12 of Dubai's toughest workouts
Want to push your body to the absolute edge of its ability? Try one of these workouts…
If you’re looking to switch up your al fresco training routine for something indoors this summer, or if you’ve just enjoyed one too much Harees at iftar, we know what you need – a grueling workout. From bootcamps to bare, we’ve rounded up some of Dubai’s hardest workouts for you to sweat it out at.
Here are 12 of the toughest workouts in Dubai.
Barry’s Bootcamp
Popular with A-listers, a class inside Barry’s red room, fitted out with a long run of state-of-the-art treadmills and lit like the Ministry of Sound, is said to burn 1,000 calories. You’ll be stretched to your limits by a turbo hour of synchronised sprints and matwork sessions. The music is loud, the work varied, and the sessions pass in a flash. What’s more, they are wickedly addictive. Look out for a Dubai Marina outlet opening soon.
Central Park Towers, Ground Floor DIFC, Dubai, Dhs126. Tel: (04) 2544775. barrysbootcamp.com
9Round
Rather than a traditional kickboxing class, at 9Round you’ll work your way through nine stations, guided by the resident trainers: strength stations (think kettle bells, medicine balls and more), kickbox fitness stations where you’ll spar, and an abs and core station where you’ll work on that elusive six-pack. The class will burn a minimum of 500 calories in a painful – but quick – 30 minutes. Look out for the JLT branch opening soon.
Indo 6, Mazaya Building, Al Manara, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Sun to Thur 7am to 10pm, Fri 4pm to 10pm, Sat 11am to 10pm, Dhs990 for one month unlimited. Tel: (04) 3217997. Metro: FGB. uae.9round.com
F45
Combining HIIT, functional training and circuit training, these 45-minute sessions are as varied as they are intense. There are 31 workouts, all with epic-sounding names, such as Firestorm (which involves 54 circuit stations), Brooklyn (which is boxing and MMA based), and Wingman (in which you work in pairs). Also, they hold regular eight-week challenges and other competitions.
Kojak Building, Dubai Motor City, Dubai, Sun to Thur 6am to 8.45pm. Tel: (050) 3839445. Taxi: Motor City. f45training.ae. ALSO: Dubai Marina
The Trip
Imagine if you walked into a cinema, but instead of seats in front of the screen, there were rows and rows of stationary bikes – that’s what you’ll get at The Trip. Les Mills spin class uses a huge screen, but instead of your RPM, it’s like a virtual tour that you cycle along to. The mix of special effects, a dark room, bright lasers and thumping music makes for a really immersive experience, a bit like playing an exhausting computer game
Bay Avenue, Executive Towers, Business Bay, Dubai, Dhs85. Tel: (04) 4255940. Taxi: Bay Avenue. gfx.ae
BARE
A black room, black lights that make everything glow, banging beats and a ridiculously intense workout that will burn up to 1,000 calories in just one session, the Tag Heuer cross-training workout at Bare is up there with one of the most effective ways to get body-changing results – fast! Friendly trainers and a fun, welcoming atmosphere make this a favourite with everyone from beginners to fitness professionals.
Clover Bay Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, Dhs120 for 50-minute session, or Dhs1,000 for ten. Tel: (054) 4550597. Taxi: Business Bay. bare.fitness
Flywheel
Nothing gets people motivated like knowing they’re being monitored in some way, shape or form. Cycling studio Flywheel keeps you accountable with a Torqboard, a scoreboard at the front of the class that the instructor occasionally lights up during the ride, allowing you to see how you are faring against the rest of the class.
Burj Views, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Dhs120. Tel: (04) 4232544. Taxi: Burj Views. dubai.flywheelsports.com. ALSO: Gold & Diamond Park
Round 10
Duck, dive and jab your way through a calorie-torching session at the no-frills, butt-kicking boxing warehouse in Al Quoz. It’s raw, slightly intimidating but the workouts are some of the best in town. Bonus: Training in the punching bag room makes you feel like you’re part of a Rocky montage.
364/19 Street, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, Sat to Thur 8.30am to 10pm, Fri 8am to noon. Tel: (04) 3380101. Taxi: opposite Alserkal entrance. round10boxing.com
Barre at Define
This boutique studio in Dubai Marina is home to arguably the city’s toughest barre workouts. If you’re a ‘no pain, no gain’ exerciser, you’ll take pride in keeping up with the relentless lunges, squats and lifts, many of which use ankle weights, dumbbells and exercise bands. Each set of repetitions is designed to strengthen and tone the smaller muscle groups that old-school aerobic workouts barely touch. Classes last 45 minutes, burning 400-800 calories.
Unit 17 Silverene Tower B, Dubai Marina, Dubai, Dhs120. Tel: (04) 4216377. Taxi: Dubai Marina. dubai.definebody.com
The Circuit Factory
Famous for its intense workouts, The Circuit Factory also offers nutrition advice, food boxes, menus, recipes and lots more to help people shift extra kilos fast. Classes run in six locations across town, including Al Quoz, Mirdif and Springs, seven days a week, mornings and evenings – give them a buzz for a free trial.
Springs, Dubai, Sun to Thur 6am, Dhs85. Taxi: Springs. circuitfactory.ae. ALSO: Al Quoz, Downtown Dubai, Mirdif, Motor City, Skydive Dubai
Elite Aesthetics Bootcamp
Think running with a parachute on your back, pushing cars across parking lots, lots of laughs and buckets of sweat – this is your ultimate early morning workout.
SkyDive Dubai, Dubai, Sun, Tue and Thur 6am, Dhs800 per month. Taxi: SkyDive Dubai. eadxb.com
Vinyasa Flow at Zen
Legendary yoga teacher Melissa Ghattas’ crowded evening vinyasa class begins with simple joint-loosening movements, but quickly builds to a tough, sweaty practice. Complicated poses are often repeated, giving students a chance to find a deeper stretch each time. You need to be fit for sure, and you will sweat—but you’ll emerge feeling wide awake, serene and ready for action.
Zen, Dubai Media City, Dubai, Sun and Tue 6.30pm, Thur 8.45am, Fri 5pm. Tel: (04) 3670435. Taxi: BBC Building. Yoga.ae
InnerFight
Owned and run by Marcus Smith, home-grown UAE brand InnerFight made a name for itself when it launched back in 2008 as being one of the toughest, but most effective workouts in town. Ten years on and it’s no different. Offering Mainline classes for performance and conditioning, weightlifting classes, gymnastics, strongman and kids fitness, Marcus and his team also offer nutrition advice, education and lots more to get you in your best shape ever.
4th Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, Dhs160. Tel: (04) 3212899. Taxi: Al Quoz. innerfight.com
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