China’s New Fitness Boom is More Than a Trend

Scarred by one of the strictest Covid-19 lockdowns (2020–2022), Chinese citizens have redefined their relationship with their bodies. No longer passive participants in a prescribed health system, they are reclaiming control over their fitness. By late 2024, China’s fitness membership base had surged to 87.5m – a 25.5% month-on-month increase (source: School of Economics and Management of Shanghai University of Sport, Tri-Body Cloud, and IWF International Fitness Exhibition). The government is also encouraging active lifestyles through its 2021–2025 National Fitness Plan, which aims to raise regular physical activity rates to 38.5% (source: Asia Sports Tech). Investments in accessible fitness facilities now ensure all citizens are within a 15-minute walk of an exercise space.

But this fitness boom isn’t dictated by policy – it’s a personal and collective response to a shifting society that sees movement as self-expression. Urban dwellers now run along waterfronts at night while professionals embrace lunchtime Reformer Pilates to balance work and wellness. Demand for highly specialised experiences, from cold therapy studios to Thai boxing and female-only training, is rising. 

Local brands are adapting swiftly. Keep, China’s largest fitness platform, has evolved into a full fitness eco-system, offering digital coaching, gyms, apparel and smart equipment. Sportswear giant Anta collaborates with Olympic athletes to merge national pride with performance.

Technology has also made fitness more inclusive and social. The Joyrun app, an alternative to Strava, has 110m users and 29,000 running groups (source: Joyrun). Apps like Codoon and Mi Fit synchronise with smartwatches to gamify progress and create digital fitness communities. Xiaohongshu (China’s answer to Instagram and Pinterest) has become a key influencer platform, where users review gyms, recommend activewear and share experiences. Digitisation has transformed fitness from a solo or instructor-led activity to a communal experience.

Public square dancing has long been popular among middle-aged and elderly groups, but its appeal is expanding as younger generations embrace the practice. Retailers are also tapping into this shift with experiential fitness activations. Hermès, for example, opened its HermèsFit pop-up in Chengdu, offering creative courses like square scarf yoga and belt stretching. In 2024, Lululemon partnered with London-based artist duo Graphic Rewilding to create The Wellbeing Garden at Shanghai’s Start Museum, inviting participants to explore wellness through movement and conversation. This interest in experiential fitness highlights that for Chinese consumers, exercise is as much about collective identity as it is about physical activity.

The success of these activations lies in recognising that fitness in China is not a singular concept but a spectrum – from high-intensity training to communal movement and pre- and post-gym rituals. What we see today is a dynamic consumer base that actively chooses to integrate fitness into a lifestyle, spending on apparel, digital coaching, boutique gym memberships and travel experiences centred around movement. 

Food and beverage brands are also aligning with this shift, introducing functional drinks and protein-enriched menus for active consumers. Fitness tourism is on the rise, from high-altitude training camps in Yunnan to wellness retreats in Hainan. Events like the 2025 Chengdu World Games and the Beijing Half-Marathon offer further engagement opportunities.

Success, however,  requires marketing that goes beyond the product – it demands cultural integration, hyper-personalised experiences and community-driven engagement. Fitness in China is no longer a trend but an enduring cultural shift. The question for brands is not whether to participate but how to embed themselves authentically in a market that increasingly sees movement as a way of life.

Enke Huang is a visual anthropologist, strategist and research consultant based in London. 

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