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Military-style fitness: How Kenyans are trading gyms for tyres, hills and sandbags
Members of the Adufitclub Loise Waeni, trainer Daniel Kamau, coach Adus Julius, trainer Raju Michael and Carol Mutunga pose for a group photo during a routine training session in Kasarani, Nairobi, on October 20, 2026.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
What would make you carry a heavy sack up a hill, drag a tyre along a dusty road or repeat a series of jumps when your legs are already burning? For fitness enthusiasts, the answer lies in a different kind of workout, one that swaps gym machines for tyres and hills to test strength, stamina and determination.
At 7.30 am, Lois Waini has a sack balanced on her shoulders as she makes her way up a slope. Her feet strike the uneven ground while the weight tests her balance and endurance. Nearby, Daniel Kamau prepares for his turn as Julius Wambugu, the trainer, moves between participants, corrects their form, and urges them to keep going.
