No mirrors. No egos. No fitness bullshit. We caught up with Paweł Pędrakowski and Michał Andryszczyk, the guys behind Gdańsk’s FitYard, to talk Olympic pressure, gym anxiety, Instagram fakery and why getting healthy beats looking good naked.
PAWEŁ, YOU WEREN’T EXACTLY BORN IN A GYM. WERE YOU?
Not even close. I worked in a shipyard and later as a glazier. I weighed 130 kilos, ate badly and avoided exercise. Fitness was the last thing I imagined doing. FitYard completely changed my life. It’s more than a gym or a business — it’s been part of my own transformation, and I want it to be a place where other people can find their own way, whatever their starting point may be.
WHAT MAKES FITYARD DIFFERENT FROM THE BIG CHAINS?
We’re not interested in being the biggest. People know each other here. You recognise familiar faces, chat between sets and gradually become part of the community. It’s a smaller, more personal space where people feel comfortable. They come back because they enjoy it, not because they have to.
HAS THE FITNESS INDUSTRY BECOME BETTER AT SELLING INSECURITY THAN HEALTH?
To some extent, absolutely. You’re told you’re not lean enough, not muscular enough, then sold the solution. I’d rather see someone at 50 feeling healthy and energetic than someone with a perfect body training out of self-hatred. Fitness should be about adding something to your life, not convincing you that you’re not good enough as you are.
IMAGINE SOMEONE WALKS IN AT 50 AND IS TERRIFIED. WHAT HAPPENS?
I’ve seen it many times. From the moment they walk through the door, we make them feel welcome. Nobody is going to judge them here. They don’t have to be the strongest or most experienced. Everyone starts somewhere, and we all support each other. Once they realise how friendly and relaxed the atmosphere is, they usually come back — and many are still training with us today.
MICHAŁ, YOU’VE WORKED WITH OLYMPIC ATHLETES. BIGGEST LESSON?
Consistency beats motivation. Champions do the basics exceptionally well, day after day. But knowing when to rest is just as important. Training is like driving — sometimes you accelerate, sometimes you brake. The point is reaching your destination. At the Olympic qualification in Debrecen, four years of preparation came down to one shot.
HOW MUCH OF INSTAGRAM FITNESS IS BULLSHIT?
People confuse appearance with fitness. Lighting, posing, editing and sometimes performance-enhancing drugs create unrealistic expectations. Real progress takes months or years. Looking incredible doesn’t automatically mean you’re healthy or athletic.
WHAT CAN PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO AT FITYARD?
Train independently, work with personal trainers or see our physiotherapists. We’re also introducing small group classes in November. We’re open 6AM–10PM every day, with app-based entry when reception isn’t staffed.
LAST ONE. WHO’S WORSE AT PRACTISING WHAT YOU PREACH?
Michał: Paweł spends his days convincing people to train. The one person he struggles to convince is himself! Paweł: Fair enough. But Michał sometimes forgets things, and I take forever making decisions. We’re not perfect. That’s probably why we work well together.
After talking to Paweł and Michał, it’s refreshing to find two guys who care more about getting people moving than getting them ripped for Instagram. One transformed his own life, the other helped athletes reach the Olympics, and somehow they’ve ended up sharing the same philosophy. No egos, no judgement, no six-pack required. And apparently, even Paweł needs convincing to get his arse to the gym sometimes.