In America, health seekers go for solo (单独的) gym time, mindlessly lifting on weight machines or walking miles on running machines. We treat daily fitness like high-intensity professional training, and are sure to track it with a wearable digital gadget. But we can lose the fun, companionship, and lifelong habits that many Chinese have with square dancing and playing jianzi in the park.
Here’s what we can learn from the Chinese about fitness.
You don’t have to kill yourself to make it count
When you push yourself too hard, you may be doing more harm than good. Many Chinese build strength in a different way: with Taijiquan. Taijiquan, a martial art (武术) valued for its defensive practices and health benefits, creates strength, flexibility, and balance through flowing movements. Think it’s easy? Try dropping into a squat for several minutes while moving qi (life force energy) with your hands in a seemingly effortless way. The practice may not burn a thousand calories an hour, but it builds flexibility, which can help prevent injuries and balance problems in the long run.
Work out in groups
Solitary workouts may be a U.S. standard, but the Chinese emphasize being together. In China, fitness is a shared experience. Public squares and sometimes even street corners become studios for ballroom dancing or square dancing. The local people make fitness social, with participants helping each other stick with a fitness routine.
Make it fun
Playing jianzi is a workout? To the Chinese, yes. When playing jianzi, players aim to keep a weighted shuttlecock off the ground using any part of their bodies, except their arms and hands, enough of an effort to get players breathing hard and using muscles many of us have long forgotten. And they really enjoy themselves. Experts say picking one or more fitness routines you enjoy helps you stick with a healthy lifestyle.
You don’t need to be a gearhead
We Americans love our gear, and not having the right gadget, shoes, or clothes can become an excuse for not going to a workout. In China, every city has many pieces of fitness equipment in public parks. Many residents build workouts into their daily life, stopping off for light training with the fitness equipment during lunch break or on their walks after dinner. Chinese people don’t wait for the right gear; they just get moving.