ALI AKBABA

Ali Akbaba was born in Turkey in 1970. Ali began his rigorous training at a sports academy at a young age. Later, he combined his passion for sports with a pedagogic approach.

In the Netherlands, Ali continued his studies to become a cultural social worker. Alongside this intense programme, Ali also found the time to keep boxing and practicing Muay Thai. His goal had always been to become a real champion on all fronts. Due to his perseverance, he won several district titles: between 1987 and 1995 he was the Southern Netherlands Boxing champion several times, in 1996 he won the Dutch boxing championship and in 2005 he was the European vice-champion in Muay Thai.

Ali Akbaba founded Akbaba Gym in 1996. At that point, he had been actively boxing and practicing Muay Thai for 20 years. This was also the year he became a recognised trainer and completed his study. Ali combined sports with psychology and has a very clear philosophy:

“Consider every moment of your life as a title match. What I mean is that every day can bring mental enrichment, but don’t expect it to happen without a fight. Everything in life is part of a growth process, a learning process. Don’t let yourself be solely guided by the past or the future, but be aware of the present. Setbacks happen, but realise that in the ring, that means you’re knocked out. Live in the now, be alert and keep an open mind.”

This philosophy can be found at the gym as well; this place will definitely give you a positive attitude on life. The goal of our gym is to help people – business people, individuals, students, teenagers, children – feel more confident, develop a positive attitude and feel athletic and fit.