Gyms near Minzu University

[Wahed]

I will be attending Minzu University to participate in the ACC China program. I received my handbook today and wanted to immediately start research on everything I will need for my time in Beijing.

 

To start, I will definitely need to locate a very good gym near Minzu University. I will be staying in the Minzu University "Foreign Students' Dormitory" which is near the East Gate.

 

Some things that, if possible, I would really like the gym to have is:

 

- some type of gymnastics rings set up

- pullup/dip bars, parallettes, parallel bars

- climbing rope

- peg board

- resistance bands, yoga mats

 

Two places mentioned in the ACC handbook are:

 

- Bally Total Fitness Center (5 min walk south from East gate)

No. 31 Zhongguancun South Street

 

- Beijing Foreign Studies University gym (20 min walk south from West gate)

2 North Xisanhuan Avenue

 

Cost is not a big problem for me as long as it has all the amenities that I am searching for. Ideas?  Thank you in advance!

[roddy]

A couple of other leads for you, although nothing concrete, I'm afraid - you're just around the corner from the Capital Indoor Stadium, which has some facilities, and not too far from the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, which should have what you're looking for - tricky bit will be finding it and getting access. 

[ChTTay]

Apart from pull up/dip bars and yoga mats you are unlikely to find any of that stuff at regular gyms round here. Most gyms are just very generic, some free weights, some weight machines and the usual cardio machines.

You will probably need to find a gymnastics place to find those things. You can find parallel bars in the outdoor park gyms.

[Wahed]

I am not good with doing online keyword searches in Chinese just yet but I am working on it. Hopefully I can locate some gymnastics places or hopefully someone here knows where some good ones are.

[ChTTay]

I would just wait until you get here to find gymnastic type equipment. It might be quicker just to ask at your Uni if they already have any.

 

In the meantime you at least know that there are some gyms nearby for general fitness if you need it.

[arreke]

- Beijing Foreign Studies University gym (20 min walk south from West gate)

2 North Xisanhuan Avenue

Most of my friends from Minzu University simply go to Beijing Foreign Studies University, it's the closest one, always crowded though ))

[Wahed]

@arreke - Remember though which dorms I will be in. I will be in the East gate dorms not the West gate. So, I think you meat to write that "Bally Fitness" is the closest gym.

[uni419]

FYI, there's also a gym on campus, but its not the best quality. 

[ChTTay]

You're highly unlikely to find any typical gym with be equipment you have listed and, from what myself and others have said, there isn't anything like that nearby.

You can have a typical gym, close to you (20 minutes away in China is very close!!) or you can try find a gymnastics venue. Your University or one of the ones around probably has some stuff. As Roddy says, it depends on access.

The easiest thing to do is just wait until you arrive and ask around. At least you know there are regular gyms around.

[roddy]

I'm pretty sure CUPES will have what you need, the problem is whether or not you can find it and get them to let you use it. I tried to find more info, but their website is appalling, even by Chinese university standards. Your best bet might be going up there and asking around - some keen English practicer will offer to help out.

 

I have no idea if it's still there, but this is what they had set up for practice during the Olympics. 

[Wahed]

@roddy - Asking for help from someone wanting to practice English sounds like a good idea however ACC has an extremely stict Chinese-only policy for the duration of the program. So, I am not sure how I will go about this. But if that university isn't far (less than 15 min. walk from East gate) then I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

[ChTTay]

If you are attending University in China, you will almost certainly need a bike. You can get them for around 50 dollars easily.

You can get quite far in 15 mins on a bike, even a bad one.

I wouldn't limit yourself too much to this being immediately accessible to your dorms. It's likely not much of anything is "that close" close to you

[roddy]

Wandering onto their campus with a dictionary and a mission to complete will be a fantastic bit of Chinese practice. Let us know how you get on!