PREPARING TO GO WHEN LIVINGYOU IN BEIJING ARRIVE
WHEN IN YOU ARRIVE PREPARING TO GO LIVING BEIJING
HEALTH & WELLNESS
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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i Health and wellness is a very important part of Chinese society. Keep your eyes and ears open during your stay in Beijing, you will find an amazing and diverse world found few other places.
iving in Beijing, while fun and dynamic, can be physically and mentally taxing. Beijing is not an inherently healthy place. Air quality is bad, work and travel are stressful and alcohol consumption is rampant. It’s easy to neglect maintaining a healthy mind and body. Many expats that move to Beijing suddenly find that they have an incredibly busy schedule, mixing work, long commutes and social events. Given the poor air quality and lack of open green spaces, it’s important to organise time and space for your health. At first, Beijing appears to restrict your ability to exercise and find mental peace. However, the city is surprisingly accommodating, with many conventional Western-style gyms and fitness facilities, but you have to make time for it. Living in Beijing is also an opportunity to experience traditionally Eastern approaches to mental and physical wellbeing, such as yoga and acupuncture, at a fraction of the price you would pay at home. And, given the number of expats from around the globe living in Beijing, there’s bound to be a group or league for your sport or exercise.
Health clubs
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common way for expats to relieve stress and maintain a healthy constitution is to join a gym. Increasing interest in health and fitness in Beijing, combined with rising incomes and international influences, have caused new upscale health clubs to pop up throughout the city. All offer fitness facilities including cardio machines, free weights and fitness classes such as aerobics, yoga and body pump. More elaborate facilities also provide access to swimming pools, tennis courts and spas. As with many luxuries in Beijing, they might not be cheap, but you still pay considerably less than you would for comparable facilities back home. Most clubs require membership, with a pricing system that encourages you to sign up for a year. Some of the local clubs that target Chinese patrons are much cheaper, but also much less well-equipped, perhaps offering table tennis and badminton rather than swimming and squash. Most new apartment buildings and villas have modern, spacious facilities for residents. If you’re moving into a building with a fitness club, be sure to check that gym membership is included in the lease. The key to maintaining an exercise routine over time is not finding the best fitness club, but finding a suitable facility that is conveniently located near your place of work or home. Therefore, start your search close to home.
Health clubs Alexander Health Club 亚历山大会馆 Bldg 8, Central Park, 6 Chaowai Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区朝外大街6号，新城国际8号
(6597 0088) Upmarket club with first-class facilities, classes and a spa. Amrita Fitness 港澳中心健身房 Swissotel Beijing, 2 Chaoyanment Beidajie, Dongcheng District 东城区朝阳门北大街2号瑞士酒店
(6553 2288) Classes and one of Beijing’s nicest indoor swimming pools. Beijing YMCA Fitness Center 北京幸福家园YMCA生活会所 Bldg 13, Nolita Center, Guangqumennei Dajie, Chongwen District 崇文区广渠门内大街幸福家园13号楼 (6719 5151, www.ymcabj.org) A very nice child-friendly YMCA in a three-floor complex with swimming pools, weights, a dance studio offering classes for the whole family, yoga and karate CSI Bally Total Fitness 中体倍力健身俱乐部 Locations all over the city 连锁店遍布北京
(www.csibally.com) Bally is very popular with expats for the sheer range of equipment and group classes offered.
i If health and wellness is important to you then consider the facilities that your apartment or compound has. Some residences are very well equipped.
Fitness and wellness centres Mani’s Body Combing 马妮形体修理 Several locations 许多连锁店
(www.mani.com.cn) Not exactly a gym, but a wellness centre. Mani’s offers a new age mix of ballet, gymnastics, Chinese dance and acupuncture. Pacific Century Club 盈科会所 2A Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区工体北路2A
(6539 3434)
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126 THE ESSENTIALS GUIDE BEIJING
THE ESSENTIALS GUIDE BEIJING