China’s fitness market is projected to hit 300 billion RMB by 2027, but what stands out is how consumers are already training differently. Evening workouts peak for 68% and smart choices like home training, wearables, and personalized plans are reshaping gyms, memberships, and even how fitness inspiration spreads.
Key Takeaways
- 35% of consumers aged 18-35 prioritized fitness in daily routines in 2023.
- 52% of urban Chinese exercised 150+ minutes weekly in 2023.
- Home workouts preferred by 65% post-pandemic in 2023 survey.
- China fitness market projected to reach 300 billion RMB by 2027.
- CAGR of 15% expected for fitness apps to 2028.
- Gym numbers to hit 150,000 by 2025.
- China had over 120,000 fitness clubs by end of 2023.
- Pure Fitness operated 50 clubs in China in 2023.
- Super Monkey gym chain expanded to 1,200 locations in 2023.
- In 2023, the China fitness market reached a value of approximately 188.4 billion RMB, marking a 12.5% year-on-year growth.
- The fitness industry's revenue in China grew from 108 billion RMB in 2019 to 188 billion RMB in 2023.
- Gym membership fees accounted for 45% of total fitness industry revenue in China in 2022.
- In 2023, China had 85,000 fitness clubs serving 120 million members.
- Membership penetration rate in urban China reached 25% in 2023.
- Average annual membership fee was 2,800 RMB in tier-1 cities in 2023.
China’s fitness demand is booming in 2023, driven by personalized coaching, wearables, and online plus home workouts.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Trends25 stats
01
35% of consumers aged 18-35 prioritized fitness in daily routines in 2023.
02
52% of urban Chinese exercised 150+ minutes weekly in 2023.
03
Home workouts preferred by 65% post-pandemic in 2023 survey.
04
78% sought personalized training plans in 2023.
05
Group classes chosen by 62% over solo workouts in 2023.
06
45% used wearables for tracking in 2023.
07
Nutrition coaching bundled with 55% of memberships in 2023.
08
70% motivated by health over aesthetics in 2023 poll.
09
Evening workouts (6-9pm) peak for 68% in 2023.
10
40% tried new fitness trends yearly in 2023.
11
Social media influenced 75% gym choices in 2023.
12
58% preferred gyms within 2km home/work in 2023.
13
Mental health benefits cited by 82% participants 2023.
14
50% increased spending on fitness by 20% in 2023.
15
Women over 30 grew fastest segment at 33% in 2023.
16
65% used Douyin for fitness inspiration in 2023.
17
Recovery tools like foam rollers used by 55% in 2023.
18
42% participated in fitness challenges monthly 2023.
19
Eco-friendly gyms preferred by 38% millennials 2023.
20
60% valued trainer certifications highly in 2023.
21
Plant-based supplements used by 35% athletes 2023.
22
72% followed KOLs for workout routines in 2023.
23
Morning workouts rising to 28% preference in 2023.
24
48% integrated fitness with work-from-home in 2023.
25
Gamified apps retained 70% users longer in 2023.
Interpretation
Consumer Trends Interpretation
The post-pandemic fitness scene in China reveals a population that is highly disciplined yet deeply social, prioritizing holistic health with the sophisticated zeal of a competitive sport, as seen in the 82% who cite mental benefits, the 68% packing evening gyms, and the 70% more motivated by wellness than washboard abs, all while being expertly guided by social media influencers and demanding personalized, convenient, and tech-integrated experiences.
02 · Category
Future Projections & Trends20 stats
01
China fitness market projected to reach 300 billion RMB by 2027.
02
CAGR of 15% expected for fitness apps to 2028.
03
Gym numbers to hit 150,000 by 2025.
04
Women's fitness segment to grow 20% annually to 2026.
05
Smart gym tech market to 50 billion RMB by 2027.
06
Membership penetration to reach 35% urban by 2027.
07
Online fitness revenue to double to 30 billion by 2026.
08
Tier-3 city growth at 25% CAGR to 2028.
09
AI personal trainers in 40% gyms by 2027.
