tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2045183802971323652024-03-14T02:16:54.534+04:00Fitness in DubaiPaul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-78006117021830509572017-01-22T18:04:00.002+04:002017-01-22T18:04:54.579+04:00What I’ve learned from running everyday for 365 days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>It doesn’t get any easier. 5 miles is still 5 miles.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>There’s no such thing as an easy run. There’s fast ones and
slow ones, short ones and long ones. Sometimes the slow ones can be more
difficult and require more concentration.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Every days counts so I don’t use collective nouns to think
about the duration of my streak, to me each integer is hard earned and should
be respected.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I’ve re-learned the 7 times table. What’s 7x37, anyone?</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>During the last 200 metres of my run each day I force
myself to smile (which must look weird to passers-by). I remind myself that
there will be a day when I won’t be able to do what I’m doing today and to be
grateful for the feeling of accomplishment.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I like to have three pairs of trainers on rotation.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Very occasionally I’ll have a magical running day where
despite diet, drinks or a hangover, I feel like I can run forever.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Much more frequently, in spite of great sleep and a
sensible diet, my legs feel like tree trunks.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>There’s always pain somewhere, but it’s very much self-inflicted
so I try not to talk about it. It’s boring and no one is remotely sympathetic
or interested.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I’ve stopped wearing a watch or heart rate monitor. I don’t
want to know if I’m faster or slower. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Sooner the better works best. Leaving my run until later in
the day just means that it’s always on my mind until I pull my trainers on.</li>
</ul>
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<li>I don’t make enough time for stretching.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Don’t start a running streak to lose weight. You won’t. Do
it because you enjoy it.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I love running and I love food. Running every day means more
of both which is mint, but if I wanted to lose weight I’d run less and eat
less, but I wouldn’t be as happy.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The law of averages tells you that there’s going to come a
day when you need a bathroom break mid-run. Deal with it and move on. Sacrifice
your socks.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>More often than not I run the same route
at the same time and see the same people. There were two security guards I said
hello to most mornings for about six months.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I get a glimpse of old age every day in the first
200 metres of my run.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>My favourite time to run is 6.30am, its dark when I start
and light when I finish.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Running towards a rising sun is superb.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>There’s no ocean deep enough to drop dog walkers who let their dog run free off their leads in
public spaces.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>I always carry emergency money. I take a AED 100 note and a
AED 5 note in a plastic wallet that came free with my London Underground Oyster
card.</li>
</ul>
<b>No. of days in my streak so far = 365<br />Total distance = 2,976 km<br />Average per run = 8.15 km</b><br />
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Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-87543900578334175312012-09-15T17:23:00.006+04:002012-09-16T00:03:54.952+04:00Chasing my 3 hour dream - Fitness in Dubai and the 2012 ING New York Marathon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I’ve always loved running, not as much as I love football, but I love it all the same. Like football, I’ve never really been any good. I thought I was good at both when I was 10 years old, but since there was only 11 other kids in my class at my age, compared to them I was. Moving to comprehensive with 250 kids my age put me right in my place. I was OK; that was it. This came as a bit of a surprise to me, and I stopped trying to be good at football or running. I turned into a short, fat teenager supplementing my daily diet with at least two bars of chocolate and maybe a quarter pound of sweets.<br />
