Hong Kong’s fitness fans get ‘addiction’ back but gyms fearful of fifth Covid-19 wave
- After the longest closure of the pandemic, gyms and fitness centres reopen but remain wary of another potential shutdown
- ‘It keeps you sane,’ says operator of aerial fitness studio providing place to escape high stresses of Hong Kong life
When Zoe Li first got into aerial classes as a form of exercise nearly a decade ago, it changed her life. She was working in a high-stress job in digital media and discovered the artistic form of exercise, which incorporates hoops, silk and hammocks that are attached to high ceilings with ropes, and immediately fell in love with it.
“It completely transformed my life, my identity, everything,” said Li. “It gave me such a sense of empowerment.”
Li went on to start teaching after a few years, trained all over the world and in November, 2018, opened Aeria in Kennedy Town along with fellow instructor Stephanie Reid. She said finding the unique form of exercise was such a blessing.
“I can’t imagine if I was just starting out and had this taken away from me because of the pandemic or the government regulations. It is such an escape for me … Hong Kong is such a stressful place to live.”
