In celebration of World Mental Health Day 2025 today (10 October) Gymnation is removing its weights from the gym floor across the UAE and KSA.

This symbolic gesture is to encourage the public to unload themselves. “The only weight we want people to lift on the 10 October is the weight off their mind,” says Gymnation’s chief marketing officer, Rory McEntee.

The company will be organising drop-in mental health classes at selected gyms in partnership with mental health organisation, Sage. The classes will balance physical and mental fitness, beginning with a popular workout to get the endorphins flowing and followed by a mental health talk and open Q&A led by Sage’s experts. The sessions will offer practical advice, coping tools and space for open conversation.

This partnership began last year when Sage approached Gymnation about finding new ways to shine a light on mental health. “We immediately recognised the synergy between our missions – both brands are committed to breaking down barriers around wellbeing and encouraging people to speak more openly about mental health,” says McEntee.

Since then the two companies have collaborated on ad-hoc panel talks and activations tied to key awareness days, exploring how fitness and mental health intersect. Now Gymnation is exploring opportunities to integrate mental health programming more regularly into club schedules and digital platforms.

“As public attitudes shift and the conversation around mental wellbeing grows louder, we want to remain at the forefront of that change,” says McEntee. “There’s still a notable stigma around mental health in many parts of the Middle East, though the landscape is changing, particularly among younger generations, in urban and expatriate communities, and across social media.”