Most families in Beijing love to gather in front of TV sets after dinner. But Gao Ning, wife of Huang Xiaoying, and his parents have better things to do. They clean the dishes, laze around a bit, change into track suits, put on their sports shoes and leave home.

The 32-year-old and his wife sweat it out on treadmills, go through the rigors of a group exercise session to tone their abs or do some stretching exercises under the guidance of personal trainers. And his parents join a group of retired people, most of them in their 60s, in a nearby community park to dance to the rhythms of traditional music. They use the intervals to chat with other members of the group, sharing their joys and pains.

The Gaos represent a growing number of Beijing families that swear by exercise, especially because of the Beijing Olympics' public fitness drive. Gone are the days when many people considered physical labor as the only way of exercise. More and more middle-aged and elderly people have realized the importance of regular exercise.