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Gym-goers from across the region are set to flex their muscles this weekend in the first ‘Battle of Heroes Fitness’ competition, putting their strength and endurance to the test for champion bragging rights as well as cash prizes.
The gruelling event, which will be held at Seef Mall Bahrain on Friday and Saturday, is being organised under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, head of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), along with the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation and the BOC.
More than 80 competitors from the US, UK, Brazil, South Korea and the region will be participating in the competition which will feature a three-stage qualifier that includes a number of intense, timed exercises such as deadlifts, burpee box jumps and rows followed by a semi-final and a final before the winners are deemed ‘strongest man and woman’.
Fahad Ahmed Al Aish, 26, from A’ali, a financial and administrative specialist at the Royal Family Council and head of the marketing committee for the contest, said: “The aim of this competition is to motivate all segments of society to participate and engage in healthy and beneficial physical activity that will help with further developing the sports culture amongst the general public and future generations.
“We plan to do this by showcasing the profound methods of incorporating weightlifting, powerlifting, plyometric and gymnastics training done at high intensity to increase metabolic capacity versus everyday conventional workout routines.
“Not just anyone can participate in this event and that is because it requires the impeccable physical strength and stamina of professional athletes who are certified under an affiliate gym here in the kingdom or any affiliated gym in the region. Affiliate gyms or boxes as they’re called are CrossFit boxed that have been registered and certified by CrossFit, Inc.”
CrossFit is a worldwide fitness programme developed by American gym-buff Greg Glassman which incorporates elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, girevoy sport, calisthenics, strongman and other exercises. It is practiced by members of more than 13,000 affiliated gyms worldwide.
Exercises that will be performed in the qualifying rounds of the contest have been announced on the organiser’s Instagram account @bahrainboh.
Fahad said: “The athletes will need to go through rigorous training regimes to prepare for the workouts in this event. There are three qualifying rounds during the competition in order to reach the semi-finals.
“To prepare for these qualifiers the organising committee posted the workouts on Instagram so that the athletes have ample time to work on and perfect their techniques and stamina for the competition. However, the semi-final and finals workouts will only be announced on the spot to ensure fair play.
“My message to the competitors is make the most of it … and may the best athlete win!”
Novices will be given the chance to compete in the Scaled category which features fewer repetitions and weights, while stronger competitors can try their hands at the RX’d class.
For example, an RX’d entrant will need to conduct five deadlifts carrying 120/100kg while a Scaled athlete will be lifting 100/60kg.
Osama Kamaluddin, 26, from Saar, co-owner of CrossFit Delmon and one of the competition organisers, added: “RX’d category is for those who are capable of doing all the moves with prescribed weights. Scaled is for beginners, substituted movements with easier ones and lighter weights.
“The fitness competition covers all aspects of fitness, weightlifting, gymnastics and cardio-based exercises to test the true meaning of fitness.”
Fitness fanatic Ali Al Shaikh, 25, from Muharraq, an examiner at the Central Bank of Bahrain, is looking forward to the event.
He has been training six-times-a-week for the competition since October last year in an extreme strength and endurance work-out programme created by coach Ahmed Al Sharaf at the CrossFit Delmon gym in Barbar and Adhari.
Ali said: “I am excited – nothing as big as this has ever happened here before. This style of event will really test your strength and endurance. I’m going to give it my all!”
First place men and women in the RX’d category will win $5,000 while Scaled men and women could pick up a $2,500 prize. Second place RX’d will secure $2,500 and Scaled will receive $1,500. Third place RX’d will take $1,000 and Scaled will be awarded $750. The top three in each category will also receive medals and trophies.
In between competitive rounds, there will be various fun shows such as kid’s capoeira, kid’s Muay Thai and kickboxing and calisthenics.
The competition kicks off at 10am and runs to 9pm on Friday and 10am to 8.30pm on Saturday, followed by the awards ceremony. To find out more, visit Instagram @bahrainboh
