Keeping Fit in Beijing
This week
Beijing comes under the world sporting spotlight when it hosts the World
Athletics Championships at the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium. Away from
professional track and field though, what is sport like in Beijing?
One of the most difficult aspects of relocating to anywhere is managing
to preserve a fit and healthy lifestyle; particularly in the first few weeks of
living in a new place. This is especially true when it comes to China. Often
new expats find themselves struggling to keep into shape and notice
deterioration in fitness and health. This blog will act as a brief guide to
explain why a healthy lifestyle can be difficult to achieve abroad and aim to
alleviate these problems by providing tips and a list of recreational sport
clubs in Beijing.
Why is it so hard to keep
healthy in China?
l New Surroundings. On first moving to a new city, it
takes time to adjust and find your way around your new environment- whether it is
finding your way to work, locating and mapping out the nearest supermarket or
navigating the public transportation system. It therefore takes considerably
longer to get things done and this bites away at any leisure time you would
otherwise have to socialize or exercise.
l Language Barrier. Often without knowing the native
language it can be more difficult to join local clubs or even gyms. While this
is not always the case, the daunting thought of such an undertaking is often
enough to dissuade new expatriates from joining.
l New Diet. If you are a choosey eater and have yet to
find a supermarket that sells homely goods, you may find yourself returning to
something that reminds you of home- such as fast food chains like McDonald’s or
KFC. Many expat workers find themselves eating fast-food many times a week
because not only is it cheap, but it is something that you know is safe and
recognizable.
l Pollution. Beijing is infamous across the
world for its pollution problems; it was even a concern before the 2008 Summer
Olympics. Many expats are dissuaded from outdoor exercise because they fear the
health ramifications of the high pollution.
Top Tips
l If you are not immediately
comfortable with joining a local sports club or gym, be sure to exploit the
large expatriate scene in Beijing and join an expatriate sports club; some of
which are listed below
l Having said that, try your utmost to
eat locally. Chinese food is substantially healthier than Western food with
less fattening dairy products. This way, even if you don’t have time to
exercise regularly, you can still maintain a healthy diet.
l Download Apps that will help you
overcome the language barrier and be able to order from a Chinese menu. Top
picks for this are Waygo which allows
you to scan and translate a written Chinese menu, and Pleco which acts almost as a Chinese Dictionary.
l Be sure to utilize public gyms. They
are located in most parks in Beijing and provide an excellent opportunity to
even do a few reps on resistance machines. While you probably don’t want to be
spending hours at these, they are ideal to stretch out and make a big
difference.
l The importance of drinking enough
water, particularly in the summer months, cannot be stressed enough! Without it
you’ll become sluggish and not have the energy to perform at work or to
exercise.
l Don’t be afraid to ask to join
locals in a game of football or a session of Tai Chi. More often or not they would
be more than happy for you to join and you don’t need a strong grasp of Chinese
to be able to ask. If you have the confidence to do this it is a great way to
make new friends and find out more about events and life in the surrounding
area.
l Get out of the city! This is the
best solution if you suffer heavily from the side effects of air pollution.
Beijing is easy to leave via public transportation and nearby (within an hour)
there are numerous areas to hike or cycle.
l Try commuting by bike. If you don’t have
time to get down to the gym every day before and after work then why not try
riding a bike there. Beijing has many cycle lanes and while the roads might
seem incredibly busy, the traffic moves slow enough for cyclists to be safe and
comfortable. What’s more, a decent bike can be bought for as little as 350RMB.
Sport Clubs
Badminton
There’s a
reason that the Chinese Olympic team dominates the badminton events every year-
they practice it almost religiously.
Beijing
International Badminton Club Meeting twice a week on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, the
BIBC welcomes everyone to join them. Contact: 6433 5226.
