In the capital city of Male', two young and passionate health enthusiasts have teamed up and kickstarted a unique initiative, with a personal spin, under the name of Primalete Fitness.
In the words of one of its founders, Primalete is more than a run-of-the-mill gym or personal training provide - it is a movement.
As such, distinguishing Primalete from other initiatives in the Maldivian fitness scene is the inspiring message it aims to impart to clients.
"Primalete is the embodiment of the founding team's resolve to never give up", stated Primalete co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohamed Zaiyn.
During an exclusive interview to The Edition, Zaiyn and Primalete co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Nasha Shiham reasoned that the only requirement of becoming a Primalete was perseverance, and all other variables were secondary.
"This isn’t about clientele", emphasised Zaiyn who, in a refreshingly selfless statement, affirmed that he respected people's decisions to approach other fitness initiatives and that it was enough for Primalete to simply motivate the beginning of a more health-conscious journey.
Nasha added that Primalete Fitness, at its core, was intended to be a support system for passionate individuals.
Although the movement's name is a combination of the words 'prime' and 'athlete', Nasha affirmed that the team leading Primalete Fitness was less about athletic ability, and wanted to inspire people to be resilient in all their endeavours.
“ Whether its studies or work, don’t give up”, said Nasha, succinctly summarising the movement's motto.
Primalete Fitness has its roots in CEO Zaiyn's rollercoaster process of regaining fitness.
Though an active member in the fitness scene after completing a transformation in 2014-2015, Zaiyn recalled gaining a considerable amount of weight while completing higher studies abroad.
Despite a promising beginning marked by employment in two prominent gyms in Maldives, Glowfit and the Total Fitness Group (TFG), Zaiyn struggled with the belief that he was forever barred from re-entering the industry.
This led to a heartfelt desire to connect with like-minded people and grow in tandem. Feeling that he needed more than a social media platform to attain this, Zaiyn teamed up with a partner to launch Project Nuke. The project started off with a one-week strength camp and an open invitation that went on to garner 80 clients.
However, at this point, Zaiyn's motivation flagged and he handed over the movement to his partner. It was during this lapse that Nasha, a self-professed fitness fanatic, approached her now-partner with ambitions of kickstarting her own initiative.
"We already had the name Primalete", said the certified personal trainer and Zumba instructor, explaining how she urged Zaiyn to restart the movement.
In line with the inclusive message that motivated the establishment of the movement, training programmes offered by Primalete are tailored to suit the dietary and medical needs of clients from a variety of backgrounds and age groups.
Instead of operating out of a typical gym space, Primalete conducts several of its programmes at Male' Sports Complex, locally known as 'Ekuveni'.
Primalete trainers conduct their sessions solely using custom made equipment including power bags, tires, weight sleighs, ladders and sledgehammers. Primalete COO Nasha described the set-up as a 'portable gym'.
Strenth Camp, Primalete's ongoing extensive one-week programme, is being carried out in this fashion.
Presently, clients can choose between four packages. Under the first two, clients can participate in one-hour strength camp sessions at 'Ekuveni' for three or six days a week. The platinum package offers three days of one-on-one training at an intimate but well equipped private studio, in addition to three attending strength camp. The remaining option involves only personal training from one of Primalete's trainers.
Primalete's co-founders revealed that they had received the opportunity to establish a proper gym space but chose to continue working from the 200 square foot private studio. Both expressed a sincere need for Primalete Fitness to climb up the ladder on its own merit.
The Primalete team is currently in the midst of making preparations to carry out upcoming projects and plans.
At the top of the agenda is a series of awareness and promotional sessions to be conducted at schools and corporate offices.
Primalete Fitness intends to take a fresh angle with their younger audiences, by forgoing the typical educational session on fitness to convey the message that success could only be achieved by deriving motivation from failures.
"I failed a lot", admitted Zaiyn, who firmly believes that this is a natural part of the process. However, he stated that a person is required to put in 100 percent to reach his or her full potential.
In contrast, the approach at corporate offices would aim to demonstrate how employees with '9-5' working hours can incorporate physical fitness into their schedules in a convenient way and combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Of special note is Zaiyn’s plan to relaunch Project Nuke, this time along with co-founder Nasha. The two will document their transformative journey on social media including workout routines and nutrition plans. Those interested can follow Project Nuke at https://www.facebook.com/primalete/
It took some prodding for the CEO and COO to reveal a more extensive blueprint for the future. The co-founders optimistically expressed hopes that Primalete Fitness would someday go multinational.
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