Busy Chinese office workers are incorporating exercise into their workday by jogging with their laptops, doing yoga while praying after lifting a packed lunch or doing Pilates in their office chairs.
The movement, called the “5-minute quick-charge workout,” is gaining momentum across mainland China.
In early July, a netizen posted a photo on Xiaohongshu of a colleague doing quick-charging training while waiting for an elevator, with the caption, “Salarymen have their own private gym.”
The image shows a woman holding a lunch delivery bag in one hand and a canvas bag in the other, which she uses as a dumbbell, lifting repeatedly while she waits.
She also had several food delivery bags strapped around her waist to add weight to her workout.
A colleague called her a genius and said, “She always volunteers to bring lunch for everyone from downstairs. She describes the trip as a kind of training.”
“She sits in the office all day and doesn’t have time to go to the gym, so she saves on gym fees by doing quick workouts while carrying takeaways or waiting for the elevator,” the colleague said.
Another post mentioned that interns at the company were bringing their yoga mats to work to exercise, and they asked, “I want to join in too, how do I do that?”
Interns placed iPads in front of their yoga mats displaying the God of Wealth, incorporating worship into their yoga routine.
Her actions sparked lively debate online.
“This is genius. Multitasking at its finest – worshipping, exercising and slightly slacking off at work all at the same time,” one person quipped.
Other short workouts being shared online include office chair pilates, swinging a badminton racket and lifting water barrels.
Zhang, a copywriter from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, told Jiupai News her exercise regime: She jogs to the subway station while carrying her laptop.
“My computer is a little heavy, so it feels like I’m lifting weights,” she said.
Chan doesn’t like the hassle of joining a gym, so he prefers short workouts.
“I’m worried I won’t be able to continue and will have wasted my money,” she said.
“A five-minute quick-charge workout is more doable for us office workers who often have to work overtime and don’t have much leisure time. It also gives us energy when we feel tired during work,” Chan added.
She also said that vigorous exercise is good for mental health as it helps to “release negative emotions” throughout the day.
Others are sharing their speedy fitness routines online.
“Yes, my workout is picking up packages for my boss. When it gets heavy, I consider it an arm workout,” one person said.
Another person said she sprints to work every day: “I run 800 meters in three minutes every day to get to work on time. It feels so easy these days.”
