TFB Performance Center is not a gym. It’s a functional training and performance facility. It’s not about gains, biceps and deadlifts, it’s rather a space and a philosophy for maximizing your body’s abilities, and it’s all powered by Faisal Buresli. Since Faisal’s early childhood, he was constantly on the go, Running around and getting into all kinds of shenanigans. From track and field to gymnastics, his family encouraged him to expend his energy in sports and physical activities. However, his all-time favorite was definitely soccer, and he honed his skills until he played with the Kazma, Qadsiya and Salmiya first teams.
Unfortunately, a career-ending injury thwarted his dream. But Faisal is not a quitter, and refocused his energy into his work, hoping he could help others achieve and maintain peak performance while avoiding injury. He sought global experts who specialize in rehabilitation, recovery and alternative training techniques to learn more. Faisal recognized that standard gym techniques were inefficient and potentially dangerous. His desire to help others succeed culminated in the TFB Performance Center, now one of the Gulf’s leading fitness centers that identifies areas requiring rehabilitation and transitions members to powerful life-long exercise.
TFB provides a holistic and personal approach in a one-of-a-kind creative environment. TFB is exclusive to members, there is no outside signage, and no visible clue of its existence. Walking inside, you instantly get a feel for Faisal’s interests and aesthetic. There’s a wall of mesh covered lockers that hold his extensive sneaker collection, and the other walls are adorned with unique paraphernalia. Everywhere you look is an object that is interesting, functional and unique. It’s urban, industrial but still very human and has a lived- in feel. The training facility, features incredible hand- painted wall art across almost every surface. You’ll find a mix between zentangle, doodles, graffiti, street art and portraits of inspirational people of influence. Faisal himself spent months creating most of the art that you see. If you didn’t know that TFB was a fitness facility, you could easily think that it’s a creative space—and Faisal argues that helping someone overcome personal challenges and grow stronger mentally and physically is as much art as science.
TFB takes a personal approach to every client, tailoring their methods to meet the specific needs and challenges unique to each. Clients are not automatically accepted, even when they have the capacity to do so. Instead TFB takes the time to meet each prospective client, and only clients that are truly ready to focus, work, make life changes are accepted. During the initial meeting, TFB discusses personal goals and tries to identify whether the prospective client is in the right mindset to commit. The initial assessment, which includes an orthopedic diagnostic, lifestyle evaluation and dietary appraisal is made, helps TFB identify and understand the client’s body-type, and other challenges which is then used to build a tailored and targeted personal program. Progress is continuously monitored, allowing the team to make adjustments as required as they move through different phases of transformation. This also helps ensure clients stay motivated and on track to reach personal goals.
The TFB business model is unconventional, and Faisal initially received a lot of pushback on his insistence that this was the only way to properly serve his clientele, and he has proven the critics wrong. Faisal has a long waiting list of clients hoping to secure a spot at TFB. His methods differ from conventional fitness, while traditional gyms focus on building muscle or lifting, TFB is focused on improving body form and performance to achieve stability, flexibility, strength and power while reducing injury.
Faisal’s goal is to help as many people as he can, so while he might not be able accept new clients at TFB, he regularly runs educational seminars in partnership with global experts such as, USA-based Dr. Jacob Harden and Steve Maxwell, to maximize the public’s exposure to the latest fitness and performance information. These workshops and hands-on events not only help maintain the high caliber of the TFB team through continued- learning, but also provide an opportunity for people in the region to gain access to world-leading experts. As for aspiring coaches hoping to work at TFB, Faisal says “Immerse yourself in education. Build your experience. Never stop learning and developing your craft.”
Faisal isn’t just a certified Athletic Performance Specialist; he is also a certified Life Coach. After working with clients, he realized that he wasn’t just helping them transform their bodies, he was also a mentor and a guide. He realized he needed more tools and an expanded skillset to better meet the challenges of his clients and began studying what motivates people to make transformational change. Today, he is able to help clients change their mindset from looking at fitness as a task on their to-do list, into a lifestyle that they are passionate about. Transitioning from just a fitness coach to a life coach allowed him to provide a deeper and more holistic approach to his programs to drive real change.
A successful mindset truly is the biggest gateway to a healthier lifestyle. For a happier, healthier life, we all need to re-prioritize and respect our attitude, thoughts and body. You can have all the material possessions in life, but it just doesn’t matter if you are unhealthy. Faisal assures us that there are no shortcuts to success, some people fall for quick fixes including; crash diets, pills, surgery or even just trying to copy what their friends are doing to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, the results are short-lived, but the ill-effects of these gimmicks can be long term. People need to invest their time and resources into options that are smart, healthy, sustainable, targeted and personalized for their body and lifestyle.
Faisal took the long and winding road, making mistakes, learning, growing, and moving forward before he arrived at these conclusions. Never one to rest, he keeps stepping out of his comfort zone. To him, TFB is much more than a business, it’s an entity that embodies everything he believes in. His failures have kept him humble, but have also been the stepping stones to his success. As he succinctly put it, “If I don’t know how to do it, I learn. If I make a mistake, I fix it. If I need help, I ask for it. I am also very blessed to have a great support system with my family and friends.”
His biggest support group is his family. He considers his father to be his main mentor and his mother his biggest champion; without their encouragement and faith, Faisal doesn’t think that he would have achieved this level of success. He is proud of his work, and that TFB is helping put Kuwait on the map as a destination for fitness education and performance expertise.
He has already achieved so much, but he says he is just getting started. He’s up before sunrise every day planning for the future. As a mentor and coach, he’s thinking about new ways to help people be happy—and his creative juices are flowing—he’s already hinted at an upcoming project that that ties fitness to fashion, design and of course, personalization. We’re already excited!
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE
What do you most value about your friends?
Loyalty, trustworthiness, honesty, dependability – I regard my closest friends as my family.
Which living person do you most admire?
My Father. He’s extremely supportive, kind, smart, generous and has accomplished so many things in his life. I hope one day I will be as successful as him.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
For my family, friends and I to be healthy. Anything on top of this is a bonus.
What is your greatest extravagance?
100% my sneaker collection – I have lost count on how many I have.
What is your most treasured possession?
TFB Performance Centre for sure.
What is your greatest fear?
Anything happening to my family.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Many people say my smile, but I would say my big hair.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I truly love to study so I would say the ability to learn faster.
What is one trait you have that you are most grateful for?
My honesty. I’m confident in my faith, knowledge and experiences, and that guides me to be truthful with myself and people around me.
What is the human trait you most dislike about others?
Dishonesty. I cannot trust or give my time to anyone who does not have integrity.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Great things never came from comfort zones. Trust the process. Keep it up. It’s all in the details.
What are your favorite words to live by?
This is quote from one of the many iconic people who inspired me: “I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep ya head up…. and handle it” Tupac Shakur (1971-1996).
Where would you most like to live?
Kuwait – I love my country. I love to travel but Kuwait is my heart.
If you could have any job, what would it be?
I’m doing it right now – I remember when I used to pray for the things I am now blessed with.
What would you consider your greatest achievement?
Making my parents proud.
What do you hope for the future?
Health and happiness for me, my family and friends. To keep learning and achieving. To continue to live my passion.
To find out what Faisal is getting up to, follow him on Instagram @faisal_buresli and @tfbfitness.
