Big plans at Ballermann: Robens announce beach events and fitness championship

Big plans at Ballermann: Robens announce beach events and fitness championship

Between potato salad and dumbbells: How Caro and Andreas are starting the new year

This year Caro and Andreas Robens spent Christmas without fuss on Mallorca: cosily in their house in Ses Palmeres near Llucmajor, with sausages, potato salad and the usual everyday sounds of a family kitchen – the sizzle in the pan, the cheeky barking of the dogs, the distant ringing of a village church. The scene fits: not very glamorous, but genuine.

On social media channels they also showed what their fans expect – Andreas in his usual well-trained shape, Caro against a Mallorcan natural backdrop. Such pictures have become part of the pair's annual rhythm: work on body and brand, combined with private island moments.

For 2026 they have a clear plan: train more intensely again, eat healthier and spend more time with family. Specifically on the list is a public project intended to bring activity to the beach: a fitness championship on the playa, planned as a series of events focused on strength, endurance and community. The idea sounds like a sunny attempt to combine sport and Ballermann Between Ecstasy and Reality: More Than Beer and Schlager Music? – with dumbbells instead of just speakers.

The Iron Gym Arenal revamped: Caro and Andreas Robens reinvent the studio, which the Robens opened in 2011, remains the control center of their plans. Locals and residents train there regularly; the range goes from teenagers to seniors, the oldest visitors are in their late 80s, the youngest just twelve. Andreas likes to describe the atmosphere as 'no frills, just hard graft' – literally: dumbbells clink, trainers shout, sweat is part of it. It's exactly this know-how they now want to take more to the beach.

Why could this be good for Mallorca? Events that get people active outdoors extend the season and bring revenue to small businesses: bars, beach cafés, fitness providers and landlords benefit when programs are offered in quieter months, and other local events like Schmidi brings football talk and island vibes to Playa de Palma show similar community appeal. A focus on everyday fitness also sharpens the island's image away from the pure party cliché: Mallorca as a place where people enjoy being outside, doing sport and fostering community.

For neighbors in Ses Palmeres this means: not a sudden celebrity spectacle, but rather more training groups on the promenade, early running crews and occasional warm-ups to the sound of the waves. Those who run along the Playa de Palma in the morning will soon perhaps hear not only seagulls, but also dumbbells and motivational shouts – a different kind of Mallorcan soundtrack.

The Robens also give insight into their daily routine: five to six times a week strength training complemented by cardio, plus more conscious meals after the holidays. Traditional home-style cooking remains part of family times; when visiting the parents there were roulades and dumplings – a piece of home that doesn't disappear just because the training volume increases. And the animals? The five dogs and cats will surely continue to hold their place in the yard.

For anyone looking for a fitter year, the new project offers an invitation: not a glossy diet, but group training in the fresh air. Practical steps for beginners are simple: start with three sessions a week, use bodyweight exercises, add short runs on the beach and look for group classes – local studios like the Iron Gym often run courses suitable for newcomers.

All in all, the picture remains positive: a couple living their routine, using the island as a training ground and crafting plans that can appeal to both fans and locals. If you stroll along the Passeig now, you might first notice the clouds over Palma and the sun peeking through them – and in a few months perhaps a small crowd training together. That's Mallorca at its best: lively, a little loud and with room for new ideas.