Fitness enthusiasts show their skills off on exercise bikes. [Photo/Baotou Evening News]

With the Paris Olympics now in full swing, the sports atmosphere of Baotou city, located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has really rocketed.

Aug 8 marked China's National Fitness Day and in the run-up to celebrating it, the 5th Baotou National Fitness Sports Festival, themed on "Fitness with the Olympics", kicked off in style at Arden Square on Aug 6.

Nearly 1,000 social sports instructors and fitness enthusiasts participated in the event.

It featured demonstrations of taichi fans, rope skipping, stationary cycling, square dancing and more.

Dance moves deftly during the event. [Photo/Baotou Evening News]

Making sports a lifestyle habit for the people across the city is the reason why Baotou hosts a series of events around National Fitness Day.

Next, the city will host a series of themed activities weekly, including volleyball, basketball and soccer matches. There will also be national fitness monitoring, bringing sports to the countryside events and exhibitions of fitness Qigong and Tai Chi.

Leveraging the Olympics sports fever, the city hoped to create a social atmosphere that empowers sports and encourages residents to enjoy more physical activities.

A red silk dance performance, a favorite fitness activity among Baotou residents, is always popular to watch. [Photo/Baotou Evening News]