Friendship

Beijing resident Zhao Yawei, who often stays late at his design company correcting work, regularly exercises at his local LeFit center.

He began visiting the gym after he was rebuffed by someone he liked, who told him he wasn't good-looking enough.

"I felt my physical condition was not as good as it had been, and I got tired easily. My work is very stressful, which is quite common in Beijing, so I started running, and found it a great distraction from work," he said.

When he joined the gym, he tried everything from body combat, a martial arts-inspired fitness class, to a weight-training program called body pump, spin classes, which feature indoor cycling, and even yoga.

Zhao, who has worked in Beijing since graduating from a university in Henan province in 2016, said going to the gym has helped him socialize.

"It's hard to persist on your own, but if you have a partner or other team members, the interaction and encouragement can support you in finally achieving your goal," he said.

"Apart from exchanging workout tips, we also talk about things, such as events at work, complaints about our bosses, Beijing's high rents, the latest movie and even relationships. It's comforting to know that I can talk about all my problems to my gym friends. I don't really need their suggestions to solve my problems, though, just good listeners."