If you've ever walked past or through a public park in China, chances are you've come across Chinese grandparents "exercising".
In recent years, a fitness trend dubbed "hanging neck exercise" among Chinese senior citizens has gained popularity. Executed by fixing a rope-like neck-hanging sling to a high tree branch or fitness equipment, one hangs by his head allowing his body to swing with the rope. Those who partake in this new fitness craze believe that it is very helpful for their cervical spine and back.
Videos of them in-action have gone viral on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, a man in his 50s tragically died while attempting to execute the exercise move, sparking increased scrutiny of this "fitness" method. It was reported that he had adopted the practice after seeing it demonstrated online, but it took a fatal turn after he exerted excessive force during his attempt.
A
t Beijing's Temple of Heaven Park, the neck-hanging exercise was once prevalent. Wen, a regular at the park, recounted how several trees used to host participants "training their necks," but this activity was eventually prohibited following a safety incident. "Back then, many believed this exercise could effectively alleviate neck problems and even prevent cervical spondylosis," he said.
Although the Temple of Heaven Park no longer permits the neck-hanging exercise, many senior citizens continue to experiment with similar methods in community parks and elsewhere, driven by a desire to find effective neck care techniques.
This peculiar swinging neck exercise was pioneered by Sun Rongchun, a resident of Shenyang, Liaoning Province, in Northeast China, several years ago to alleviate neck pain. Pleased with the results, the 57-year-old began recommending it to others, thus sparking a controversial fitness craze among senior enthusiasts. Subsequently, various strange exercise methods have emerged among the senior fitness community.
In addition to neck-hanging, other unconventional exercises like crawling and head-butting trees have become popular in parks. The daring movements resemble professional acrobatic performances, earning nicknames like the "morning exercises of the gods" on social media platforms.
Editor: CH
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