Most fitness communities die the same way they are born: with a lot of noise and very little follow-through. But some survive the struggle, grow, and catch a little attention. LFG Dubai is firmly in the second camp.

What Ahmed Sam started in 2022 with three people — no budget, no backing, no blueprint — has grown into a 1200+ member movement that has become genuinely hard to ignore in Dubai. Brand partnerships. A loyal offline community. Real momentum.

So what does it take to build something like this? Why did it succeed? And what would Ahmed be doing today if he hadn't taken that first step

— Could you start by introducing yourself for those who may not know you?

— My name is Ahmed Sam. I am the founder of LFG, which stands for Lift Focus Grind, a fitness community based here in Dubai. I am also a Puma running and HYROX athlete, which keeps life fairly interesting.

Fitness is my full-time world now, but it wasn't always. I actually started out as a mechanical engineer and spent over four years in the industry before doing a full 180. I have lived in Dubai since I was four, and sport has always been part of the furniture — but it wasn't until 2022 that I finally took the plunge and committed to coaching full-time.

These days, I work with everyone from absolute beginners to people gearing up for their first race, HYROX event, or obstacle course. But it isn’t purely about performance. The real goal is helping people build habits that actually stick — staying consistent, making progress, and finding an approach to fitness that fits around real life, not the other way round.

— You made a significant shift from engineering to fitness. What pushed you to make that decision?

— Growing up, I was surrounded by the traditional mindset a lot of families have: become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. I followed that path and built a decent career in engineering — but deep down I always knew I wanted to create something of my own.

One of the things I love most about Dubai is that it is a city full of opportunity. It attracts ambitious people and gives them the space to build something meaningful. I always had that entrepreneurial streak and knew I didn't want to spend my whole career working for someone else.

At the same time, fitness was becoming much more than a hobby. I started coaching people on the side and realised how much I enjoyed helping them change — not just physically, but their confidence, their mindset, their overall quality of life. There is something incredibly rewarding about watching someone achieve what they once thought was impossible.

Eventually, engineering just wasn't giving me the same fulfilment. So I took a chance on myself. My thinking was simple: if it didn't work out, engineering wasn't going anywhere. I could always go back.

Four years later, I am still here — and I haven't looked back.

— Your coaching covers everything from strength training and running to HYROX and obstacle course races. How did your expertise become so broad?

— Honestly, it happened quite naturally.

I started with calisthenics — running simple bodyweight sessions in parks. The idea was to make fitness accessible to everyone, regardless of experience or fitness level. A small group slowly grew into a small community, and from there things just kept evolving.

As the community grew, so did my curiosity. I introduced beach bootcamps, started working in boutique fitness studios, became a cycling instructor, explored weightlifting, CrossFit, endurance sports and eventually HYROX. Every discipline taught me something new. What I found interesting was that each style of training attracted completely different people, but they were all looking for the same thing: a challenge and a sense of progress.

If you were to ask which one is the easiest to start with — definitely running. Funny though, because I wasn't a natural runner at all. I got into it while preparing for events like the Gov Games — a Dubai obstacle course competition — and other races. I started inviting people from the community to join me for weekly runs at Kite Beach, and what began as a handful of friends turned into something much bigger. Today we regularly have more than 200 people showing up every week — which is still quite surreal when I think about where it all started.

— Have you ever watched someone do something they swore they would never be able to do?

— That is one of the things I am most proud of. We have taken people with zero fitness experience all the way to their first 5 kilometres, then 10 kilometres, half marathon, and even full marathon. We have also introduced a lot of members to HYROX and obstacle course races like Spartan, OCR Empire, and Apex.

The whole idea is just to get people trying new things and realising what they are actually capable of. My motto is simple: start, try, and you will surprise yourself.

Running is hands down the easiest entry point. Anyone can do it. You don't need special skills or expensive kit — you just start walking, then jogging, then running. That is a big part of why there is such a massive running movement happening in Dubai right now.

The trickier ones are obstacle course races, because it isn't just about fitness — you need technique and skill too. You can't rely on endurance alone. Learning how to tackle obstacles efficiently adds a whole other layer, which is what makes them so addictive once you get into it.

