Author: Linhan He

After returning to my hometown, I experienced how the gym staff received first-time visitors, and I began to plan my first test. Actually, I didn’t have high expectations for this test. Because during my conversations with the staff, I found that they had tried many ways to attract customers to the event, such as distributing flyers, offering the first low-price experience, and having a free personal training course.

Detailed plan

Location：Body & Soul fitness, 4th Floor, Building c, Nanya Shopping Center, Dianchi Road, Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China

Time：The planned time is from July 15th to 20th

Regarding the feedback from the participants after the experience ended！！！

Objective:

The advantages and referenceable experiences of the top 10 gym brands in the UK:

Brand	Brand positioning	Core advantage	Reference experience
PureGym	·Affordable. ·The general public.	·24-hour operation. ·no contract. ·low price.	·Lower the entry threshold. ·Let beginners easy to try.
The Gym Group	·Affordable. ·The general public.	·It includes a large number of group classes. ·The number of equipment is large and complete. ·Many stores.	·The free weight range is large. ·The equipment is abundant.
JD Gyms	·Youthful strength training.	· Localized operation. ·There are many community activities.	·Meet the social and fitness needs of young people. ·The equipment is heavy.
Anytime Fitness	·Community-based gym.	· Localized operation. ·There are many community activities.	·Create an atmosphere of a community of acquaintances. ·Reduce the sense of strangeness.
Snap Fitness	·Community-based gym.	·Open 24 hours. ·Small space.	·A small space reduces the sense of oppression for beginners. ·Meet the time requirements of different people.
énergie Fitness	·Community-based gym. ·Affordable.	· Localized operation. ·There are many community activities.	·Emphasize a sense of belonging. ·Keep participating.
Virgin Active	·Mid-to-high-end.	·High-quality curriculum system. ·Swimming pool and recovery facilities.	·Establish a sports and health support system.
David Lloyd Clubs	·High-end Health Club.	·Tennis ·Swimming ·SPA ·Office space	·Turn fitness into a lifestyle.
Bannatyne Health Club	·Follow the Health Club	·SPA. ·Rich in leisure facilities.	·Let sports become a relaxing experience.
Nuffield Health	·Integration of medical care and health.	·Fitness + physical therapy + health management.	·Let sports become a relaxing experience.

To support my research project, I plan to build connections with local gyms, gym staff, trainers, and beginner users in Kunming, Yunnan province. Since my project focuses on reducing psychological barriers for first-time gym users, creating a strong network within fitness spaces is important for both research access and intervention testing.

I have already connected with two local gyms, Body&Soul Fitness and Hercules Fitness, where I previously trained for around three years. This experience has given me a good understanding of their environments, target audiences, and membership systems, allowing me to engage with these spaces more naturally and understand differences in gym culture and customer behavior.

I interviewed a sales representative from Hercules Fitness, Yang Fang, whose role is introducing new members to the gym environment and membership services. Through this interview, I learned more about how gyms attract beginners, the concerns potential members often have, and why many hesitate before joining.

I also contacted Zhu Zhenghao, the manager and certified personal trainer at Body&Soul Fitness. He introduced me to the current situation of the gym, and I shared my research goals with him. The gym owner showed strong interest in my project and expressed enthusiasm about possible collaboration. I also plan to work there temporarily during the summer to gain deeper insight into gym operations and member experiences.

To compare fitness cultures in different countries, I interviewed the owner of Anytime Fitness (Woodberry Down) in the UK. He emphasized the importance of creating a comfortable and welcoming environment through small details and friendly interactions, helping members feel relaxed and supported from the moment they enter the gym.

In addition, I plan to join gym group chats and online fitness communities to interview beginner users directly about their first experiences, anxieties, and motivations. I also want to speak with people outside the fitness industry, including friends who have never been to a gym or stopped going after a short time.

