When friends Maryam Hamad AlHamad and Rawa Saud Jafar noticed a shortage of fitness wear that combined the features of comfort, fashion and affordability, they decided that Koon Fitness would be an ideal project that suited their needs, along with the demands of an ever-growing fitness-oriented market segment in Kuwait. Little did they know, however, that their passion for fitness and well-being would lead them into establishing a new socio-fit support hub that advocates movement, health, motivation and nutrition awareness toward a socially active lifestyle. Koon Fitness, a specialist boutique that carries an array of select fitness brands for men and women alike, physically and conceptually embodies everything that both Maryam and Rawa wish to see flourish in Kuwait. Given the namesake Koon, that translates to the Arabic word for ‘Be’, they’re off to a great start in materializing their vision.

If you’re anything like these two avid gym-goers, you will love the selection at Koon Fitness. If you’re not, well, prepare to be motivated! Whether you’re looking to be more active or you simply want to jazz up your regular, boring gym gear, Koon Fitness will surely tick these categories and much more. Getting to know Co-owners Rawa and Maryam left us wanting to head to the closest gym we can possibly locate. Soccer-loving Rawa, an employee in the investment field by day, told us that she was bored of what the local market has to offer in terms of fitness-wear that offers practical solutions to an active lifestyle. She said, “We have shirts that are perfect for working out, or simply lounging around. You can even wear our Yoga leggings out to dinner!” While Maryam, a nutrition specialist by day, also added, “It’s normal for people to order online, but finding the right fit when it comes to fitness gear is tricky. That’s why we’ve decided to bring items we normally travel abroad to purchase, to Kuwait.” As far as they are both concerned, they consider the gym as their haven. Between work and Koon Fitness, they find themselves at the gym on a regular basis leaving little or no time for idle ponderings, except for coming up with awesome ideas aimed at getting the local community moving.

According to Maryam and Rawa, Koon is all about communication and motivation, where Koon, or the concept of being, is about creating a collective push for positive physical and social activity. Koon delivers an ideology that they’ve coined as ‘Socio-Fitness’, geared towards communicating to people that they should always strive to be the best that they could be. Rawa added, “In the long run, we hope to be a part of, or even create, events and activities that foster a fit community. We just want people to get moving through different ways. In the meantime, our store offers the right tools and gear to make the process easier.” From their pre-launch photo shoot that featured local athletes with real success stories, to having a fun handstand station at their official launch event to get their customers moving, Koon Fitness is setting a new standard for the local fitness community.

Upon visiting the boutique in Lilly Center, Shuwaikh, you’ll find a myriad of specialist fitness clothing brands. Compression brands Proskins, originally from the UK, and 2XU, an Australian brand, offer athletes a solution for stressed out muscles and joints during and post workouts. Crossfit lovers will rejoice to see Trunx, the original Crossfit brand, available as well to cater for this ever-growing sporting activity in Kuwait. The reason behind choosing such brands is a result of Maryam and Rawa’s extensive research into the fitness habits of the local community, as well as their online research. Other brands include Beyond Yoga (USA), Human Performance Engineering (UK), Lucas Hugh (UK), Lorna Jane (AUS), and Manduka (USA), and many more coming soon! Their choices of fitness apparel and gear stem from inspiration, as local athletes and their dedication continuously inspire Rawa and Maryam. Maryam said, “Their passion keeps us going in wanting to provide this community with a support system in the form of Koon Fitness.”

Koon Fitness is located in the mezzanine floor at Souq 15 inside Lilly Center in Shuwaikh’s Industrial Area. For more information, follow them on Instagram @KoonKwt email info@koonfitness.comor log on to www.koonfitness.com.