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Chinese smoke EVERYWHERE, which is one of the reasons I'm trying to avoid all indoor places in China like the plague. You go for a game of snooker and they smoke in the snooker club; you go to a restaurant and they smoke in there too; you go to a badminton club and the nutritionist tells you that sugary energy drinks are better than water, after which he lights up a cigarette!

16 Feb 2012

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@littlered
It is sad to hear that JC's services are so bad. I like the venue as it is new, and though it is relatively a small gym (400-500m2), it is pretty modern. The gym equipped with good weights for body building and machines is designed by a very successful body builder who is also the proprietor.

Treadmills, modern exercise bikes, and aerobic halls are all there to provide all health and body building needs.

I know the gym manageress (Lemon or Linda is her name, she speaks English) and also the body builder boss, they are very cool people who would like to make sure members are well looked after.

I am sure they will rectify your bad experiences if you talk to them.

@Chesspawn
I have found that there are more smokers in Sanya than other cities like Qingdao, Xiamen,as the people in this 2 cities are generally more conscious the the harms of tobaccos. But I have not seen anyone smoking in the gyms in places like Sanya. At JC, they have a allocated spot outside the gym for smokers, it is in the open.

16 Feb 2012

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Well, well, well, it wasn't just my imagination then when I thought to myself that there are not quite as many smokers in Qingdao when I was there a few years ago, and Xiamen's a nice place in general. Sadly, there are still lots of smokers in these cities, at least if one compares it to countries like Singapore and Hong Kong. According to what littlered wrote, it sounds if (as is often the case in China) they're ignoring the no smoking signs-assuming that there are such signs-at JC and smoke wherever they want.

16 Feb 2012

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Choilee, I will respond and say you are right about this gym having nice equipment. I have never complained about the quality of the equipment. This is one of the reasons that I did join here. I have to pass the other two gyms to get to this one so that in itself must say something!

I have spoke to Lemon about the fan issue. She even explained to me why they don't want to turn the fan on. I respect that they believe that it is not good for your skin and all that. This is not my belief. Lemon has been very accommodating for the Westerners in her classes. The body builder boss is the one that refuses to turn on the fan. The day he wouldn't allow me to have the fan on the man beside me on the treadmill smelled so bad that I thought I would throw up! I do understand that this is what the Chinese doctor teach to people. What they need to understand is that most westerners that are coming to workout in the gym are not used to it being so hot. My gym back home has fans and a/c running all the time. Our bodies are not used to working out with all the doors shut and no air movement. This would have to be very dangerous for us since we are not used to these conditions.

There has to be a compromise here. My husband and I even looked all day yesterday for a batteried power fan so I could get have in on myself and not bother anyone else. Couldn't find one in Sanya. I will be going on vacation and maybe will find one somewhere else. This was the only thing that I could think off. I really want to continue to workout here.

I have seen three times when men were actually smoking inside the gym. In fact, I have another friend and her husband who are also paid members that refuse to come back because they seen the same thing...men smoking in the gym. The last time that I witnessed this; I was on the last treadmill closest to the boxing bag and a man was smoking right beside me. He was no where near the door! I do know that there is a designated smoking area around the door.

17 Feb 2012

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Littlered, Littlered, Littlered!

You seem to be of the misconception that you are back in the USA and want to experience the gym standards that you may be used to. Well, I¡¯ve got news for you¡­..this is China and its going through it¡¯s growing pains. Hainan province is also the youngest province in China. Hainan and Sanya especially, are struggling to modernize and it is going to be a long road before we see tangible differences that us Expats have been used to at home. Also, Hainan is a farming province hence the difficulties culturally and educationally wise. It will take some time to get to the Shanghai or Shenzhen living status.

