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Man’s Fitness Corner: the old school gym in downtown Amman for the working class

Published September 8th, 2016 - 03:32 GMT

Amman, Jordan — The sound of barbells hitting the ground, grunts, old school American hip hop, the latest in Egyptian pop hits and the call to prayer (for which the music stops) emanate from Man’s Fitness Corner. Located across from the Al Husseini mosque in the heart of downtown Amman, this all male gym is different from its West Amman counterparts in a variety of ways. “People come from Jordan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Germany, Norway, Bangladesh the Philippines, Pakistan; it’s international cause it’s in downtown, and most of these people like old school bodybuilding,” Umeer, the gym’s manager, told Al Bawaba, whose author of this article is also a member.

Going to the gym can be an expensive ordeal in Amman, frequently ranked as the most expensive city in the Middle East, or close to it. Gyms in West Amman frequently charge close to $100 USD  or more for memberships. Man’s Fitness Corner offers an alternative for those seeking an affordable and traditional weightlifting experience, without the frills. Take a look inside Amman’s gym for the local and foreign working class.

Adam Lucente

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weightlifting bodybuilding Amman Jordan

Man’s Fitness Corner’s clientele come from all over, particularly the Middle East and Asia. Even Umeer, a Jordanian citizen, spent most of his life in Aleppo, Syria, coming to Jordan after the war broke out. “We still have a house there, but there have been a lot of battles around it,” he said, speaking from his desk at the gym.

dumbells Amman Jordan gym

Man’s Fitness Center’s philosophy is to focus on free weights, not fancy machines. “Anything free weights is better,” said Umeer. “It’s old school Schwarzenegger.”

Al Husseini mosque Amman Jordan

The gym’s location downtown allows it to provide cheaper prices. “The reason we’re cheaper is because our members have lower salaries. It’s a working class neighborhood,” Umeer told Al Bawaba. He can relate to this. “My salary is enough to live and eat. I have it better than others. Most Jordanian youth struggle.”

Sudanese refugees Amman Jordan UN UNHCR

Because there are so many foreign workers, refugees, and students at the gym, many don’t stay long. In a sadder tale, some members of Jordan’s Sudanese refugee community attended Man’s Fitness Corner, but stopped going after the December 2015 deportation of much their community.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

I'll be back! Master bodybuilder and former governor of the US state of California Arnold Schwarzenegger is a role model for Man’s Fitness Corner, and his picture is plastered throughout the gym.

Protein supplements gym poster

Protein supplements too are a part of Man’s Fitness Corner’s philosophy.

Arabic bodybuilding weightlifting

There’s much more bodybuilding material in English, but Man’s Fitness Corner provides some Arabic-language tips on their Facebook page and on flyers in the gym.

Squat rack pulley bench

While Man’s Fitness Corner is loyal to its old school mentality, they do combine old and new. Their squat rack has a pulley system, allowing users to do pull downs and other exercises impossible on a traditional squat rack.

gym Amman Man's Fitness Corner Jordan downtown

“I love all the guys here of all nationalities. There are no showoffs; we’re all like brothers,” said Umeer. With a steady stream of members, cheap prices and a central location, Man’s Fitness Corner may continue to be the choice of gym for bodybuilders on a budget in Amman for years to come.

weightlifting bodybuilding Amman Jordan
dumbells Amman Jordan gym
Al Husseini mosque Amman Jordan
Sudanese refugees Amman Jordan UN UNHCR
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Protein supplements gym poster
Arabic bodybuilding weightlifting
Squat rack pulley bench
gym Amman Man's Fitness Corner Jordan downtown
weightlifting bodybuilding Amman Jordan
Man’s Fitness Corner’s clientele come from all over, particularly the Middle East and Asia. Even Umeer, a Jordanian citizen, spent most of his life in Aleppo, Syria, coming to Jordan after the war broke out. “We still have a house there, but there have been a lot of battles around it,” he said, speaking from his desk at the gym.
dumbells Amman Jordan gym
Man’s Fitness Center’s philosophy is to focus on free weights, not fancy machines. “Anything free weights is better,” said Umeer. “It’s old school Schwarzenegger.”
Al Husseini mosque Amman Jordan
The gym’s location downtown allows it to provide cheaper prices. “The reason we’re cheaper is because our members have lower salaries. It’s a working class neighborhood,” Umeer told Al Bawaba. He can relate to this. “My salary is enough to live and eat. I have it better than others. Most Jordanian youth struggle.”
Sudanese refugees Amman Jordan UN UNHCR
Because there are so many foreign workers, refugees, and students at the gym, many don’t stay long. In a sadder tale, some members of Jordan’s Sudanese refugee community attended Man’s Fitness Corner, but stopped going after the December 2015 deportation of much their community.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
I'll be back! Master bodybuilder and former governor of the US state of California Arnold Schwarzenegger is a role model for Man’s Fitness Corner, and his picture is plastered throughout the gym.
Protein supplements gym poster
Protein supplements too are a part of Man’s Fitness Corner’s philosophy.
Arabic bodybuilding weightlifting
There’s much more bodybuilding material in English, but Man’s Fitness Corner provides some Arabic-language tips on their Facebook page and on flyers in the gym.
Squat rack pulley bench
While Man’s Fitness Corner is loyal to its old school mentality, they do combine old and new. Their squat rack has a pulley system, allowing users to do pull downs and other exercises impossible on a traditional squat rack.
gym Amman Man's Fitness Corner Jordan downtown
“I love all the guys here of all nationalities. There are no showoffs; we’re all like brothers,” said Umeer. With a steady stream of members, cheap prices and a central location, Man’s Fitness Corner may continue to be the choice of gym for bodybuilders on a budget in Amman for years to come.
Tags:AmmanUmeerAdam Lucente

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