At-home exercise encouraged as sports facilities remain closed

Citizens are encouraged to exercise at home as Shanghai’s sports facilities and venues remain closed amid the coronavirus epidemic, said the city’s sports authority.

“According to a notice issued by the Shanghai Sports Bureau on February 6, all public and commercial sports venues shall suspend operations and activities,” Zhao Guangsheng, vice director of Shanghai Sports Bureau, said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Zhao said all sports competitions, group exercises and sports trainings are suspended. The authority has strengthened its supervision of sports venues around the city.

Zhao also pointed out the importance of physical and mental health for those staying indoors. To help cultivate regular exercise habits and strengthen immunity, the sports bureau has been providing instructions on indoor exercises for all age groups through its official WeChat account Shanghaitiyu.

The latest content includes a “champion series” in which world- and Olympic-class athletes teach viewers about various indoor exercises.

Ti Gong

In the first video shared on Monday, China’s first Olympic sailing champion Xu Lijia taught viewers about some strength and cardio-respiratory training exercises. She also gave diet suggestions to those who want to keep control over their weight when staying at home.

Other participating world and Olympic champions include diver Wu Minxia, table tennis player Wang Liqin, boxer Zou Shiming, skater Yang Yang and shooter Tao Luna.

There are also exercises tailored for office workers.

Zhao reminded citizens to do indoor exercises moderately and warm up first to avoid injuries.