Cycling
Everybody has heard the song ‘Nine Million Bicycles in Beijing’, and the
number in the whole of China is around 300 million! Cycling is not only a great
form of exercise but also an excellent way to see and learn your surroundings
in both the city and countryside. A list of five trails can be found here but if you want to join a cycling
community there is also plenty of opportunity
The
Beijing Peloton This
is the prominent road cycling group in Beijing. It is a popular group because
it caters for cyclists of all skill ranges and meets regularly. Furthermore the
group organizes trips to Mongolia for the most avid cyclists. Contact: 135-1102-3672, www.beijingpeloton.com
Beijing
Road Cycling A
smaller group than the Beijing Peloton aimed at more experienced riders,
Beijing Road Cycling typically ride on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Chaoyang
park depending on the air quality. On weekends they take to the mountains
around Beijing. Contact: beijingroadcycling@yahoogroups.com
Football
Even though
the national team is famously unsuccessful in China, football is immensely
popular and the most watched international sport in China. One statistic
predicts there are 100 million Manchester United fans in China! Participation
is therefore easy in both expat and local communities. APA would recommend you
to try both because it is a great way to communicate with the local people and
bridge the culture gap.
Beijing
Barbarians FC Labelling
itself as the ‘United Nations of Football, Beijing Barbarians are one of the
largest and most internationally diverse amateur football clubs in the city.
Training occurs every Tuesday evening at Chaoyang Park. Contact: contactus@beijingbarbarians.com , www.beijingbarbarians.com
Forbidden
City FC With more
local players than BBFC, but still with international membership, Forbidden
City FC ensures that you can enjoy playing with local people without being
completely overwhelmed by the language gap. Training occurs every Wednesday
evening at Lido Park. Contact:
www.forbiddencityfc.com
Golf
In China
golf is well regarded in business circles. However this sometimes means that
courses are difficult to access for the general public. There are nevertheless
several golf clubs, both for expats and locals, which can be joined in Beijing.
Beijing
Golfers Club Having
been around for 20 years, Beijing Golfers Club is a well established club with
over 200 members. Rounds are played every Sunday at different courses in
Beijing and even non-members can join. Contact: 138-1144-1543, http://www.beijing-golfers-club.org
Beijing
Ladies Golf Very
similar to the Beijing Golfers Club, Beijing Ladies Golf is a club exclusively
for women who play every Thursday Contact: 8532-1306 www.beijingladiesgolf.com
Gyms
China has
many health clubs and easy to access, particularly in Beijing. While popular
Western gym chains have a strong presence here, they are often more expensive
than their Chinese counter-parts.
B Active Is one of the most popular 24 hour gyms
for expats in Beijing located in Sanlitun. With its state of the art clean air
systems ensuring the air remains crisp and clean, it is ideal for exercise if
you suffer from respiratory problems stemming from pollution. Pay for a
membership or pay as you go. Contact:
5900 4748, www.bactive.cn
California
Fitness Situated by
the CBD in Guoma, this gym is all about the atmosphere. It includes a
basketball court, a boxing ring and steam rooms. Contact 4008 100 988,
www.china.californiafitness.com
Hiking
Unlike
Shanghai, Beijing is surrounded by magnificent countryside. With national parks
easily accessible from the city it is the ideal location to take up hiking;
whether along the Great Wall, through dense forest or even around the outer
suburbs of the city.
Beijing Hikers
With walks ranging from an easy hike around Intelligence Valley to braving the
trek up the hillsides of the Great Wall, Beijing Hikers offers a great
opportunity to get fit and discover Chinese culture. Free meals are also often
provided. Contact: 6432-2786
www.beijinghikers.com
Beijing
Outdoor Adventure Club If you enjoy walking off the beaten track then this group of young
adventurists might be for you. With no required level of fitness, Beijing
Outdoor Adventure Club is open to anyone who wishes to explore the city and
beyond. Contact :www.meetup.com/Beijing-Outdoor-Adventure-Club
Swimming
If you are
particularly prone to the health implications from pollution, a great way to
avoid doing exercise outside is to join a swimming club that often operates
indoors. There are plenty of pools around the city if you wish to swim alone,
however APA would recommend you make a social event out of it and join a
swimming club.
Dragon
Fire Swim Club Dragon
Fire is an international swim club exclusively for children from 4- 17. It
gives them an opportunity to make friends, get fit and compete in events.
Training is offered 7 days a week at 3 different times. Dragon Fire also
organize dance lessons so it’s easy to ensure your children also keep a healthy
and energetic lifestyle. Contact:
www.dragonfire.com
More than
anything to have a healthy body you need to have a healthy mind. Moving abroad
can be a stressful time in your life. APA China works with you to ensure that you
can thrive in China in both mind and body.
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