Inside the mirror less gym at 98 Riley Street in the inner Sydney suburb of Darling hurst, winter sun pours through the window to illuminate a scene of physical exhaustion. Prone bodies are sprawled over the black rubber floor that’s speckled with chalk dust and sweat. A man with eight-pack abs rocks in a foetal position gasping for air, while his gym partner grimaces as he makes a forlorn attempt to shake the lactic acid from his legs. A woman in tiny shorts with superhero arms stares plaintively at the digital timer on the wall as it counts down to the end of the one-minute recovery. The second it hits zero, everyone hurls themselves into action once again.
Their ordeal is known aFYF an acronym that reflects the spirit of this workout that takes place every week at 2pm. It stands for F... You Friday. But what looks like a punishment ritual is, in fact, an unlikely honour at the 98 stable of gyms. FYF is an invitation-only session reserved for 98’s trainers and a handpicked group of the gym’s fittest members. Today, 10 people eight men and two women in their 30s and 40s – have split into pairs to battle through rounds of a four minute circuit.
Each person must grind their way through eight bur pee pull-ups, followed by eight kettle-bell snatches with alternate arms. Next, its straight into 18 air squats before burning 1675 kilojoules on a Skierg a machine that replicates the cardiovascular nightmare of cross country skiing. At the end of this circuit, there’s a 60second rest. Then it’s repeated again and again, until the hour-long session is up. Everyone is dressed in black: the colour hides the sweat better.
One man with a shaved head stands out, mainly because he’s far bigger than the rest. This is Chris Feather, the 40-year-old co-founder of 98. At times, his progress seems laboured due to his heavyweight build yet Feather moves with the relentless power of an icebreaker. Each move is tackled with methodical stoicism, every pull-up executed with the strictest form. At the end, when most people are groaning on their backs, Feather stays upright, wiping the sweat from his sizable brow and strolling over. That’s one of those real headf. workouts, he says in his thick Yorkshire accent with a grin.
It may be the gym’s benchmark, but FYF is emblematic of 98’s broader ethos, mainly because it is unapologetically tough. The gym’s strength and conditioning programs are not designed for dabblers who want to get a light sweat on. They’re psychologically demanding sessions built to improve athletic performance.
Feather is upfront about the challenge. Getting fit is hard. Getting strong is hard. Maintaining it is hard,” he insists. That’s why so many people aren’t fit and strong. But if you’re looking for a shortcut, you’re never going to get fit.
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