Two Continents, One Community: CrossFit Balaban

Ertan Balaban opened CrossFit Balaban in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2013. One of the biggest cities in the world, Istanbul sits on two continents—Europe and Asia. Balaban compares his city to New York or Tokyo, pointing out the large breadth of cultures in the area. But he is quick to note that the culture in his affiliate would be familiar to any CrossFitter in the world. “Of course Turkish culture is different from the States,” he says, “but I think we live and believe in CrossFit.”