Through these networks, I hope to create opportunities for observation, interviews, co-design, and intervention testing, helping me develop more user-centered solutions for improving first-time gym experiences and encouraging long-term participation in fitness culture.

How can gyms reduce psychological barriers for first-time users and support long-term motivation?

WHAT What is the issue?

For many beginners, the gym is not a space that“Newbies friendly. Unfamiliar equipment, complex training, anxiety about one’s figure, and fear of being watched or judged by others. It will all make people feel tense and ashamed.

A gym is a place that can both reduce and increase anxiety.This project hopes to rethink the meaning of the gym. It should not merely be a place to “shape the body”, but can also become a third space between work and home.

WHY？

Personally

When I was 20, I lost 40 pounds at home by following Pamela’s workout videos.Why I didn’t go to the gym because Only people with good figures go to the gym and that I didn’t belong there.Later, when I wanted to start strength training and avoid gaining weight again, I decided to go to gym. I spent half of my living expenses on a coach. Because I need professional fitness knowledge to prevent injuries, but the main reason is that having a coach can reduce my sense of shame and make me look like a professional in the gym.

It’s not just me who has this feeling.According to the “2024 China Fitness Industry Data Report”, the number of fitness members in China has reached 87.52 million. However, at the same time, topics such as “afraid to go to the gym” and “fitness shame” are continuously increasing on social media.

Professionally

For my own career planning after graduation, I want to focus on Fast-moving consumer goods brand design and planner.

HOW

I plan to focus on one or two gyms in Kunming, Yunnan Province. My first step is to build relationships with gym owners and staff, so that I can redesign the first-time experience for new customers and develop incentive mechanisms that encourage members to return and exercise more consistently. I selected Body&Soul Fitness and Hercules Fitness, two chain gyms in Kunming. Since I have exercised them frequently in the past, I have a good understanding of their target audiences, brand positioning, and pricing strategies.

For the pilot test, I will structure the process into five steps: (1) a preliminary concern test, (2) participants’ feelings when entering the gym for the first time, (3) the activity route inside the gym, (4) psychological changes when leaving, and (5) an emotional reflection survey. By comparing step one with step five, and step two with step four, I will assess whether the intervention is effective in reducing first-time anxiety and improving participants’ emotional experiences.

WHAT-IF

1）If the project is successful, it can reduce people’s anxiety and uncertainty when they first enter the gym. 

2）It will bring in new members and increase the retention rate for the gym. 

3）In the long term, the role of gyms can evolve from being a “body-shaping space” to a “third space” for emotional regulation and self-improvement.

Stakeholders：First-time Gym Users ，Gym Owners ，Trainers,Beginners to a fitness programme，People who cannot stick to long-term fitness plan.

Bibliography

Create questionnaires and post them on Chinese social media and in local gyms in the UK. And interview the gym coach of anytime fitness (Woodberry down)

Hot topic on the Internet: Why is the general of Foundation Liquid so ridiculed

Plot summary：“Chasing Jade” is a costume romance drama that premiered in 2026, adapted from the popular novel “Lady Hou and the Butcher’s Knife”. The story tells of Fan Changyu (played by Tian Xiwei)， the daughter of a butcher, and Xie Zheng (played by Zhang Linghe), a fallen marquis, who meet by fate in the wind and snow. The two, each with their own ulterior motives, stage a “fake marriage and true love”, and eventually fight side by side to defend their homeland. This drama interweaves the hustle and bustle of daily life with the sweet and bittersweet emotions of love after marriage, presenting a unique style that combines a warm sense of life with the righteousness of the country and the family.

The creative logic of “Chasing Jade” is clear and definite: As an adaptation of a female-oriented IP, it precisely targets the emotional needs of female audiences for “beautiful, strong and tragic” male characters with its core elements of “handsome war god + sweet and romantic narrative”.

