Weider bodybuilding gym opens in Yemen

The latest and greatest in bodybuilding equipment

Bodybuilder Abdullah Abdul-Wahab of Sana’a has been to many gyms in Yemen over the past five years, searching for an ideal place to work out. But most of the gyms had no coaches or trainers to help people work out properly, and no gym had all the equipment he wanted. But now, with the recent opening of the Weider Gym in Sana’a, Abdul-Wahab has finally found a gym that suits all of his needs.  “I have been to many gyms in Yemen and I think this is the best one in many ways.” said Abdullah.

“I can breathe in this gym, and the equipment is very new. The other gyms also have no coaches that can watch over you if you are doing something wrong that may cause any kind of distortion to your muscles,” he said. “The gym is international and is different from all gyms basically in everything. There is absolutely no gym in Yemen that has the same equipments with all varieties.” The Canadian Joe Weider, whose photograph hangs in the new gym, is the co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) with his brother Ben Weider.

He also created the Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia and the now defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests.  Weider gave Yemen permission to use his name, as well as the equipment and workout system he supports. Construction of the Weider Gym gym started in 2005, and it was completed and filled with all necessary equipment by the end of last year.  Joe Weider himself was called to inaugurate the gym, but he couldn’t make it, and sent his Vice-President Malih Alaywan, who is the guru of body building in the Arab World, on his behalf. The hall was inaugurated on February 21, 2007.

The Weider Gym is the biggest and most professional gym to open thus far in Yemen, and it is equipped with the most advanced equipment from one of the biggest companies in the business, Cybex. Cybex gym equipment is crafted from steel, and comes with a 10-year warrantee. The equipment can be used for weight loss, bodybuilding and fitness. There are around five aerobic machines, such as bikes, treadmills, and elliptical trainers that are computerized—the first such modern machines in Yemen. There are also scores of weights for lifting to build strength. What makes the gym different from all other gyms is the advanced equipment.

It can be used by people of all ages, amateurs and professionals, men and women.  The ventilation of the gym cannot be found in most of the other gyms in Yemen. Other gyms commonly lack proper ventilation, which leads to overheated rooms and a general stinkiness.  Salim al-Jendari, a manager in the gym, said that the sport of bodybuilding in Yemen needs good and advanced gyms that are hygienic and healthy. Good equipment is very expensive; one machine can cost around $7,000. Walid al-Thylia, a coach at the gym, is one of the best trainers in bodybuilding in Yemen, according to several other trainers in town.

Najeeb al-Jawfi bonds with famed muscle-man Dennis James.

He is always at the gym, offering instructions to newcomers.  He also offers several programs for all purposes: weight loss, fitness and bodybuilding. With his programs, he helped at least 10 bodybuilders who were more than 110 kilograms to drop down to less than 100 with two months training.  The gym provides athletes with healthy proteins that can help build muscle. They help in weight loss as well as bodybuilding, and the proteins are approved by the World Health Organization. Subscribers to the gym come from Yemen and a multitude of other nationalities. 

The gym even has hours just for women, in the mornings.  Coach Walid said first thing they do with newcomers to the gym is to assess and examine the body of each person, including their weight and height. A program is then prepared for each person. There are different programs for different people, and every age has its program.   Many bodybuilding champions from Yemen practice in the Weider Gym, because of its very advanced equipment. Brian, an American who is in Yemen to study Arabic, is a regular visitor to the Weider Gym.

He goes to the gym twice a week. “This is gym is pretty similar to the ones we have in the States, in terms of the facilities, the whole outlet,” said Brian. He also said that the best thing about Weider here is that the equipment is very professional, and at the same level of gyms in the US. Najeeb al-Jawfi of Sana’a, the owner and the manager of Weider Gym, has been fond of the sport of bodybuilding since he was 12 years old. He is now 33. He is planning to expand the gym in the future. Najeeb spent years in the US, and has pictures of himself with several high-profile champions, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dennis James all over the gym.

Al-Jawfi also is a writer for a couple of bodybuilding magazines, and has thousands of magazines and CDs for bodybuilding practices that he has been collecting since 1985.  “In order to guarantee healthy work, every player in the gym is asked to bring his own towel for hygienic reasons so as to avoid sweating, and put it under his body on any machine,” said al-Jawfi. He said that the most important things in the gym are discipline and cleanliness. They use sanitizer on all equipment, to guarantee healthy environment.

“What inspires me to open this gym is the lack of professional gyms in Yemen,” said al-Jawfi.  Al-Jawfi is planning to invite champions from all over the world, one every year on the anniversary of the inauguration of the gym, to promote the sport of bodybuilding and to give lectures to fitness buffs.  Najeeb al-Jawfi is certified by the International Federation of Bodybuilding. He is the sole agent in Yemen for CYBEX fitness equipment and Weider nutritional supplements for bodybuilders. He is a member of the IFBB in the US, is one of the founders of IFBB Yemen, and international bodybuilding referee.  Al-Jawfi has worked as a trainer in Gold’s Gym in Virginia.

He was later elected a member of the board of the American Bodybuilding Academy. He was selected best sporting character by the Felix magazine in 1996 and 1998. He has participated in many bodybuilding championships such as the Arnold (Schwarzenegger) Classic and the Mr. Olympia competition.  He was named Mr. Yemen by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Chief of Bodybuilding in Yemen by Adel Fahim, deputy of the African Bodybuilding Federation.

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