Personal trainer to China’s wealthiest, social media star, actor: this Mandarin-speaking British fitness guru is making it big in the country
- Tony Nicholson regularly performs feats of strength on-screen to promote fitness in China and is a personal trainer to many of the country’s entrepreneurs
- He has dabbled in acting, been a bodyguard to Keanu Reeves, runs a health food company – and does origami in his down time
Passengers boarding a recent flight from Shanghai to Beijing were treated to the extraordinary sight of a burly, military-trained Briton supervising a group of youngsters as they performed vigorous press-ups in the aircraft aisle.
Few Chinese people would have been totally surprised by the scene, unlikely though it sounds. The instructor, Tony Nicholson, is a familiar face in China, thanks to his regular television appearances promoting fitness.
The impromptu preflight session was in response to a selfie request from the group of 10-year-olds. “I said if you can do 10 perfect push-ups you can have a picture with me,” he says. “So they did, and everyone was there with their phones taking pictures and parents came up and said they were massive fans because their kids listen to me. Little kids always seem to find me and, if they are shy, they reach out through their parents.
“On another occasion, there was a group of airport security guys waiting when I got off the shuttle train. I thought I was in trouble! But they all lined up and said in unison, ‘We love you Tony, we follow your app and do the planking and the push-ups and the squats’!”
