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

Coronavirus pandemic

Patrick Blennerhassett

Published: 8:30am, 18 Feb 2021

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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.”

Aeria founders Stephanie Reid and Zoe Li said they have clients who come not only for exercise, but mental health. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Li and Reid have more than 50 regular clients, who are mostly female, as young as six and old as 60. They said having to close three times during the pandemic and suffering through more than 150 days of closure has not only hurt their business, but their clients too. She said many come as a way to escape from their busy lives.

“The girls will come in and you can see they are so tired from a lack of sleep, but they come alive in the class and they are having such a good time. They’re just so addicted and I completely get that addiction feeling.”

As gyms and all indoor and outdoor sports venues get the green light to open on Thursday as Hong Kong’s fourth wave dissipates, gym owners like Reid and Li have mixed feelings. On one hand they are happy to be able to open up again and start seeing their clients, but also cognisant that another closure may be imminent if there is a fifth wave.

There is also trepidation at the government’s handling of the sport and recreation industry, and a lack of financial relief outside three rounds of handouts which many gyms said they were unable to get, or did not receive in a timely manner.

The Post has contacted the government’s Home Affairs Bureau, which sport and recreation fall under, asking about their plans if a fifth wave were to hit the city.

The government has released requirements for gyms to reopen, including wearing masks, limits to four people for group training, and 1.5 metres distance between each person. The biggest change is that all staff within these “fitness centres” will be required to get tested for Covid-19 every 14 days.

Reid, who moved to Hong Kong in 2012 to work as a dancer and perform as an aerialist in shows along with teaching, said they can’t transition to outdoors, like other forms of exercise such as running or yoga. She said people come to their classes as much for the exercise as for the camaraderie and community.

Sarah Millson and Ian Colley said they are more than happy to meet all of the government’s requirements for reopening. Photo: May Tse

“It keeps you sane really,” said Reid, who first moved to Macau in 2009 to work as a dancer in shows. “It’s for your mental health as well … and you’re always achieving something here. There’s always something new to learn.

Reid said she sees it in every class, people decompressing from stressful lives and jobs.

“I think that’s what people love about it, they can just come here and chat about their day and relax and get some exercise of course.”

Sarah Millson, who operates Lamma Island’s only gym, Primal Fitness Gym & Dance Studio, echoed Reid and Li’s sentiments. Millson and business partner Ian Colley opened in March, 2020, and said they have the same mixed feelings.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for months and while we’re delighted to be reopening to once again give our members full service, we are slightly apprehensive that a post-Lunar New Year spike may well occur.

“As for the strict guidelines that allow us to reopen, we are more than happy to take Covid tests every fortnight and adhere to the rules.”

Li said she hopes the government understands that sport and recreation are not just pastimes people do in their spare time, but vital parts of their life and integral to their overall happiness and health.

“My escape is in the air and that’s why it feels so great to be off my feet and in the air and doing something that is irrelevant to daily life … especially with what we do it has to do with creativity and self-expression.

“You don’t just come in and do your reps and you get out, you learn the technique and you learn the poses, and then you perform it all as an emotive dance sequence, and that’s why people love it. You get to express a side of yourself that you wouldn’t normally get to.”