“Once I found a community of women who empowered each other through strength, I realised how cool it is to be strong and capable”

Many couples share similar interests, but couple Grant and Elena take it to a whole new level, both involved in their two cutting-edge fitness businesses: Fianna and STRONG Pilates. As co-owners in both businesses, they each bring different skill sets and areas of expertise. Grant is in the Army Reserve with undergraduate qualifications in construction as well as health and fitness, while his Spanish partner Dr Elena de Marco holds a PhD in Nutrition Science. 

Together they offer a wealth of knowledge, experience and professional expertise and have created an innovative offering at their Dublin gym, offering Hybrid training (Hyrox & Turf), Crossfit and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as STRONG Pilates. STRONG Pilates is brand new to Ireland, and exclusive to Fianna, offering training on the Rowformer – think a traditional Pilates Reformer but with a rowing machine (or spinning bike) built into the machine for extra cardio. 

It’s their shared love of adventure and testing their limits that brought this couple together. “We both come from sporty backgrounds: Elena’s father is an Olympic rower, and her mother’s a marathon runner, so she was introduced to sports from an early age, eventually specialising in synchronised swimming. Grant, on the other hand, grew up playing rugby and competing in sailing races and later working as an instructor – and he’s been a soldier in the Army Reserves since his teens. For us, fitness isn’t just about lifting weights or running miles; it’s about building resilience and confidence. This is what we aim to share with our community through Fianna and Strong.”

The couple are also fans of cycling, both road and mountain biking, and work out at the gym, mainly through classes but also bodybuilding sessions.

As well as finding each other, and creating a business through fitness, Elena also explains that sport and fitness has shaped her relationship with herself. “Like many women, I grew up with body-image concerns in a sports culture and overall living environment that favoured a skinny physique over a muscular one. It wasn’t until I found the CrossFit community, filled with women who empowered each other through strength – both in and outside of the gym – that I realised how cool it is to be strong, confident and capable. Not to mention how much healthier it is, both physically and mentally!”

Her PhD focused on building and retaining muscle mass in older adults, and she is a strong believer in the importance of muscle tissue as we age, “it’s an essential component of independent, healthy ageing”.

With such varied workouts, Elena and Grant love to use the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch7 to keep track, as well as gain insights into performance.

They love that the Galaxy Watch7 has a user-friendly interface. “The main screen displays a variety of information, such as time, steps, activity levels throughout the day, and sunrise/sunset times, without feeling overwhelming. I appreciate the accessibility of features like the stopwatch.” 

Its design also appeals, whether working out at the gym or wearing it as they enjoy some downtime. “It offers a blend of modern technology with an old-school digital watch vibe, appealing to those who enjoy a retro look while benefiting from smart features.”

They also appreciated the flashlight of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. “It has an exceptionally bright flashlight, which is often underestimated, while one of the standout features is the ability to compare efforts across different times, such as analysing performance in a 1k run. This allows us to track progress and improvements over time.”

A feature that surprised them was the energy score feature. “We both really appreciated this, which is calculated based on daily activity, weekly sleep, average sleeping heart rate, and heart rate variability during sleep. Reviewing this score at the end of the day was quite intriguing; I could see myself incorporating it into my nightly routine as a habit to reflect on the day before bed.”

Introducing ‘On the Pulse’, in partnership with Samsung. Want to track your next run, gym session or pilates workout? Wearable tech goes to a whole new level with the Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, enabling new, intelligent health experiences through ultra-tough tech and making everyday wellness more meaningful. Visit samsung.com to learn more.