On August 12, at the invitation of ChinaFit, Dr. Bob Chen, as the founder of Dr. Chen’s STaR Studio, came to the National Convention Center.  Along with four other founders of studios, they conducted a discussion and experience-sharing seminar on the topic, “The outlook of small-scaled fitness studios in the next five years.”

After Dr. Bob Chen, a former professional athlete, got his PhD and postdoctoral degrees, he brought the concepts of physical rehabilitation into China.  He helped restore the health of many outstanding athletes who achieved great athletic performance.  Since 2011, Dr. Chen’s STaR Studio has had its base in Beijing.  During the past few years, it has been committed to creating the most professional physical rehabilitation studio in China, and has also been recognized with the trust of a large number of customers and organizations.  

Regarding “The outlook of small-scaled fitness studios in the next five years,” the five guests had their own views, but with one thing in common: they all believed that the prospects of small-scaled fitness studios in the next five years look stable and optimistic.  Dr. Chen said that “in the next five years, as society and the economy continue to develop, the demand for improved fitness concepts as well as personalized fitness will greatly increase.  The small-scaled fitness studio will have a great future!”  Dr. Chen also pointed out that professional levels and quality of services would also become the benchmark for small-scaled studios.  Only in this way can they survive with vitality!

The five guests also gave out their own detailed data and some investment advice regarding issues that most concerned the audience, such as the early stages of investment budget, sites, management, and so on. 

Dr. Chen believed that the difference between a small-scale physical rehabilitation studio and a personal training studio lies in their definitions.  For example, the clients of Dr. Chen’s STaR Studio are mostly groups of people who normally are passed back and forth between hospitals and communities.  At the hospitals, if these people do not require injections, medication, or surgery, they ask them to go home and rest.  In fact, what they really need is to use physical rehabilitation to restore their normal motor functions of the body. 

There were some personal trainers who were very interested in rehabilitation studios, so they wanted to know what kind of certification and qualifications are required to open a physical rehabilitation studio.  Dr. Chen explained about the professional regulatory issues.  In places like the US and Hong Kong, a physical rehabilitation specialist is required to have certification and attain certain standards, and China, in the future, will surely establish the same specifications.  A personal trainer can help people to strengthen their bodies through training, but how to make accurate assessments, diagnose their problems, and prescribe a reasonable exercise regimen is very much related to the medical field. 

As one of the members of Dr. Chen’s physical rehabilitation elite training class, I can totally relate to this.  I was a personal trainer before, and for the past 6 months, I have been studying with Dr. Chen.  I realize there are huge differences between being a physical rehabilitation specialist and being a personal trainer.  Dr. Chen has been very strict with us.  He constantly reminded us that safety is more important than results during training, and not to do things that lie outside of our purview.  It is due to this kind of rigor that we both respect and yet feel a sense of awe toward the profession of physical rehabilitation.  So I hope that all the personal trainers who want to open their rehabilitation studios also have the same feelings towards this profession.  In the mean time, I hope they continue to study and improve, and have the ability to do rehabilitation in near future. 

Written by Bao Dunhuai