About Me

Hi, I’m Alexander Babinets.

I’ve spent my entire life chasing one thing — strength. Not just in the gym, but in the mind, spirit, and heart.

My fitness journey didn’t begin in a classroom — It started at 19, serving in the Russian Navy.

The day it all began.
At final assignment, the commander looked at me and barked: “Submarine!”
I stood tall and said, “Sir, I’m 6 foot 3!”
He smirked and replied, “We’ll trim you. Don’t worry.”
And just like that — I was headed underwater for the next few years of my life.

This was my home for three years.
The submarine where I truly became a man.
Below the surface, in the silence of the deep sea, I was tested in ways I never imagined — physically, mentally, emotionally.
Through discipline, danger, and relentless routines, I rebuilt myself from the inside out.
Every inch of strength I have today was forged right here — under pressure, in steel, in solitude.

Back at bay — a moment above the surface.
This photo was taken between submarine missions, when we’d return for a few days to dock, regroup, and reset. We were tied up alongside other vessels with thick ropes and shared narrow walkways, but it felt like breathing space after weeks underwater. Even during these short breaks, the intensity never really stopped — drills, duties, and discipline were constant.
But for me, this was where something deeper was built: patience, mental toughness, and unshakable inner strength.

They said they’d trim me. 🙂 They didn’t.
At 6’3″, I was never built for a submarine — but the submarine didn’t care.
Every hallway was a tight squeeze, every hatch a challenge.
I learned to move differently, to duck, twist, and navigate a world made for smaller men.
But in that cramped space, I found something bigger: grit, adaptability, and the mindset to handle anything.

That’s a torpedo tube — and yes, that’s me inside it.
I had just earned a rare two-week leave for being a top-performing sailor, and I was ready to see my mom.
I joked with the crew: ‘Please, just launch me home from here — I’ll land near the kitchen.’
After months in the steel belly of the submarine, the thought of fresh air, family, and home felt like freedom.

On duty again — sending and receiving telegrams at 4 AM.
Yeah, I know… doesn’t look like it, but I could’ve passed out right there on the equipment.
This was life on the submarine — no clocks, no sunlight, just rotating shifts and total focus.

Between submarine patrols, we had some breaks. I came up with the idea to transform an old storage room into a makeshift gym. We built it with what little we had — a chin-up bar, parallel bars, an incline bench, and a few weights that were given to us by the commanders. And from that moment, everything changed — our bodies, mindset, and energy.

These two were my first gym ‘clients.’ After I came up with the idea to turn a storage room into a gym, these guys were the first to join me. This photo was taken right after we opened it — my first gym at 21. And if giving someone your shoulder means something, well… this picture says it all :).

We set one goal: strength. Real strength. Here I’m pressing 205 pounds over my head for 10 reps — and if you look at my teammates, you’ll see the look that says it all: ‘He beat us again.’ 🙂 This wasn’t just a workout. It was a mission to transform — and I wasn’t going to be outworked.

Behind-the-neck pull-ups — strict, clean, no jerking, no swinging, slowly. I did 25 in a row, and this was a part of our warm up every time. Our gym had a mission: build unshakable strength with whatever we had. No machines. No excuses

Once we hit 50 clean chin-ups, it was time to raise the bar — literally. We strapped on weight plates around the waist to keep pushing our limits. Strength wasn’t a hobby anymore. It became a mindset.

Same rule applied to dips — 50 bodyweight reps became the warm-up. We strapped weight around the waist and kept going. Limits? We didn’t believe in them.

Pure core strength and balance. I held this position for 3 minutes on kettlebells off the floor — no shaking, no shortcuts. And yes, I still had to find a way to breathe.

And yes — when you don’t have a barbell nearby, you improvise. Your training partner becomes your weight. Squats? No problem.

After the Navy, I earned my Master’s Degree in Physical Education. At 23, while still studying, I opened my first gym — and quickly turned it into one of the most respected training spots in my city. Not only because of fancy machines — but mostly because we built a belief, transformation, and resilience.

Then life hit hard. In 1992, civil war tore through my country. I lost everything — my gym, my business, my dreams. I made the hardest choice of my life: To leave my home and start over in Canada.

It wasn’t easy, but by 2002, I managed to open my first gym in Canada—a major milestone in my journey. The gym was called FitLife For Women, a 10,000-square-foot fitness facility dedicated exclusively to women. It was located at 1671 Queen Street East in the heart of the Toronto Beaches area, spread across three bright, airy levels. One of the defining features was its wall-to-wall windows that filled the space with natural light, making the environment feel open and inspiring.