10
Senior fitness market to 25 billion RMB by 2026.
11
VR/AR fitness adoption to 20 million users by 2027.
12
Sustainable fitness equipment demand up 30% to 2028.
13
Metaverse fitness platforms to 15 billion RMB by 2027.
14
Corporate wellness spend to 20 billion by 2026.
15
Youth e-sports fitness crossover to 10 billion by 2027.
16
Home gym setups to grow 22% annually to 2026.
17
Boutique studio boom: 50,000 by 2028.
18
Wearable integration revenue 40 billion by 2027.
19
Functional training facilities to double by 2026.
20
Live streaming fitness to 20 billion RMB by 2027.
Interpretation
Future Projections & Trends Interpretation
China’s fitness market is flexing hard, as its 300 billion RMB future is being built not just on more gyms, but on the growing, tech-powered obsession of everyone from women and seniors to corporate employees and gamers, proving that getting fit is no longer a chore but a digitized, personalized, and highly social national pastime.
03 · Category
Gym Chains & Facilities25 stats
01
China had over 120,000 fitness clubs by end of 2023.
02
Pure Fitness operated 50 clubs in China in 2023.
03
Super Monkey gym chain expanded to 1,200 locations in 2023.
04
Average gym size was 1,500 sqm in tier-1 cities in 2023.
05
25% of gyms were boutique studios under 500 sqm in 2023.
06
Fitness city parks numbered 15,000 with equipment in 2023.
07
Hotel gym integrations reached 8,000 facilities in 2023.
08
Community fitness centers totaled 50,000 in urban areas 2023.
09
One Power Fitness had 450 clubs nationwide in 2023.
10
Average gym occupancy rate was 75% post-peak hours 2023.
11
40% of new gyms opened in tier-2/3 cities in 2023.
12
Women's only gyms numbered 3,500 in 2023.
13
Cross-training facilities grew to 2,800 in 2023.
14
24/7 unmanned gyms reached 10,000 outlets in 2023.
15
University campus gyms totaled 2,500 in 2023.
16
Corporate on-site gyms numbered 4,200 in 2023.
17
Pool-integrated fitness centers: 6,500 in 2023.
18
Climbing walls in gyms: 1,200 facilities in 2023.
19
Sauna-equipped gyms: 65% of total in 2023.
20
Outdoor bootcamp sites: 8,000 registered in 2023.
21
VR fitness rooms in 1,500 gyms in 2023.
22
Echelon Fitness chain: 320 studios in 2023.
23
Pilates-specific studios: 4,200 in 2023.
24
Boxing gyms: 5,800 outlets in 2023.
25
Dance studios with fitness focus: 12,000 in 2023.
Interpretation
Gym Chains & Facilities Interpretation
While China's fitness industry boasts a staggering 120,000 clubs, from mega-chains to hotel treadmills, the real story is a nation sculpting its body politic into a meticulously segmented, data-driven mosaic of sweat, where for every three people in a post-peak spin class there’s someone climbing a wall, boxing a VR avatar, or doing Pilates in a boutique studio half the size of their apartment.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size & Revenue29 stats
01
In 2023, the China fitness market reached a value of approximately 188.4 billion RMB, marking a 12.5% year-on-year growth.
02
The fitness industry's revenue in China grew from 108 billion RMB in 2019 to 188 billion RMB in 2023.
03
Gym membership fees accounted for 45% of total fitness industry revenue in China in 2022.
04
Online fitness services contributed 15 billion RMB to the market in 2023, up 25% from 2022.
05
The post-COVID fitness market recovery saw a 18% CAGR from 2021-2023 in China.
06
Tier-1 cities like Shanghai and Beijing generated 60% of China's fitness revenue in 2023.
07
Fitness apparel and equipment sales hit 35 billion RMB in 2023 within the industry.
08
The smart fitness equipment segment grew to 12 billion RMB in market value in 2023.
09
Total fitness club revenue per square meter averaged 5,200 RMB in 2022.
