United in yoga

This emphasis on community building through sports resonates across different fitness activities throughout China.

In Tianjin, Ding Dong, a 40-year-old finance professional, has discovered that yoga can be as much about social connections as it is about exercise.

For years, Ding had done her yoga exercises at home while juggling work commitments and parenting responsibilities. But in late 2020, she found herself drawn to power yoga, a new concept that promised to challenge her preconceptions about the practice.

Modern yoga studios in Tianjin, taking their cues from pioneering ones in Beijing, transformed from simple workout spaces into sophisticated social hubs.

These venues create multiple spaces for interaction, from public lounge areas to specialized online chat groups for different yoga styles and instructor-led communities.

For busy professionals like Ding, who maintains a rigorous schedule of seven weekly workouts along with two to three social sessions, this approach offers a practical solution.

"The social dynamics in these spaces are fundamentally different from traditional gatherings. You might chat for just five or 10 minutes before or after class, discussing daily life or shared interests," she said.

"It's brief but meaningful, and there's no pressure to maintain a conversation. If you run out of things to say, you can transition to your workout or get a drink of water."

Ding said making it through a tough workout session gives her yoga group a strong sense of unity.

"When you struggle through a challenging class together, you develop a unique bond — a camaraderie born from shared experience as we're all in it together, being pushed to our limits by the instructor. This creates a kind of warrior-like companionship," she said.