About Marcus

My Fitness Background

I've been consistently training for 15 years, though my approach has evolved dramatically. In my early twenties, I was all about bodybuilding—multiple workouts per day, obsessing over macros, basically making fitness my entire identity. It worked for building muscle, but it wasn't sustainable or healthy mentally.

Around age 27, I discovered powerlifting and competed in a few local meets in the UK. Never won anything significant, but I loved the structure of training for specific strength goals. My best gym lifts are a 185kg squat, 140kg bench press, and 220kg deadlift at 88kg bodyweight. Respectable but not elite—I'm a dedicated amateur, not a professional athlete.

The yoga addition came after a shoulder injury in 2019. My physiotherapist recommended it, and I was skeptical—I thought yoga was just stretching with fancy names. Turned out I was completely wrong. Yoga transformed my movement quality, recovery, and honestly, my mindset around training. Now I consider it as essential as lifting.

Why Saudi Arabia?

The move to Riyadh was career-driven—I work in infrastructure technology consulting, and the opportunities in Saudi Arabia right now are incredible. Vision 2030 has accelerated development across every sector, and being part of that transformation professionally is exciting.

Personally, the adjustment took time. I'm half-British, half-Egyptian (hence Al-Rashid), so Middle Eastern culture wasn't completely foreign, but Riyadh is its own unique environment. The fitness scene here has surprised me—there's genuine investment in health and wellness, loads of new facilities opening, and a growing community of serious training enthusiasts.

Why I Started Writing Reviews

Honestly? Frustration. When I first arrived, finding reliable information about gyms and studios was impossible. Google reviews were sparse and often in Arabic without translation. Facebook groups were full of promotional content from gym owners. I visited seven different gyms in my first two months, wasting money on day passes and trial memberships.

So I started FitSaudi Journey. The name is slightly misleading because I'm only covering Riyadh right now, but I have plans to visit facilities in Jeddah and Dammam eventually. The goal is simple: provide honest, detailed reviews based on extended real-world experience, not a single visit or promotional tour.

My Review Philosophy

Every place I review, I've been a paying member for at least three months. That's the minimum time needed to experience a facility properly—you see it during different times of day, different days of the week, busy and quiet periods. You interact with multiple staff members. You see how equipment is maintained over time.

I don't accept free memberships or compensation for reviews. If a gym owner offered me a free membership in exchange for coverage, I'd decline. That financial relationship, even if supposedly with "no strings attached," creates bias whether you intend it or not.

I also try to be fair about the trade-offs. No gym or studio is perfect for everyone. What matters to a powerlifter is different from what matters to a yoga practitioner. What's essential to someone on a tight budget differs from someone with more financial flexibility. I try to present enough information that you can make your own decision based on your priorities.

Beyond The Gym

When I'm not training or writing reviews, I'm usually working (tech consulting involves unpredictable hours), exploring Riyadh's evolving food scene, or attempting to learn Arabic with limited success. I'm conversational but far from fluent—navigating gym conversations in Arabic is still a work in progress.

I read extensively about training methodology, nutrition science, and movement quality. Some of my go-to resources include research from Stronger by Science, programming insights from Renaissance Periodization, and movement concepts from folks like Dr. Quinn Henoch. I believe in evidence-based training approaches while acknowledging that practical application requires flexibility.

What's Next

I plan to continue reviewing gyms and studios across Riyadh as I experience them. I'm also considering expanding into equipment reviews, since I've accumulated a decent home gym setup over the past year. Maybe nutrition-focused content eventually, though that's a crowded space with lots of misinformation.

Ultimately, this remains a passion project. If it helps a few people make better decisions about where to train, that's success to me. I'm not trying to build a media empire or monetize through affiliate links. Just sharing honest experiences from someone who genuinely cares about this stuff.