Build a gym in Sri Lanka, they said. It’ll be fun, they said. Actually, most people said we were mad. What started as a holiday to somewhere new soon became plans to build something bigger. But not too much bigger: we left the UK in 2016 to launch a little guest house. You know, something cosy by the beach? Fast-forward a few years and we were halfway up a tropical hill, sweating buckets while we unloaded custom gym equipment into a former quarry.

We know, we know. We’ve seen Grand Designs. And we know Kevin McCloud would judge us for jumping in at the deep end. But with a site on our hands and a wobbly pencil sketch in our heads, Makahiya was in the making.

To keep our training brains busy during the build, we began bootcamp classes on nearby Unawatuna beach. Which got us thinking: why hire a site crew when there’s a ready source of strength standing right here on the sand? So with the promise that one day they’d be training at the island’s ultimate active retreat, we convinced a few hardy fitness fans to haul floor tiles, cement sacks and all sorts up the slope.

Having tempted them with talk of “functional carries”, these committed lifters became the inaugural members of the Makahiya Massive. And our crew’s grown substantially since: Dusty – our baby bruiser and chalkboard assistant – joined the team in 2020.

We’ve gained more than members and muscles along the way. Officially trained as PTs, the construction process has given us a further education in Sri Lankan site safety (flip flops are standard issue), how to stay hydrated (king coconuts, of course) and the best way to integrate a street dog into your crew. Billy might be gruff, but this was his turf long before we got here.

Through hardships and lockdowns, we adapted to survive. Fuelled by a desire to make Makahiya happen, we got by with the help of friends, family and French press coffee. And here we are today: in full swing, hosting guests from far and wide, helping like-minded movers and sweaters to reach their goals in workout paradise. Sure, we still have power cuts. And sure, our hill is just as steep. But if our story has shown us anything, it’s that with guts, determination and the right attitude, anyone can make the climb. Preferably while carrying building supplies.