Oh I do like to be beside the seaside. Not barefoot in Tynemouth

You’d think with living in Dubai I’d be bored of beaches, but yesterday my best man and I jogged along the coast from Tynemouth to just before St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay and back. About 9 miles we think, certainly the furthest I’ve run since my injury. It was delightful. The tide was out so the beach was wide, the weather was perfect, and it was great seeing loads of people outside. Families together with sand-castles and picnics, people walking their dogs, footballers in pre-season training, everyone it seemed enjoying the day. And the air, full of the smells from seaweed to fish ‘n chips, was rejuvenating in itself. It was one of those runs I’ll think about when I’m back in Dubai and it’s too hot to go outside.

Photograph by Jacqueline Banerjee.

www.victorianweb.org/places/tyneside/1.jpg

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

CrossFit NorthEastEngland

While injured I tried to keep myself fit in the gym and on the exercise bike. I’ve always enjoyed any kind of circuit class, but training on your own is more difficult to keep the same levels of discipline, intensity and motivation that you’d have with an instructor and other people. I seen this schedule below in Men’s Fitness and decided to give it a go. It’s not for the faint hearted, its left me in pieces at times but I’m enjoying it. The sessions are quite short but very sharp!
http://philfitdubai.blogspot.com/2010/07/shire-horse-workout.html

The other activity I’ve been wanting to get involved in for ages is CrossFit. New workouts are posted daily at:
http://www.crossfit.com/

Since two of my mates have their own CrossFit affiliate gym in Newcastle it was a priority to pop in for a visit while I was back home.
http://www.crossfitnortheastengland.com/

In our session yesterday, Chris and Leon instructed us how to safely and properly perform a squat press and we warmed up. The workout was as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) in 15 minutes of 10 squat press and then a 400m run. I didn’t think it sounded too bad. Stupidly, I looked at my watch as we started and I was wrecked in less than 5 minutes. After 15 I had to be peeled from off the floor.

I felt fine until I woke up the next morning and tried to get out of bed. Holy-shit-dick-lick-balls! I hurt everywhere, but I’m sure that 15 minute session done me more good than an hour of training on my own. Who knew?

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

My first jog since broken sesamoid and stress fracture, but left my VFFs at home

I’ve just got home after my first jog outside for FOUR whole months. Sweat is dripping from my brow on to my keyboard and I feel fantastic. I concentrated on taking it easy, staying relaxed and not over-striding. Most importantly, I enjoyed it. Every second of it. Even the bits when I was tired, when I was struggling with the heat, when my mind was telling me I’d have to stop. I loved it. Even running over my arch enemies, the cobblestones (see rant below), my foot felt perfect.

I’m overwhelmed with relief.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

Men's Fitness, Dubai

As the barefoot debate rages on, here's an excellent feature in Men's Fitness (Dubai) July issue.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.