Bodybuilders in northern Syria’s Manbij keep fit; look forward to future competitions
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Bodybuilding is becoming more popular among young men in the city of Manbij, northern Syria, amid efforts by the “Individual Sports Committee” to develop the sport.
Aqeel al-Sayed, a coach and manager of the Abu Ayoub Gym in Manbij, said the turnout for bodybuilding at his gym has increased recently.
“We receive all players under certain conditions, the ages accepted at the gym are 18 to 60,” he said.
The trainees go to the gym with the aim of building their bodies or slimming down, as well as for physical treatment of tendon and nerve injuries, according to al-Sayed.
“It’s a serious issue related to hormones given to athletes under the age of 18,” he noted.
“This is because of its severe impact on the athlete’s body, and can cause diseases like infertility if taken without a regular training program supervised by trainer,” he said.
The trainee generally needs the help of a specialist trainer to supervise him in order to avoid potential injuries that may sometimes cause injury or disability as a result of the misuse of certain machines.
The Abu Ayoub Gym is open daily from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for women, and 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm for men.
At the beginning of the trainee’s entry into the gym, his weight is measured and recorded, and after the first month the weight is taken again and the difference is recorded to ascertain whether the body of the trainee has responded to the training or not.
60-year-old Hussein Ragheb, a trainee at the gym, said he has been practicing the sport for 48 years to keep fit and overcome many diseases.
He called on young people to abandon bad habits such as smoking and turn to exercise, as “a healthy body is more important than following habits that destroy the body.”
Mustafa Ramo, chairman of the Individual Sports Committee of the Manbij Sports Federation, said the number of bodybuilding gyms in Manbij has doubled to 10 in the previous years.
“The number of athletes in Manbij is 100 in the youth and men’s categories,” he added to North Press.
Ramo said that they are seeking regular friendly competitions between gyms in the city first, and eventually in all of northeast Syria.