Plenty of Chinese people are joining various sports clubs as a means to realize their full potential, an article by China Daily reported. The trend coincides with the rising popularity of sports celebrities.
These sports clubs vary, from muay thai classes to fencing clubs. Chinese people believe that, aside from reaching their full potential, the activities help them become stronger and braver individuals.
“I used to be a very lazy guy and I’d rarely do any kind of exercise nor go to any fitness club, until my girlfriend dragged me to a fencing club,” shared Zhang Mingfan, a 26-year-old software programmer, in an interview with China Daily.
“I became obsessed with training courses, and every step, move, and piercing feeling so exciting. I lost 10 kilograms in two years, and I became more patient, analytical, and introspective, and my girlfriend said I am now much more charming than two years ago,” Zhang added.
Memberships in fitness and sports clubs don’t come cheap. For example, a combat training club that offers boxing classes charges 400 yuan for a trial experience program. For full-time memberships, the costs can go all the way to 19,800 yuan.
Enterprising individuals have taken hold of the opportunity. Gao Lijun, the first Chinese woman to win an international title in boxing, actually founded the club along with her partners. Aside from taking advantage of the niche market, the combat training club has provided practitioners and interested parties a clean and safe haven to improve and reach self-actualization.
“We think we are on the right tide to develop this niche market after studying local economic growth patterns. China is increasingly opening up to international markets, and, as wealth increases, consumers would like to achieve more, instead of buying more,” Gao told China Daily.
According to analyst Julian Chow, who works at Tang Yue Culture and Communication, people’s rising growing interest in sports is related to their rising self-awareness.
“Sports clubs offer opportunities for consumers to evolve from the current level to a higher level,” said Chow. “It also deepens one’s perception of one’s own personality. A day-time white-collar worker can have another after-hours life to challenge himself or herself at an activity club, improving self all the time.”