Private gyms in China pioneer ‘happy gymnastics’ as alternative to rigid state-led training
State sports schools helped China gain Olympic glory when the country was poor, but today’s wealthier parents want their children to have a normal life. Gyms for kids of all ages that put the accent on fun are seen as the breeding ground for a new generation of Olympians
In a room full of brightly coloured cubes and giant mattresses, giggling children climb bars, try somersaults and walk gingerly on a low balance beam. Some stand on their hands, showing off their bellies under the guidance of four coaches.
It was pure fun for eight-year-old Lucy Huang, a chubby-cheeked, cheerful and talkative girl. Her parents have modest goals for her progress: they hope the lessons help her stay fit, improve her balance, and help brain development.
“I love it here because there’s lots of fun. I love doing flips forward and backward, and I like the rings,” she said in one breath while sitting on the balance beam, her legs dangling.
The scene in downtown Shanghai might be common in Western countries but is a rare sight in China, where parents have eschewed gymnastics lessons for their children. The mere mention of gymnastics usually evokes stereotypical, decades-old images of little boys and girls tearfully practising splits, living away from home under the watch of strict coaches, all for the chance at an Olympic gold.
This summer, Chinese athletes who primarily grew up in the decades-old state sports system are still expected to dazzle the world and scoop up dozens of medals when the Summer Games open in Rio de Janeiro. But at home there are strong efforts to reform the state-led system, which is struggling to recruit the next generation of stars despite its glorious records of churning out hundreds of Olympic gold medallists and world champions.