Hyrox, a worldwide fitness trend, is extremely popular in all major Chinese cities. In Hyrox, participants must complete a grueling course: running eight kilometers, alternating with eight different strength exercises, pushing a sled weighing tens to hundreds of kilograms forward, or walking a distance with a sandbag on their neck.
This weekend, Hyrox competitions are being held in Beijing from early morning until late at night. Thousands of people have signed up. These are not only ultra-fit young people; notably many seniors are participating.
First time
In the year the first official Hyrox competition was held in China, fitness coach Li Yuanwei and his wife together were exactly 100 years old. "To celebrate that, it seemed fun to challenge ourselves," Li says.
They registered for the competition and it was a great success: they reached the top steps of the podium in their age category. "But we were also the only ones of that age who participated," Li notes with a laugh. That is no longer the case.
According to Li, it is a good thing that Hyrox is popular among the elderly. "It is a multifunctional sport in which you train ten physical functions, from endurance and strength to flexibility and balance." According to Li, Hyrox is therefore the "ultimate sport" for elderly people to practice.
Attention
The 64-year-old Yang Yuanhua, Li's workout partner and professional Hyroxer, agrees with this. He says he has always liked various sports. But what makes Hyrox extra fun is that it takes place in a closed location and that a whole event is built around it. "When taking a long walk, friends and family do not stand along the route to encourage you or take photos of you, but at Hyrox they do." And that motivates.
That is also one of the success factors of Hyrox worldwide. The organization pays a lot of attention to marketing. As a result, companies and influencers promote the sport, mainly via social media. In China, a significant part of that promotion focuses on older participants, both online and offline.
During the competitions, one senior after another is highlighted over the loudspeakers. "This gentleman is 81 years old and has just completed his first Hyrox," echoes through the arena. Shortly after, the audience learns about a 73-year-old man who, after having had cancer, got back on his feet through Hyrox training.
According to Yang and Li, this attention and encouragement is important. China is aging rapidly. While people's life expectancy continues to rise, the birth rate has been declining for years. By 2040, the country is estimated to have about 400 million people aged 65 and over, nearly a third of the population. The country is doing everything to motivate people to have more children, but to no avail.
As things stand now, the Chinese healthcare or pension system is insufficiently equipped to care for these people. Therefore, a large part of the care for these people will fall to themselves or their family and friends. And that causes great concern, especially now that economic growth is slowing down. China will need the workforce hard enough on the job market.
"Soon I will be 100 years old. If I spend the last thirty years of that in bed, that is not only bad for my self-esteem; I cannot impose that on my surroundings either," Yuan explains. And so he commits himself as an ambassador to get as many people fit as possible. Hyrox is excellently suited for that in China.