GymNation Launches World’s Highest Gym Class 2,200 Feet Above Riyadh
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
GymNation has never been shy about grabbing attention. From irreverent billboards to stunts designed to dominate social feeds, the brand has built a reputation across the Middle East for marketing that is loud, visual, and difficult to ignore. Its latest move may be the most literal expression of that strategy yet.
The fast-growing gym operator has launched what it is calling the World’s Highest Gym Class in Riyadh, sending participants 2,200 feet into the sky for a full workout conducted inside a hot air balloon. The class immediately triggered widespread reaction online, with thousands engaging across social platforms after the concept was revealed.
The class takes place above the Saudi capital, with sweeping views across the city skyline. Participants warm up on the ground before ascending for a 30-minute strength and conditioning session conducted at altitude. The workout combines bodyweight and weighted movements, including squats, lunges, overhead presses, lateral raises, and bicep curls, all adapted for the airborne environment.
While the visuals are designed to stop the scroll, GymNation says the concept is grounded in performance science. The class was developed with the brand’s sports scientist, Aderito Manuel, following internal research across the GCC that found 67 percent of exercisers are increasingly drawn to memorable experiences rather than traditional gym sessions.
Altitude training has long been used by elite athletes, particularly in endurance sports, as a way to improve aerobic capacity. According to Manuel, reduced oxygen levels at higher elevations can stimulate increases in red blood cell volume and hemoglobin, which may support recovery and oxygen delivery to muscles. GymNation estimates participants may burn between five and fifteen percent more calories during the session compared to training at sea level.
For the brand, however, the class also fits neatly into a broader playbook that has helped GymNation cut through a crowded fitness market. Since entering Saudi Arabia, the company has leaned heavily into bold concepts and culturally tuned marketing rather than conventional fitness advertising. The World’s Highest Gym Class extends that approach by turning a workout into a spectacle designed for both participants and digital audiences.
Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer at GymNation, framed the class as a natural extension of how the brand approaches growth in the Kingdom. He pointed to GymNation’s rapid expansion, large-format clubs, and emphasis on experience-led fitness as factors driving its momentum in Saudi Arabia.
The choice of Riyadh as the backdrop is deliberate. During the session, participants train while floating past some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, including Kingdom Tower, Majdoul Tower, and Al Faisaliah Tower. Saudi Arabia has increasingly positioned itself as a stage for record-setting projects and global firsts, from mega developments to headline-grabbing sporting events, and GymNation’s latest activation aligns with that broader national narrative.
The World’s Highest Gym Class runs every Saturday throughout January, with limited capacity due to safety and logistical constraints. GymNation says the experience was developed alongside health and safety specialists to ensure controlled conditions for both participants and crew.
For a brand already known for pushing boundaries, the launch reinforces GymNation’s willingness to blur the line between fitness offering and marketing event. In a region where competition for attention is intense, the company continues to show that sometimes the fastest way to stand out is to quite literally rise above the rest.