Now as for the Dadonghai gym, I truly enjoy it. I have had memberships in Shenzhen and at all three locations in Sanya over the years and I am very comfortable with this new facility. You are in all likelihood new to living in a tropical climate. Well, I¡¯ve got news for you, you haven¡¯t seen anything yet! Wait until summer.
I find the gym, very comfortable and enjoy the warmth and humidity as I exercise. In fact, when I return to the West, I dislike being in a closed up, cool and low humidity environment. My joints and muscles tighten up. It is not healthy to workout heavily under these conditions. Maybe the gym should put up a sign ¡°Caution¡­..exercise may cause sweating or perspiration¡± for Expats. Sweating is good for you, cleans one¡¯s pores and we replenish our body loss with more fluids. I believe some people who like it cool for exercise don¡¯t want to sweat because they don¡¯t want to shower afterwards. Do you? Do you go to the gym to exercise, sweat, lose weight or tone up? If you do, this is the process on top if a good diet. Some individuals go to the gym for a small attempt at fitness and to say ¡®I went to the gym¡¯. So Westerners aren¡¯t used to it you say? Well get used to it, this is not the West, its China and a tropical island! If you want a spray to disinfect everything, bring your own. You get a lot for the cost of the membership besides using equipment; you get yoga and spinning classes. No extra charge. How much is the cost of a good gym membership all-inclusive where you come from? It¡¯s a good value for being a vacation destination.

There is a ¡®Murphy¡¯s Law¡¯¡­.it goes something like ¡°If you try to please everybody, someone is not going to like it¡±. I guess you're that ¡®Someone¡¯.

Let¡¯s see now, what percent of the Chinese men and women here are overweight, obese or don¡¯t eat a well balanced diet? Now take the west and compare. Hell, just look at your fellow passengers on the flight home. It makes me sick! China is a 3,000-year-old culture and still they maintain reasonably good physical condition. Even mothers with children maintain an attractive figure. They don¡¯t use pregnancy as excuse to eat, eat and eat. If you go out in the mornings you see Chinese exercising or in the evenings you see Chinese dancing until 10pm. Yep, we can learn from them.

As for smoking, yes, there is smoking outside of the gym at the sitting area. So what! Are you saying that smoke wafts into the lobby, meanders along the treadmills and searches for you in the Spinning room? Really now, give your head a shake. If you saw someone smoking by the punching bag, say something or contact one the staff. I¡¯m sure that would be the end of it. There are ¡®No Smoking¡¯ signs posted and Chinese members will understand. Sounds like you saw it but just complained here. China is a singing, dancing, eating and smoking culture (unfortunately), but that¡¯s the way it is. Don¡¯t like it? Can¡¯t adapt? Go somewhere else. The sun doesn¡¯t rise and set on Westerners. You may think it should, but it doesn¡¯t!

I enjoy the Chinese culture, the people and my life here. They make me feel special, I feel safe here and I feel embarrassed as an Expat to read about someone like you nitpicking & whining about the new gym, bad mouthing it and warning people away from. Guess what? Don¡¯t exercise! Simple!

There are two kinds of people. THOSE THAT LOOK AT LIFE and ITS¡¯ ADVENTURES AS ¡°HALF EMPTY¡± AND SOME OF US WHO LOOK AT THINGS AS ¡°HALF FULL¡±. I guess you must be one of the former.

17 Feb 2012

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What a load of rubbish from this uncultured geezer, calling himself murphy! He should be hung, drawn & quartered, along with all the smokers! (he's probably an overweight, smelly chain smoker himself, and I won't be surprised if he's in China to exploit the young Chinese girls).

17 Feb 2012

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@murphy

It seems to me that there are in fact three kinds of people. Those that expect someowhere to be just like home, those who wear rose tinted glasses and seem to accept everything uncritically and those that try to keep an open mind. IMO the first and the second are just as bad as each other.

In other words, imagine if a foreigner had gone to the southern USA in 1900, had saw a lynching, had said that maybe it's not a great idea and then been told "it's just the all singing, all dancing all lynching USA, if you dont like it then get out!". Should they just accept what they see, complain or say what they think but keep in mind that you might be wrong and that everyone has their own cultural values etc. You dont have to give up on what you believe to keep an open mind and what is reasonable will be true in whatever society you are in.

Alsom btw Murphy's law is: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong

20 Feb 2012