There is a fantastic fitness scene happening in Dubai right now. With the food scene being the way it is, it is very difficult for people to stay away from fried foods and ice creams. But there is that thing you are supposed to do regularly especially if you have been hit by the foodie bug. It is called exercise. Fortunately for Emiratis there are some brand new, trendsetting pop ups, boot camps and new workout routines that are tailor-made for all age groups. Pick any from the ones listed below. We promise it will keep you happily engaged without really seeming like a workout.
Jumping on a trampoline for an hour seems like a kid’s play right? Wrong! As easy as it sounds, it isn’t. For people wanting to brave a hearty one hour session on the trampoline, the instructor’s encouragement is what will keep you going for the first ten minutes. This one is serious business. It is one hour of heart pumping, full body workout that will leave you breathless and sweaty in no time. From jumping jacks, high knees, mid-air twists to robust kicks in the air, this workout promises to be one real calorie torching workout. And unlike other boring and routine workouts, this will keep you entertained and tickled.
Barry or Bradford’s boot camp is a sure shot remedy to get those muscles pumping and your heart beat racing with a killer workout. Walk into his class and you will find a room in which one side of the wall is lined with treadmills, another with weight racks and yet another with step boxes. So the class gets split into three, with one group getting a high intensity workout on the treadmill sprinting & walking alternately, another doing split lunges and shoulder presses and the third one getting a gut busting aerobic workout on the step boxes. With Barry yelling out instructions and keeping a hawk eye on movement, you cannot sham through this one. The boot camp is held in central park towers at DIFC.
Head to 9 round and you’ll be torching 500 calories through a gruelling and painful half hour session which consists of a strength station of high intensity kettle bell swings and core work on the medicine ball. You will have an abs station where you can crunch away to glory with that elusive six pack and a kick box station for a high intensity kick ass session where you will spar and jab with your peers. There is also a branch opening up at JLT soon.
Imagine this, you walk into a cinema but instead of seats you are surrounded by ominous looking stationary cycles. This is what you will get if you walk into The Trip by Les Mills. It’s a spinning class but with a difference. Don’t get intimidated though. The vibrant visuals, sound effects emanating from the screen make the spinning class real fun and entertaining. You will find your vigorous one hour class fly by as you cycle away mesmerised by the screen.
For a killer core and washboard abs, this workout has really caught up in Dubai and the other parts of UAE. You will find yourself juggling and fine tuning the balancing act on a thick surfboard attached to the side of a pool, a great way of killing the sweltering humidity of Dubai whilst trying to get on to the board without falling. Once you have perfected the balance, the difficult part starts. Your instructor will guide you through some basic stretching moves interspersed with some mind blowing pilates, side lunges, squats and planks to strengthen the core. Grab this workout at Fitness First, The Meadows for a cool Dhs 65 for a one hour session.
For the older generation and pregnant women, this is the perfect workout. If the idea of sweating on stationary bikes in a crowded gym does not appeal to you, try the first of its kind, an aqua spin class. The cycles are placed in water with the water levels just above the waist. As you cycle away it is the water that acts as a resistance and is definitely much easier on the joints. It is a great outdoor workout yet refreshing as you frolic around in a pool.
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