The only strongman specific gym in the Middle East has opened its doors, already proving to be a massive hit among those looking for a new discipline to become more functionally fit.
Jointly owned by the current strongest Emirati man, Youseff Al Fardan and former Britain’s strongest man and the current UAE’s strongest man, Mark Boyd, Strong Gym is making waves in Dubai’s fitness landscape.
Bringing world-class strength and conditioning to the UAE, the homegrown concept is the only strongman specific gym in the Middle East, attracting top athletes from the region, as well as clients who are looking for a new way to become stronger and more functionally fit.
Al Fardan began lifting in 2018 and met Boyd through mutual friends not long after. Strong was born out of a shared appreciation of a sport that has grown in popularity over the last five years.
“I decided to open Strong gym with Mark to grow the sport of strongman in the UAE as it’s starting to get more and more recognised, and more people are starting to enjoy it,” said Al Fardan.
Famed for its atlas stones, truck pulls and yoke carries, the sport has had a real resurgence in the Middle East and the UAE in particular. Dubai regularly attracts some of the biggest names in the sport such as Hafthor ‘Thor’ Bjornsson and Larry Wheels, but Strong hopes to encourage a more diverse clientele to take up the training.
“Strong is not just the home to budding strongman athletes,” says Boyd. “Yes, they make up some of our client list, but we are using the fundamentals of strongman training to create a strength and conditioning facility to help athletes from a range of disciplines improve their performance”.
Strong has seen a variety of elite athletes use its facilities, including world-class boxer Rob Frampton, MMA and UFC fighters, bodybuilders and high-level CrossFit athletes. Alongside working with these elite athletes, Al Fardan and Boyd are passionate about introducing strongman style training to anyone who is interested in improving their functional fitness.
The gyms twice-weekly strong circuits offer the perfect introduction to the equipment and movements for new clients and the chance for others to continue to build their skills. This is also the best place to kick off training for the Emirates Strongest Man and Woman competition scheduled to take place at Strong Gym on 25th and 26th June 2021,
So, if you’re an elite athlete looking to improve your conditioning, interested in becoming the next strongman or strongwoman, or just want to train in a way that will make you stronger, fitter and more functional, Strong is definitely the place to go.
GO: Visit www.strongtraining.net or call (0)52 832 8334 for more information.
