17 Of The Best Workouts In Dubai For 2018!
Over indulged over the holidays mama (erm…yes..guilty as charged) or looking to banish that post-baby belly and just enjoy a little ‘me time’? Get your 2018 off to a fighting fit start with our pick of some of the best and most fun workouts in Dubai and prepare to run, kick, laugh and sweat!
Put a new spin on cycling by getting on your bike in the UAE’s only high-altitude chamber (yes, really!). RPM™is a cycling workout that delivers maximum results with minimum impact on your joints. Tune into some kicking tunes and head out on a journey as your instructor takes you through hill climbs, sprints and flat riding without ever actually leaving the room. Classes are run at different altitudes according to fitness levels – the ‘entry’ level class or ‘mile high club’ simulates altitude at a mile above sea level and the ‘Elite’ at 3,300 metres.
Is it fun? In a ‘I know I’m getting fit’ kind of way, maybe. Is it easy? Definitely not. Is it cheap? Also no. But it’s worth it and the next day your thighs will be telling you that it was a 45 minutes well spent.
Not sure whether to go for a spinning class or aqua aerobics? Well now you can do both with an Aqua Biking class at L’Atelier Aquafitness (we have to be honest, we always thought this was some kind of chic French boutique – but turns out that actually it’s beautiful bodies not couture clothing you can expect to come away with). A 45 minute class on a bike submerged to chest level in a swimming pool, this session is perfectly suited to all fitness levels – even pregnant ladies can participate. There’s a more advance cardio version once you get the hang of the basics – or if you want to up the ante and throw in some dance moves, they also offer Aquaswing classes to some pumping tunes.
Hailed to be the ‘best workout in the world’ by many an enviable bod, Barry’s Boot Camp opened last year and has fast become one of THE best ways to get fit and toned, fast. A 50 minute HIIT class that alternates between the treadmill and the floor, Barry’s is the original high-intensity work out, burning up to 1,000 calories in one class (!!!), toning muscle, maximizing fat loss and increasing your metabolism, so you actually burn calories even after class is over.
And these guys have the science to prove it. (And the abs…)
If – like us- you need high-energy, flashy neon lights and loud music to get pumped up for an exercise class then Barry’s is perfect. Each class is different so you’ll never have the same routine — and never get bored. It’s not so be prepared to work hard! And after the burn, there’s the fuel bar for shakes and smoothies to treat yourself with.
Just when you thought this city couldn’t get any hotter, Bikram Yoga classes Bay Yoga are guaranteed to have you in even more of a sweat. Also known as ‘hot yoga’, the 90-minute sessions (which involve 26 postures) are conducted in 40-degree heat at 40% humidity that is said to assist flexibility, flush out toxins and aid calorie burn while challenging body and mind and allowing you to ‘sweat it all out’. And trust us, even the Pranayama or ‘Standing Deep Breathing’ was hard enough in that heat! A fave amongst many celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, prepare to sweat buckets and remember to take a large bottle of water! If you can’t handle the heat – this one’s not for you.
Curvalicious is a high-end ladies fitness studio (with a cool name) whose ‘bootylicious’, ‘upperlicious’ and ‘bodylicious’ classes have been designed to target all those pesky areas and help you achieve that body you’ve always wanted (and the confidence to match!). The team here will mentor you through your journey, taking ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos, offering monthly assessments and helping with all aspects of a healthy lifestyle, from food diaries to exercise plans.
Who knew it, trampolines aren’t only for fun and can also offer one of the best workouts in the city! The Define Bounce classes are designed with more than just leaping around like loons in mind – this is structured exercise that’s supercharged and improves all-over muscle tone while blasting the flab – all to a pumping soundtrack and with plenty of laughs. Get ready to jump around y’all!
Sassy Mama Sofia gave Flywheel a whirl and loved it (check out her full review here). This is spinning but for the 21st Century, a super intense class that combines indoor cycling, on a static bike, complete with performance-tracking devices, with serious cardio and pumping tunes! Oh, and a healthy dollop of competition – there’s a screen at the front of the studio where the top 10 bikers names are displayed at all times. Your butts might be a little sore but they’ll never look better. On your bikes mamas!
This mighty fitness centre is the reason for so many of Dubai’s beautiful bods and guarantees to whip you into shape in no time. But what exactly is Crossfit? Well in a nutshell it’s a hardcore training program that builds stamina, strength, flexibility and all-over fitness – to turn you into a superwoman capable of anything (perfect for keeping your energy up with the kiddos!). If you’re not a fan of the gym then Crossfit is the perfect option, there’s not a weight machine or elliptical in sight. If you’re looking for support and community, a tailored workout program, you’re a bit of a fitness fanatic (or masochist!) then give this a go – many police academies and professional athletes swear by it –need we say more?