— Let's talk about the community you have built. LFG started with just a handful of people — at what point did you realise it could become something much bigger?

— At the beginning, it was simply a group of friends who enjoyed training together. Runs, workouts, a bit of mutual motivation. No grand masterplan.

But as I started coaching across different fitness studios in Dubai, I began noticing something. There was no shortage of classes — but there was often a gap between fitness and genuine community. Everyone talks about community, but a lot of people still feel alone. They join a gym, buy a programme, start a challenge — and eventually lose momentum because they are doing it in isolation. And walking into a new fitness space for the first time? That can be genuinely intimidating.

I wanted to create something different. A place where people felt supported, encouraged, and actually connected to those around them. So when I launched LFG, I wasn't trying to build another fitness class — I wanted to build a culture. Somewhere complete beginners felt welcome, where people grew together, and where showing up mattered more than being the fittest person in the room.

— Was there ever a point when you thought, "This isn't working. Maybe it is time to stop"?

— Absolutely.

In the early days, building LFG wasn't glamorous at all. People see the community today and assume it grew quickly — but what they don't see are the months when very few people showed up and I had no idea whether it was going to work.

There were moments when I questioned everything. New communities launching, trends shifting, people constantly trying the next thing. It was easy to wonder whether the momentum was gone and whether I should just be doing something completely different.

But one thing I took from my engineering background is that motivation isn't reliable. Systems are.

I made a promise to myself that whether three people showed up or 300, I would deliver exactly the same experience. If someone took the time to come, they deserved my full effort. Looking back, that mindset probably made the biggest difference. Eventually, people started noticing — and then they started bringing their friends.

— What is the smallest number of people you have ever had at a session?

— Three. I still remember those early days. If we had 15 people, that felt like a huge success.

Over time, word of mouth spread, social media helped, and people started seeing real results. More importantly, they felt supported and connected.

Today, our bootcamps attract around 60 to 70 people every week, while our running sessions regularly bring together more than 200 runners.

— And what was the largest event you have ever organised?

— Our biggest event so far had 483 people attending — almost 500 if you include the team and staff supporting it.

— What fitness trend do you think does more harm than good?

— Without a doubt, it is the obsession with quick results. The fitness industry is full of 30-day transformations, six-pack challenges, detox programmes and promises that you can completely change your body in a matter of weeks. Social media has only amplified that mindset, making extreme results look both normal and achievable for everyone.

The problem is that it creates unrealistic expectations. Most people aren't professional athletes and fitness models. They have jobs, families, responsibilities and completely different starting points. When they don't achieve dramatic results within the promised timeframe, they often end up blaming themselves rather than questioning the programme.

I think the fitness industry would do people a much bigger favour if it spent less time selling transformations and more time helping people build routines they can actually stick to for years.

— Many people find fitness communities intimidating. Was that something you consciously wanted to change when building LFG?

— Absolutely. In fact, those are exactly the people I want to attract.

Because the truth is, I was that person myself. I have been to countless fitness studios across Dubai, both as a member and later as an instructor, so I have experienced both sides of it. I know how intimidating it can feel to walk into a new space, especially when it seems like everyone already knows each other and understands exactly what they are doing.

The worst thing is when someone genuinely wants to improve their health, join a community and become more active, but feels too intimidated to take that first step.

Sometimes something as simple as saying "good job" can make a huge difference. At the end of the day, fitness should help people build confidence, not take it away. If someone leaves feeling more comfortable than when they arrived, we have done our job.

— You have lived in Dubai almost your entire life and watched the city's fitness culture evolve. What is the biggest change you have noticed over the years?

— The biggest shift I have seen is that people have become much more focused on health and longevity.

Especially since COVID, people have become more conscious of how they look after themselves. The conversation is no longer just about training harder or pushing yourself to the limit. It is about being more intentional and thinking long-term.

We are seeing much more interest in recovery, sleep, stress management and overall wellbeing. Things like saunas, cryotherapy, ice baths and recovery technology have become increasingly popular because people understand that recovery is just as important as training itself.

A few years ago, the focus was often on performance at any cost. Today, people are becoming much smarter about their fitness.