Four pictures feature Chen Jifang's body changes during her three months of training. [Photo provided to China Daily]

According to a 2019 Cheetah Mobile report on the fitness behavior of the middle-aged and the elderly, nearly 90 percent of such people in China have fitness habits while 66.4 percent of them exercise almost every day.

The report also notes that the traditional means for the elderly to stay fit, such as square dancing and tai chi, have been unable to meet the new needs of the fitness-obsessed elderly population.

"As the number of people over the age of 50 entering the gym has increased, gyms are trying to develop new courses to meet their needs," says Yao Ning, CEO of 3HFIT, an agency that certifies fitness coaches.

According to Yao, 3HFIT has set up a unique training program for seniors that aims to prevent and slow down the occurrence of chronic diseases, delay the degradation of body functions and maintain health.

The 62-year-old also organizes home-based training sessions regularly.

"We are all old people. We need to do some exercises to maintain our body functions, including keeping our joints flexible and stable and maintaining our capacities," he says.

Chen shares the same sentiment.

"We cannot stop aging, but exercise can slow it down," she says.

"Instead of spending money on medicine, it is better to spend money on fitness."