Feeling a little stressed out mamas? The Kickboxercise class at this amazing mega gym is the ideal way to sweat it out with fast-paced high intensity moves and a few jabs thrown in – a foundation to traditional kick boxing combined with cardio training for improved fitness, strength and of course the chance to punch out all that stress!
Say goodbye to bingo-wings and flab with regular rowing sessions on Dubai Creek and Palm Jumeirah (how cool is that?!). Monty’s Rowing School offer daily classes that exercise all muscle groups and develop strong core fitness and physical strength. These guys aim to get you out on the water and rowing as a team as quickly as possible – taking in the sights of old Dubai in the process – great for your body and your mind. We love.
This sport isn’t reserved only for street dudes and skateboarders – it happens to be one of the most unique, fun and cool ways to get fit (and look hip in the process) and absolutely anyone can do it. You’ll learn the basic parkour movements of jumping, crawling, balancing and the entire city will become your workout space. Parkour is for positive thinkers (there’s no room for negativity or indecision when you’re leaping in between buildings) and promises weight loss, agility and a strong body and mind. We’re definitely signing up this year mamas.
Working out at a ballet barre – how hard can it be? Well we thought exactly the same mamas, until we gave it a go and realized that there’s a reason so many celebs owe their beautiful bods to this method. Using your own body as resistance, the 57 minute class targets each of the muscle groups to fatigue (yes, that means you can expect a lot of shaking mamas) in a carpeted studio and using various pilates style props in addition to the barre. Whether you’re already a fitness fanatic or you want to notice results fast, this is definitely one of the best ways to do it.
Believe you can fly? You will do after stretching, swinging and flexing at 3 feet off the ground, in a hoop no less. Not only will your classes provide great topic for conversation at the next girls night out but also target your core and upper body plus burn about 400 calories per hour session and provide plenty of fun to boot. The class will teach key exercises to build the strength required for all sorts of cool tricks – you’ll be spinning, rolling, flipping and posing in no time mamas. Also keen to try pole-classes or aerial silks? These guys offer those too!
Another exercise class which took New York by storm and which is now available here in Dubai, PRAMA by Pavigym at Fairmont The Palm has been likened to ‘a cross between an arcade game and a playground’ more than a hardcore workout – but with some seriously good results thrown in the mix! The PRAMA system uses lights, music and timing in an interactive area that’s a far cry from your usual gym environment. There are no exercise bikes, rowing machines or treadmills here – just super cool technology and training programs that are based on lights and pressure points in the walls and floors. It has to be seen (and tried) to be believed – and there’s no cheating her, the computers and sensors will track your efforts and up the tempo or not allow you to move onto the next exercise until you complete the first one properly!
Anything that gets us in the water gets a tick, especialy now that the weather is so gorgeous – so why not combine a workout with a dip in the sea (and a quick chillout on the sand after…). The Super SUP Fit class takes place on a Stand Up Paddleboard on the calm waters of the Dubai Marine Beach Resort where Fahrenheit Beach Sports, one of the best watersports setups, have their base. Whether you’re an SUP novice or a regular on the board, benefits include core conditioning (that’s a toned tummy), improved balance and a stronger body and mind plus the simple pleasure of being out on the ocean to enjoy. Perfect. And if you get hot, simply jump into the water to cool off – hooray!
If you can commit to 3 x reformer pilates classes each week then you can expect amazing results mamas (our Ed Kaya did exactly that before getting married and raves about it). This is pilates on steroids, using reformer machines, specialized pieces of equipment on which you’ll repeat exercises until your muscles are really (really) tired. It’s hard work but you do get to lie down for some of it and it’s so worth it! If you’ve never used a reformer machine before then you’ll have to book in for some basic classes before hitting up the more advanced sessions. And as for the venue? You might just want to move in. The Hundred Wellness Centre is tucked in a gorgeous villa in Jumeirah, is beautifully designed and decorated and has a café for specialist brews, a garden for chilling in and a seriously sassy vibe.
Scared? You should be, mamas! The Platform Gym in Dubai Marina has a new class which STARTS with a 45 minute cycle and is followed by 45 minutes of HIIT. Oh and it’s on a Friday morning at 10am meaning hubby will need to take care of the kids while you start your weekend with a bang. Yikes!
Featured Image by Marion Michele on Unsplash, Talise Fitness image by Martin Barák on Unsplash, All other images from businesses mentioned.