10
Corporate wellness programs added 8 billion RMB to fitness revenue in 2023.
11
Fitness franchise models generated 22 billion RMB in 2023.
12
The women's fitness segment revenue reached 45 billion RMB in 2023.
13
Live streaming fitness classes earned 6.5 billion RMB in 2023.
14
Boutique studios contributed 28 billion RMB to the market in 2023.
15
Fitness tourism packages generated 4.2 billion RMB revenue in 2023.
16
E-sports fitness crossovers added 1.8 billion RMB in 2023.
17
Senior fitness programs revenue hit 9 billion RMB in 2023.
18
Youth fitness training market valued at 15 billion RMB in 2023.
19
Functional training revenue grew to 32 billion RMB in 2023.
20
Pilates studios revenue reached 11 billion RMB in 2023.
21
Yoga market within fitness hit 25 billion RMB in 2023.
22
CrossFit affiliates revenue totaled 7.5 billion RMB in 2023.
23
HIIT classes generated 18 billion RMB in 2023.
24
Zumba licensing fees contributed 2.1 billion RMB in 2023.
25
Spinning bike sales revenue was 14 billion RMB in 2023.
26
TRX suspension training market 5.8 billion RMB in 2023.
27
Boxing fitness gyms revenue 19 billion RMB in 2023.
28
Dance fitness studios 13 billion RMB revenue in 2023.
29
Calisthenics parks generated 3.4 billion RMB in 2023.
Interpretation
Market Size & Revenue Interpretation
China’s fitness industry isn’t just flexing anymore—it’s undergone a full-scale metamorphosis, with traditional gyms still holding the heavyweight title at 45% of revenue, while online services, boutique studios, and a kaleidoscope of niche trends from e-sports crossovers to senior programs are now sprinting alongside to create a nearly 200-billion-RMB ecosystem of collective self-improvement.
05 · Category
Membership & Participation26 stats
01
In 2023, China had 85,000 fitness clubs serving 120 million members.
02
Membership penetration rate in urban China reached 25% in 2023.
03
Average annual membership fee was 2,800 RMB in tier-1 cities in 2023.
04
68% of members visited gyms 3-5 times per week in 2023 survey.
05
Churn rate for fitness memberships averaged 35% annually in 2023.
06
Multi-club memberships held by 42% of users in 2023.
07
Female membership growth was 28% YoY in 2023.
08
Gen Z (18-24) comprised 35% of new members in 2023.
09
Corporate memberships increased by 40% to 15 million in 2023.
10
App-based fitness subscriptions reached 50 million users in 2023.
11
Trial memberships converted at 55% rate in 2023.
12
Average member lifetime value was 8,500 RMB in 2023.
13
72% of members used fitness apps alongside gym visits in 2023.
14
Weekend warrior members (only weekends) were 22% in 2023.
15
Family memberships grew 32% to 10 million in 2023.
16
Student discounts boosted memberships by 25% in 2023.
17
Silver surfer (50+) memberships up 45% to 18 million in 2023.
18
Drop-in visits totaled 300 million instances in 2023.
19
Loyalty program retention improved to 68% in 2023.
20
Prepaid annual plans held 60% market share in 2023.
21
Virtual membership hybrids grew to 12 million users in 2023.
22
Referral programs drove 28% of new memberships in 2023.
23
No-contract memberships rose to 35% preference in 2023.
24
Group class attendance averaged 4.2 sessions per member weekly in 2023.
25
Personal training add-ons used by 48% of members in 2023.
26
In 2023, Keep app had 300 million monthly active fitness users.
Interpretation
Membership & Participation Interpretation
China's fitness industry is a fascinating paradox where urbanites, with a newfound 25% membership rate, are fervently buying gym memberships—often multiple ones—while the high churn rate proves their commitment often evaporates faster than their post-workout sweat, even as apps and Gen Z lead a tech-savvy, weekend-warrior revolution.
Reference
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APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). China Fitness Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-fitness-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "China Fitness Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/china-fitness-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "China Fitness Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/china-fitness-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
100 datasets cited across this report