There used to be a time when the only workout you could get in a warehouse was by moving around storage boxes.
No longer is that the case as cavernous gyms have become all the rage in the fitness world, mixing bare bones style with functionality. The high ceilings and open floor plan sell themselves. Gyms, after all, require plenty of space for large exercise machines, racks, stands and other contraptions, not to mention people themselves to move around.
But atmosphere is what often draws you in and it takes all of seconds inside Abu Dhabi’s MProve Fitness for the cavernous venue to pique your interest. That was the vision Mohammed Al Tamimi had when he decided to take a chance on the 18,000-square-foot-space, which before becoming the capital’s first warehouse gym was barren wasteland, aside from a lone boat.
It took imagination, but after travelling across the globe as a pilot for Etihad Airways, Al Tamimi had a concept in mind – to combine CrossFit, calisthenics, personal training, combat sports, yoga, Pilates and everything in between.
“Whenever I fly, I’m so into sport and I see these warehouse gyms everywhere,” said the 34-year-old, who was born and raised in the UAE. “I had the vision to do a whole fitness centre with everything – food, tanning, massage, etc.
“I wanted a warehouse mainly in Abu Dhabi because we’re lacking a warehouse. We had gyms, we had everything else, but not a warehouse. I wanted to do the first one and when I saw this place I was like, ‘this is the place I want’.”
So Al Tamimi did a soft launch of MProve Fitness in December 2015 – the grand opening is scheduled for later this year – and eight months later, the place is buzzing with activity.
When you walk in, it can be a little intimidating. The sign behind the front desk states there’s free Wi-Fi – no different than any other gym – but claims 500 burpees need to be completed before you can gain the password. When we asked Al Tamimi if it was tongue-in-cheek, he claimed it was no joke.
Continue past the sign, the children’s play area – a nice touch – and through the gate and you’re suddenly in an adult playground. Various sections make up the floor, catering to whatever your preferred form of exercise is.
Upstairs sits the women’s only area, as well as the yoga and Pilates, cardio, massage and tanning room. Aesthetics go a long way to shaping MProve Fitness’ ambiance, from the graffiti-style art which adorn the walls, to the motivational quotes peppered everywhere and anywhere. There’s even a 3-D, cartoonish portrait of Al Tamimi on the entrance floor, which is as eye-catching as anything else in the gym.
Al Tamimi says people even asked him to make the interior sleeker, but he was adamant on keeping the bleak, industrial look by not covering up the pipes and beams which hang from the ceiling.
The look, feel, space, equipment and passion to fitness is enough for MProve Fitness to be a venue worthy of repeat visits, but Al Tamimi has an ace up his sleeve to vault it to another level.
Situated to the left of the gym is Steroid Cafe, a labour of love shared by Al Tamimi and his partner Fatema Al Mheiri. That’s right, it really is called Steroid Cafe and it’s a name Al Tamimi not only loves, but one which he went through the trouble of making sure no one else had.
@mprovefitness founder @altamimi33333 at his gym down the street from @fairmontbab #exercisenatural #drinknatural pic.twitter.com/H4wGrCiZLb
— Lanjarón Arabia Dist (@LanjaronArabia) January 19, 2016
“The weirder it is, the more people are going to ask about it and come over,” he says.
An adjoining cafe is hardly a new concept for a gym, but the execution results in a run-of-the-mill snack stop or smoothie bar.
Where Steroid Cafe stands out is with the healthy food they offer during the week – weekends are reserved for ‘cheat day’ options like cheesecake and burgers – and the creative culinary mind of Al Mheiri.
“For me, I wanted a cafe, a healthy one, with the gym,” says Al Tamimi. “Anyone who is into fitness, they want a pre-workout meal and a post-workout meal. Those are the most important meals you’re going to have. Why not do it properly.”
We were treated to filtered specialty coffee, healthy sushi rolls consisting of peanut butter and banana, a protein blueberry muffin and a coconut protein smoothie, made by Al Tamimi himself. Not only was it all delicious, but left us completely guilt-free. That seems to be a sentiment shared by many, with Al Tamimi pointing out he has customers who travel for the cafe alone.
“I believe the cafe will pull them to the gym or the gym is going to pull them to the cafe. Both ways, I’m happy,” he says. “If they’re eating at the cafe, they’re staying healthy. If they’re working out at the gym, they’re still staying healthy.”