Audience rating introduction：The play count and popularity of “Chasing Jade” : The effective play count exceeded 3 billion in 23 days since its premiere, and it has broken the 100 million mark for 15 consecutive days, with a peak of nearly 134 million. Overseas influence: It has landed in over 190 countries around the world, ranking among the top 10 non-English TV series globally on Netflix for two consecutive weeks, and is the first Chinese mainland costume drama to enter the top 10 in Japan on Netflix. The JTBC TV station of South Korea has also purchased the copyright of its prime time slot.

The creative logic of “Chasing Jade” is clear and definite: As an adaptation of a female-oriented IP, it precisely targets the emotional needs of female audiences for “beautiful, strong and tragic” male characters with its core elements of “handsome war god + sweet and romantic narrative”.

The core contradiction: The rift between the traditional perception of “military generals” and the modern aesthetic standards of idols.

In Chinese cultural traditions, military generals are spiritual totems that carry bravery, integrity and patriotic sentiments. From Guan Yu’s long beard and imposing appearance and Zhang Fei’s rough and fierce spirit in “Romance of The Three Kingdoms” to He Rundong’s face covered in dust and blood as the Western Chu Overlord in “The Legend of Chu and Han”, the audience has formed a fixed template for the perception of “generals” – rough, masculine and full of power.

When this image was replaced by that of an idol with “flawless skin and a slender figure”, the audience’s cognitive expectations were completely shattered, and a sense of incongruity erupted accordingly. As commented on Guangming.com, “When ‘handsome’ becomes a factor that hinders the credibility of a character, this aesthetic is a failure.” This failure is not due to any problem with the aesthetic itself, but rather a logical break between the character setting and the visual presentation – a general who has been repeatedly emphasized as “having fought a hundred battles” appears to have just finished shooting a magazine cover in a refined state, and what the audience feels is a kind of deceived “falsehood”.

Deep-seated roots: Dual gender standards and the social discipline system.

From a broader social perspective, the root cause of the low tolerance of men’s “refinement” lies in the long-term formation of dual gender standards.

Social discipline theory reveals that gender roles are “the sum of expected behaviors attached to the different social statuses of men and women”, not determined by physiological differences but formed in the process of human socialization. Under this disciplinary system, men are expected to demonstrate aggression, rationality and emotional restraint. Any trait that deviates from this standard will be questioned. The social value of men is defined as career achievements and economic capabilities, with appearance serving only as a secondary supplement. The female body, on the other hand, is tacitly regarded as a “display item” that requires continuous management.

This structural power disparity has led to an asymmetry in gender gaze: the reason why the male group rarely falls into the “involution of appearance levels” is precisely because they hold the aesthetic discourse power and have obtained a “natural exemption”. However, when men start to actively pursue refinement – like the “white-faced general” in ancient costume dramas – this “immunity” instantly becomes invalid and instead triggers a strong backlash. Some analyses point out that while society praises men for their “unkemped authenticity”, it stigmatizes women’s “exquisite dressing” as “performing beauty services”. This double standard essentially safeguards men’s privilege from competing in appearance. Therefore, the reason why the “General of Foundation” has aroused widespread ridicule is not only because it is “unreal”, but also because it challenges the social privilege of men that “they don’t have to be refined”.

Official media entry: Body Nationalism and Ideological Anxiety.

The strong intervention of official media rapidly escalated an entertainment event into an ideological issue. Scholars have analyzed and pointed out that the logic behind this criticism can be called “body nationalism” : directly linking the masculinity or masculinity of the male body to the prosperity of the country and the destiny of the nation.

The deeper reason lies in the anxiety of men during the period of social transformation. Wu Changchang, an associate professor at East China Normal University, analyzed that women’s autonomy in both economic and cultural aspects is increasing day by day. Cultural products represented by ancient costume dramas are increasingly produced around women’s aesthetic standards, which makes some men feel that “space has been squeezed out”. When social competition pressure intensifies and traditional male strongholds are challenged, the emphasis on “masculinity” becomes an outlet for some men to regain their sense of identity. Against this backdrop, the refined male image of the “General of Foundation” naturally became the target of criticism.

