You probably have noticed the abundance of gyms and health fitness coaches around B-Town, from Fitness First, Oxygen Gym, Spartan Fitness, Al Nakheel fitness, and the list goes on. Oh and let’s not forget this recent trend and obsession with “cross fit” – not that we’re complaining about it, it’s actually good that people are trying to get in shape, plus we really do need to reduce the percentage of obesity in Bahrain – let’s be in the top 25 in something else please.
This is why we’ve decided to introduce you to Ahmed Alumran, a Bahraini strength and conditioning coach, basically a fancy word for “personal trainer” as he puts it. An expert in strength training, Ahmed works with individuals to help them achieve their health and fitness goals.
Being raised and nurtured within sports, and having played every single sports activity out there, from football to basketball to even ice skating, Ahmed loved the feeling of being an active person, and thus decided to pursue the career of fitness coaching. Before his official fitness career, Ahmed worked for an engineering firm and part-time as a fitness coach for almost two years. He waited until he had a steady income from being a Strength Coach to quit and pursue what he really wanted to be – A fitness professional.
But let’s be real here, exercising and going to the gym, in theory, sounds simple and manageable. Practically speaking? It’s a nightmare – everyone can relate. This is why we turned to Ahmed for advice on perseverance. He shares that what keeps you going during a workout is the motivation of the coach and the people around you. He also adds that the environment is key to a great workout.
“When it comes to long-term perseverance and motivation, you have to find someone to keep you accountable and who genuinely cares about you and your goals. That person will be there when you get off track and help you get back when needed,” Ahmed states.
We asked Ahmed on what does Bahrain need to further encourage people to have a healthier lifestyle, and he said “I think Bahrain needs more education from a younger age about lifestyle or career in health and fitness. We are so quick to brush it off as an actual career since this industry is so new.” He believes that trainers (not just in Bahrain) need to learn to become more empathetic as many of them consider their clients as “lazy” without fully understanding their current lifestyles. “We’re trainers to help people, not to put them off training altogether,” he states.
Ahmed also shares with us that he’s been running his facility for about a year and is excited to start expanding and bring in new people to be part of this journey.
One last final advice from Ahmed to people who just started working out: “Be consistent and show up. Nothing that is worth it comes quickly, expect the same with your fitness goals.”
If you’d like to know more about Ahmed, follow him on Instagram at @ahmedsc_bh
P.S. you get to work out beside Charlie, a really cute dog that’s guranteed to keep you motivated!