Monday 28 March 2011

CrossFit in Dubai with CrossFit LifeSpark

Finally, there's now an official CrossFit affiliate in Dubai with the launch of CrossFit LifeSpark with certified trainers, Candice and Ben.
http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/

I joined for the 6am class today, and as far as getting up that early and being pushed to the limit goes, it was superb. There were four of us who'd braved the early morning, and as with all CrossFit sessions, the atmosphere was one of mutual support. The WOD (workout of the day) was AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of 6 pull ups and 10 kettlebell swings. I was destroyed, but I loved the hard and fast approach of it.

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.

Monday 21 March 2011

Concept 10 10 review, JLT, Dubai


Concept 10 10 is all about high-weight, high-intensity but with a slow, fluid controlled movement where each rep should last 10 seconds on the extension and 10 seconds on the retraction. The gym itself is divided into individual rooms each containing only 6 machines, back extension, leg press, lat pull down, chest press, ab crunch and neck extension performed in that order. It was very quiet, with no music and no one else in the room during my session but the trainer and I. I was instructed that each of the exercises would only be performed once, but to exhaustion. So, 6 machines, 1 set, with a target of 7-10 reps performed with a 10 out and 10 in cadence. Easy eh?

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Vibrams (VFF's) in Dubai - The Society Shop, Festival City

The Society Shop in Festival City stock VFF's but they have very limited stock (and they are much more expensive than you'd pay in either Europe or the US!). Call them on 04 232 6550 and they will take your name and number and call you back once new stock arrives. They tell me the list of people waiting for stock to arrive is very long.

I keep trying to find out from Vibram when they will have other Middle East stockists but annoyingly I don't get a response.

Please let me know if you see or hear of any other stockists in the Middle East.

UPDATE 19TH JAN 2012: Please see the links below, VFFs are available at 7 The Athlete's Foot stores across the UAE: 
http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2012/01/athletes-foot-in-uae-is-now-selling.html

http://paulhymers.com/?p=399


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.