Online exercise puts spring in people’s steps

"If I can be a better me, why not work hard for it? I'm more confident now and can dress up in pretty skirts that I once did not dare to wear. Also, I can eat delicious food without worrying that I will gain weight, because I will burn off those calories," she said. "My son is used to my bodybuilding habit and often urges me to exercise. I want to go running with him when I become old, like we do regularly now."

Wang Peng, a coach of Keep's livestreamed sessions, said: "The requirements for livestreaming coaches are high-you must be an athletic person, a quick thinker and capable speaker. We have to be aware of the common problems viewers may have at certain time of the session and remember different words to say to help them to keep going."

For those who wear Keep's fitness bracelet, the coaches can also see their individual situations such as heart rate on a TV screen in front of them, and call out their netizen names to encourage them and answer their questions.

"The important thing is that coaches keep members company via livestreams, thus improving their fitness experience," Wang said. He pointed out that in offline sessions, a coach can see the problems of the person exercising and correct his or her movements.

He added that people who go to the gym like to do advanced weight workouts with professional equipment to exercise certain muscles, and do group fitness sessions guided by a coach.

Rich content

For those who choose to exercise at home, he suggested they do body weight workouts and aerobic exercises, which can help them lose weight and shape their body. A yoga mat and foam shaft, dumbbells and resistance bands can satisfy one's basic fitness demands at home.

Hai Dong, a senior researcher at Keep's Sports Research Institute, said: "Doing online fitness and going to the gym are like dining at home and in a restaurant, which are not mutually exclusive. You can exercise at home via online content anytime you want, which is beneficial to those who do not have enough time to rest, live far from a gym or have an insufficient budget."

He said exercise at home and online fitness are the big trends in China.

"Thanks to the 5G era, exercisers now have access to a rich content of professional and systematic workouts and can interact with coaches via livestreams, which in the past could only be achieved at gyms," he said.