Female-exclusive gyms

Despite this, there's still an invisible gender barrier in gyms, especially in the weightlifting area.

For instance, the handles of barbells are often too thick for average Asian women to grip comfortably, which discourages many women from continuing with weight training.

Additionally, the weight of dumbbells typically starts at 5 kilograms, with other options including 10, 15 and 30 kg, which can be challenging for female beginners. Smaller weights, ranging from 2 to 5 kg, and options between the bigger weights, are rarely available in gyms, said Zhang Yixin, founder of a women-only gym in Beijing.

Some women have reported on social media feeling uncomfortable when men take off their shirts or make noises during bench press exercises, whereas some often worry about being stared at by men while wearing workout clothes.

As a result, many women-only gyms have emerged as a new business model. According to the 2024 China Sports and Fitness Industry Data Report, there are 1,231 women-only fitness centers nationwide. The Kershoo Gym, operated by Zhang and her business partner, is one of them.

The gym features an all-female team: its founder, fitness trainers and members are all women.

Unlike traditional gyms with their industrial black and gray tones, the well-lit women-only gym features a bright cream color palette, with distinct areas for cardio, strength training and Pilates.

"Our equipment is specifically designed to meet women's fitness needs, focusing on areas like the upper and lower limbs, shoulders and hips, rather than the chest press machines often favored by men," Zhang said.

Many of the machines at Kershoo are customized based on research into the body dimensions of Asian women. For instance, the width of the squat racks has been reduced by 22 centimeters to better accommodate the shoulder width of Asian women, said Zhang.

All weight machines, she added, including barbells, are equipped with micro-adjustment features, allowing women to gradually increase their strength without having to jump to excessively heavy weights. These adjustments range from 0.5 kg to 4 kg, facilitating progressive strength training.

Like many women-only gyms, Zhang's gym also attends to the finer details of women's needs, offering essentials such as sanitary pads, makeup remover wipes and skin care products.

The gym also aims to dispel myths surrounding women's fitness, such as the misconception that exercise should be avoided during menstruation.

"Women's physical conditions vary, and many experience little pain during their periods and want to work out but struggle to find suitable exercises," Zhang said.

To address this, her gym offers specialized classes for women during menstruation, avoiding exercises that increase abdominal pressure, like sit-ups and squats, as well as lower limb training, and instead focusing on shoulder exercises with reduced intensity. They also take menstrual cycles into account and appropriately extend membership durations.

While some view women-only gyms as limiting women's spaces, Zhang sees the gym as a specialized center on women's physiological needs. "The goal of creating women-only gyms is not to cede public space in traditional gyms to men, but to create a more precise and comfortable fitness environment tailored to women's needs and physiological characteristics.

"Seeing our female members overcome body anxiety and become healthier, more energetic, independent and confident is what drives me to continue operating this fitness brand," she said.