Kyiv resident Dmytro Tur'yan is passionate about sports. He has been engaged in it for many years and has no intention of giving up his passion, which has become his professional career. Even amidst the war, which has slightly altered the biography of our hero.
Dmytro is a military man, and he is responsible for the physical training of the soldiers in the 210th Separate Assault Brigade.
In an interview for the YouTube project “Kashtan.Business”, he shared how he was fortunate enough to open the Kong Gym seven years ago. He had dreamed of such an endeavor, nurtured the idea, lived it, and it all came to fruition, although it was quite challenging.
But first, let’s talk about Dmytro’s military journey. It is connected with a volunteer unit and other military formations; he served in the Separate Special Purpose Battalion of the Presidential Brigade. Today, Dmytro is with the 210th Separate Assault Brigade.
“I perform tasks in my unit according to my profile since I am a professional coach with specialized education; I oversee the entire physical training of the brigade,” the soldier explains.
He recalls how at the beginning of the full-scale war, the rapid response unit effectively countered enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups alongside his comrades. For a certain period, their combat positions were located on Brovarsky Avenue, where the defenders reliably held this strategic direction. Later, Dmytro successfully completed complex special assignments in other areas of the front.
Of course, military secrets prevent him from publicly sharing many details. However, the story of opening the Kong Gym is different. This venture required quite a significant amount of money.
Dmytro mentions that at that time, they needed $14,000. He and his wife gathered all their financial savings and gradually launched the business. Some told him that it was impossible to open a gym for such an amount, claiming it would take $60,000 to $70,000. Nevertheless, Dmytro firmly believed in his success.
He candidly shares:
“There was a moment when my wife and I didn’t eat for three days because we had no money for food.”
However, the funds were “working” for the gym.
Dmytro found a space – one of the cheapest, located in a residential area. Inside, there was nothing: no flooring, no lighting – just bare walls of a semi-basement. Dmytro and his younger brother set to work on the renovation.
“We completed it in 35 days,” he says. “Just the two of us built the walls, changing rooms, and fully installed the electrical system.”
0 We learned another interesting fact: some of the gym equipment was crafted by a skilled artisan from Rivne, and they turned out to be truly excellent.
According to Dmytro, today, many people come to the gym who previously attended expensive fitness centers. They know that although this is a budget gym, the atmosphere is vastly different (maximally positive and friendly) compared to elite establishments, where people do not communicate and where there are strict restrictions on training conditions. This brings Dmytro joy.
1 Dmytro reminisces about some remarkable female gym-goers. One of them participated in 19 sporting tournaments, including international ones, over two years. She won gold and trophies in fitness bikini competitions in Ukraine. Interestingly, this woman joined the gym at a mature age.
“She told us that when she has grandchildren, she wants to show them how cool their grandmother is. That’s why she decided to dedicate two years to intensive training – every day, without exceptions. Such a beautiful motivation, along with strict discipline. She is one of my most disciplined athletes,” Dmytro shares.
2 Despite all the challenges, the gym continues to operate, uniting athletes, soldiers, and everyone who values true support. Dmytro believes in the power of sports and that respectful, friendly attitudes are more important than an expensive interior.