be more suitable for people who have already formed fitness habits, have a certain level of experience and know how to use the facilities, but smaller classes are ideal for newcomers or those who need inspiration and instruction, she said.
"The exercise has helped me become more energetic at work," she added. "I have formed healthier eating habits and my skin condition has also improved a lot."
