The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly revolutionized the way people in China view their physical and mental health. With the pandemic still rife around the world and in China, people who would normally check into their gyms are instead, staying at home and utilizing online fitness resources to sustain their workout and fitness regime.
This massive change in attitude and openness to working out at home has led to an unexpected fitness boom across China with many brands, fitness influencers, companies, and even the government joining in to promote the craze. In this article by Pacific Prime China, we explore the reasons behind the at-home fitness boom and take a look at a few key observations happening across China in 2021 and beyond.
Why is at-home fitness booming in China?
China, after all, was the first country in 2019 to have been affected by COVID-19 and had to overturn every aspect of living from work and travel to its gym culture. Social-distancing measures and lockdowns across many cities and regions in China forced people to look for alternatives as they had to resume life safely indoors. However, concerns over ways to keep fit and healthy were short-lived as technology helped people access much of the online fitness resources available at the time.
Fitness apps and devices fulfill people’s fitness needs
Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, China was already blessed with many online fitness platforms and channels. Fitness apps on mobile devices are not a new thing either, with many such as Nike’s Training Club being around for years. Homegrown Chinese apps such as Keep, have soared in use since the pandemic stopped people from going to the gyms and meeting up with others to exercise in public.
Keep, a leading fitness app in China since 2015, provides users with exercise monitoring and guidance, Instagram-like user experience, sports equipment sales, and nutrition advice. This dynamic fitness app, which provides many essential resources and services in one, easily made the transition from offline to online attractive and effortless for many mobile users in China.
As the pandemic evolved, so did mobile fitness apps and “super apps” like WeChat to help meet the needs of users. Features and functions especially on WeChat – China’s largest messaging app – were introduced to cater to the needs of their billion-plus users. Known for booking flights and hotels as well as an endless number of other functions, the fitness experience has certainly developed on the app. WeChat Sports is another feature of the app that allows users to view their data and even share it with friends and relatives. Group activities are held daily which allows people to enter and participate at their convenience.
Personalized fitness plans are also available which certainly takes the user experience to the next level. By having total control of the options on an app when it comes to devising a plan, users from young teenagers to senior members of the population will feel empowered in fulfilling their health goals. This sense of control along with the freedom to share on social media can help build one’s social interaction with family, friends, and also people from the same sporting community.
Wearable technology compliments at-home fitness
Being at home means not having a coach or personal trainer taking your goals, achievements, and critical data. But the growth of wearable technology continues to make an impact as people opt for wearable devices that help collate and analyze health activities and physiological data.
In the last 5 years alone, wearable technology in China has become exceptionally popular. Several brands have propelled in this area including Xiaomi, Lifesense, Apple Watch, Misfit, Samsung, LG, and FitBit. Many companies have escalated their efforts in improving their devices to help those looking to get fit at home. Apple watch is also seen as a leading player in China as it improves its technology to capture valuable pieces of data for users to understand and reflect on.
The most recent Apple Watch Series 6 is also available in China and is popular among Apple users especially senior members of the aging population. The model features an always-on altimeter and a blood oxygen monitor (Sp02). It also features an electrocardiogram (ECG) system capable of detecting whether you’re experiencing cardiac abnormalities such as atrial fibrillation. What’s more, the device also has a built-in fall detection tool that automatically contacts emergency services if the user has a fall.
Users with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease can benefit from the use of wearable devices as they subdue their chronic conditions from worsening further. All in all, such convenience and safety features are becoming more common as people look for ways to improve their health and wellbeing moving forward.
Key observations for people’s health and fitness in 2021
- Consumers in China will continue to explore new ways to stay healthy at home while COVID-19 remains a threat to people’s health. The pursuit of a healthier lifestyle at home will spur growth in the purchase of fitness home equipment and subscription to free and paid online fitness classes. Yoga in China is one form of exercise that people are turning to which requires little equipment or space and can be done easily indoors, as well as outdoors.
- Outdoor activities will pick up exponentially as the situation settles after the country completes its vaccination program. More people will want to explore the outdoors having been indoors for so long.
- As most of the population will have abided by the government’s stay-at-home and promotion and support of keeping healthy while the COVID-19 situation stabilizes, there is hope that people’s health will be better and stronger in 2021. A new generation of health campaigners will surely take the baton this year and push ahead for ways to maintain health and prevent another epidemic from occurring.
- People’s newly trained perspective of cleanliness after months of using hand sanitizer and the daily practice of keeping high-risk areas clean improve sanitation in many areas, especially in public.
- There will be an increased awareness and care for the environment as people hope to embrace nature and the goodness it brings in terms of clean air and the positive impact it has on mental wellness.
- As COVID-19 remains a threat to people’s health until the world completes its vaccination programs, individuals and families in China are, more than ever, turning to organizations like Pacific Prime China to secure health insurance plans that cover unexpected health costs. This is because people are more aware of their current health and the implications that a poor, unhealthy style brings to one’s wellbeing. So to best prepare, local health insurance plans are growing in popularity especially in large families.
Read more from this article: China’s booming health insurance industry
- Mobile apps and various other technological platforms from insurance companies have also made getting personal health insurance quotes quick and simple in 2021.
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