I designed every detail with care, from the modern layout to the welcoming atmosphere. The facility included a large aerobic studio, a fully equipped gym floor with brand-new Life Fitness machines, and a spacious locker room with a steam room—ideal for post-workout recovery. I built the space from the ground up. For six months, I worked side-by-side with my construction team to bring the vision to life, transforming it into more than just a gym—it became a community.

The real reward came after opening. In just six months, over 1,500 women joined the gym, creating a vibrant and supportive environment. It became a sanctuary for health, strength, and self-confidence. Looking back, it was one of the toughest and most rewarding projects I’ve ever completed. It marked not only the beginning of my Canadian fitness journey but also the birth of a space where women could truly feel empowered.

In October 2005, I took my fitness career to the next level by becoming the Operations Manager of a massive 150,000-square-foot facility called The Pavilion. Located at 130 Racco Parkway, it sat strategically between two major highways—Highway 7 and ETR 407—right in the center of a densely populated community. This was no ordinary gym; it was one of the largest and most comprehensive fitness centers in the country.

The Pavilion featured three spacious aerobic rooms, a dedicated spinning studio, a state-of-the-art Cardio Theatre, and a full-size basketball court. It also housed a Pilates room, a massive strength and conditioning area, a kids’ studio, and a teen studio—catering to every age and fitness level. For families, there was a daycare on site, and for those seeking relaxation, three saunas and two Olympic-size swimming pools provided the perfect escape.

As part of the pre-opening strategy, I implemented a full-scale marketing and engagement plan that brought in 4,000 new members within just three months. At one point, we had 15 receptionists working overtime just to handle the volume of contracts being signed. The response from the community was overwhelming, and within the first six months, The Pavilion had already earned a reputation as one of the best fitness clubs in Canada. It was a monumental challenge—but also a defining chapter in my professional journey.

2011 was the year I took full control of my fitness destiny and stepped into true ownership. That year, I opened my first large-scale, independently owned fitness facility in Woodbridge, located at 311 Cityview Blvd. It was launched under my own brand—Express Fitness—a name I created myself, along with the logo that would soon become a recognized symbol of quality and community.

Unlike previous ventures where I was part of a team or operating under someone else’s vision, this time everything—from concept to execution—was mine. I poured everything I had into making sure this facility launched without a single misstep. I had learned from every challenge and mistake in my earlier experiences and was determined to do everything right from the start.

From the architectural layout and equipment selection to the branding, staffing, and overall member experience—every decision was purposeful and driven by a clear, uncompromising vision. I wanted to create a space that felt professional, motivating, and welcoming all at once.

The response was immediate. The gym took off the moment the doors opened, drawing in members who could feel the care, energy, and excellence that had gone into every detail. It wasn’t just a gym—it was the beginning of something much larger. With Express Fitness, I wasn’t just opening a business—I was laying the foundation of a brand and building an empire.

Five years of total success at Express Fitness Woodbridge was all it took for me to start thinking seriously about expansion. By 2015, the momentum I had built gave me the confidence—and the hunger—for something bigger. That same year, The Pavilion, the massive fitness facility where I had once served as Operations Manager back in 2005, went under. I saw it not as a coincidence, but as a sign from the universe: “You started this gym—now you finish what you began.”

Despite undergoing some downsizing, The Pavilion still had 50,000 square feet of prime space left, and I knew exactly what to do with it. It already had the look, the history, and the reputation of a fitness empire—now it just needed leadership and vision again. In 2016, I officially took it over under the Express Fitness brand, bringing it back to life with a fresh, powerful purpose.

But I wasn’t done. That same year, another opportunity surfaced: a 25,000-square-foot gym space in Scarborough at 1399 Kennedy Road, previously home to a struggling fitness center. I took that one too. In just one year, I went from owning a single successful gym to leading three fully operational fitness facilities across the Greater Toronto Area.

It was no longer a dream—it was a fitness empire, built with vision, persistence, and relentless drive. Express Fitness was now a brand that stood for excellence, resilience, and bold expansion.

Today, I’ve shifted my mission. Through my website www.expressfitness.ca , my books, and the AI technology I’m helping people take control of their health, mind, and life. My philosophy is simple: Success doesn’t come from luck. It comes from grit, relentless belief, and refusing to quit. I believe in energy, focus, and the law of attraction. What you think about – you create.

If you’re dreaming of changing your life — You can. You just have to want it more than anything. And then go get it.