This article is from the official Douyin account of China News Service

Conclusion

The controversy over the “General of Foundation” is essentially a multi-faceted game concerning gender norms, power distribution and cultural identity. The root cause of society’s low tolerance for men’s refinement stems not only from the inertia of traditional gender discipline (men are expected to be masculine, responsible, and not concerned about appearance), but also from the identity anxiety of the male group during the transitional period under the pressure of social competition. When women start to “gaze” at men through their consumer power and when the refined image of men challenges the traditional norms of masculinity, a backlash is inevitable.

This controversy might just be an opportunity for society to rethink: True aesthetic diversity should not be about one side being infinitely magnified while the other is marginalized. Instead, it should provide an equal living space for men of different temperaments and styles – whether they are tough guys with a strong will or gentlemen with a gentle and refined demeanor.

This project began with my interest in how advertising shapes consumers beyond the act of selling products. At first, I focused on the question “How do brands define consumers through advertising?” and used Lululemon as a case study. By analysing the brand through ideas such as brand positioning, consumer identity, symbolic representation, social identity, and desire guidance, I found that Lululemon does not simply sell sportswear. Instead, it promotes an ideal lifestyle and an ideal self: someone self-disciplined, healthy, active, aesthetically aware, and committed to self-improvement. This helped me realise that advertising does not only influence what people buy, but also suggests what kind of person they should become.

This early stage of my project led me to think more critically about the social function of advertising. I began to notice that many advertisements create pressure by defining what is “better”, “more attractive” or “more successful”. At the same time, I became interested in the possibility that advertising could work differently. Rather than creating anxiety around body shape, age, class, or success, it could acknowledge difference and present more inclusive identities. This shift in my thinking became an important turning point in the project.

From there, my research developed into a new question: if advertising can strongly define female consumers, can it also define male consumers? This question led me to focus on the image of Chinese men. In Chinese society, masculinity has long been associated with rationality, strength, simplicity, and not paying too much attention to appearance. I found that this idea is reinforced not only through tradition, but also through advertising, media, school rules, and family education. For example, school appearance regulations often stress simplicity and plainness for boys, which can shape male identity from a young age. At the same time, the rapid growth of the male beauty and grooming market in China shows that younger men are increasingly interested in skincare, fashion, and self-presentation. This contradiction became central to my research: social attitudes toward masculinity are changing, but traditional expectations still remain strong.

Bassot’s The Reflective Practice Guide was useful in helping me understand reflection as an active process of reviewing experience, questioning assumptions, and moving toward clearer meaning. This describes my own process well, because my project did not begin with a fixed answer. Instead, it grew from a brand case study into a broader cultural investigation. Cross’s Design Thinking also helped me frame my project as an exploratory process. Rather than following a strict linear plan from the start, I moved through observation, questioning, collecting examples, and redefining the problem as my understanding developed. Freeman’s Stakeholder Theory was important when I began identifying who is involved in this issue. I realised that the shaping of Chinese male image is not only related to men themselves, but also to media platforms, brands, advertising agencies, families, schools, and wider cultural values.

At this stage, I have arrived at a clearer research direction. My project now asks whether advertising can become a cultural medium that helps challenge narrow ideas of masculinity in China. I am especially interested in whether new advertising narratives can move from reinforcing stereotypes to recognising difference, and from creating anxiety to offering more diverse and inclusive male identities.

Bibliography

assot, B. (2015) The Reflective Practice Guide. London and New York: Routledge.

Cross, N. (2011) Design Thinking. London and New York: Berg.

Freeman, R. E. (2010) Stakeholder Theory: The State of the Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lululemon official advertisements and brand visual materials.

Baidu Wenku materials on Chinese male image, school appearance regulations, and masculinity in Chinese social culture.

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