Work It! - A guide to outdoor fitness in China

A different kind of exercise phenomenon has taken hold here in China, its the outdoor exercise craze! In public parks, you can find machines such as these for public use. I gave them a go myself!

The parks I visited here are moderately busy during the daytime, however, during the night is when they truly shine! A friend took me on a tour of one during the night and it was a whole new world. Large groups practiced Taiji in Unison, sang songs in preparation for the Olympic games, or practiced ballroom dancing right in the open. The atmosphere was warm, friendly and highly enjoyable. We saw a few people hopping about in an amusing sort of aerobics exercise and we also saw quite a few working it on machines such as these. We gave the hip twisters and airwalker seen below a try. Though after a minute we failed to feel an exercise burn, it was a great deal of fun using these candy-coloured contraptions. We gave up our western self-concern and joined in with the public excitement. We were the only foreigners present, but I felt like I was a part of this great real-life mosaic of life in China. The communal spirit was clearly tangible and it was a wonderful feeling to be part of this fresh new atmosphere.

Though we were not practiced enough to give the taji a go nor sing an Olympic hymn, all was a great deal of fun to soak it. The enthusiasm of the people literally rippled through the air. Kids ran around or used their scooters happily and seas of evening walking folk enjoyed taking in the scenery. Youths our age were there too. I certainly hope that more westerners can give up evening TV Internet and indoor activities and can join in on this daily outdoor festival.

The people are always bustling about doing something interesting in the cities, there is a clear vibe that I'm beginning to feel and will hopefully join in with one day too. Oh, things are just so great here.