<div> </div><div>At 17, in an attempt to shift a bit of weight I started to jog. That was 1995, and even back then the Great North Run was a massive event not only in my region, but was one of the biggest half marathons in the world, so I decided to run it later that year. On Sunday 17th September 1995 I completed the Great North Run in 1h 57m and placed 9,991st.<br />
</div><div>I swore I’d run the Great North Run every year until I died. (I haven’t run it since 2004.) Each year my time improved, 1h 49m in 1997, 1h 39m in 2000, and 1h 27m in 2002 (despite all the Guinness at university!). As much as I loved the event, my running holy grail has always been to run a marathon in less than 3 hours. As an impressionable youngster I was told, “You’re only a runner if you’ve run a marathon in less than 3 hours. Until then you’re just a jogger.” Total bullshit in my opinion, but it’s still always been my ultimate fitness ambition. (Since my dream to play football for Sunderland died in 1990.) Just thinking about running 26 miles 365 yards (or 42.195km) in less than 180 minutes scares me. That’s running at over 14kph or over 8.7mph for 3 hours solid. It’s madness!</div><div> </div><div>I did attempt the London marathon in 2002. I was running pretty well at the time since I’d joined a running club and was doing the odd cross country race. However, it was just after 2h 30m at mile 18 in that race that I realised just what the marathon is all about. I’d been on target for around 3h 20m, but I got cramp everywhere, the last 8.2 miles were sheer agony. My pace dropped to 10 minutes per mile and I finished in 3h 48m. Never again I swore.<br />
</div><div></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgCHDgLXZCA/UFTelKCb37I/AAAAAAAAAkw/vjw5c8bWoKw/s1600/2004+marathon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgCHDgLXZCA/UFTelKCb37I/AAAAAAAAAkw/vjw5c8bWoKw/s400/2004+marathon.JPG" width="286" /></a>On a Tuesday night two years later, I was enjoying a curry and a few beers with friends when I got a phone call, “Paul, I’ve got a friend who’s injured and can’t do the London marathon on Sunday. Do you want his race number?”. “Err, OK,” I tentatively replied. Pint down, I sobered up pretty quickly.</div><div></div><div>Without the burden of months of marathon training I didn’t have high expectations, so I just tried to go out there and enjoy it. And I did, it was a great race. I loved it, even though the heavens opened after 13 miles and my feet had blisters on top of blisters. I finished in 3 hours 31 minutes. I’m looking at my 10k split times from the race now as I write this and I’m very pleased with the consistency, 48m 03s, 48m 27s, 50m 59s and 51m 30s. That’s 12.5kph dropping to 11.7kph. Never again I swore.</div><div> </div><div>Fast forward to New Year’s Day 2012. Maybe it was the hangover, or an early mid-life crisis, but I thought about what I’ve always wanted to do and the 3 hour marathon was staring back at me. So, if I was going to try one last time to run a 3 hour marathon where would I want to run it? Easy, New York baby! And what do you know; the application process for the 2012 ING New York Marathon opened the following day. It’s like they prey on New Year’s resolutions. I submitted my application but knowing how difficult these big races are to get into so I didn’t think I had much chance, if I was a betting man I’d say the odds were maybe 8-1.</div><div> </div><div>On Thursday 26th April I received an email, “Congratulations, you’re in!” Holy shit, I’m in. My wife didn’t know what to make of it either, “what do you mean, you’re in?” My head started swimming at the prospect of it, here it was, something I’ve always dreamed of doing. A huge opportunity to fulfil an ambition I’ve held for so long. Logistics, flights, hotels, the costs, charities, training schedules, booking time off work, running all that way. It took me more than a few days to make sense of it all.</div><div> </div><div>And then it started. The training. But more than that, it’s the constant thinking about it. It never really leaves my mind, I’m always thinking about it. Every meal, every drink, every training session it’s there looming ahead in the future, each day a day closer to happening. I guess everyone who’s entered a race or event they’ve always wanted to do feels the same. It reminds me of an exam, just much more enjoyable.<br />
</div><div>For me the hardest thing about training for a marathon is all of the questions, each one like a science project that has to be experimented with and solved. Let’s start with kit from the bottom up;</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Are these shoes too old or too new?</li>
<li>Are they tied tight enough or too tight?</li>
<li>Thin socks, thick socks, two pairs of sock or no socks?</li>
<li>Vaseline on my feet or not? (Really I’ll try anything to avoid blisters, but the real bastard about blisters is what works one week might not necessarily work the next week.)</li>
<li>Shorts, how short? Or leggings? Do you wear underwear under shorts? </li>
<li>Hydration belt or not? If so what to take, keys, money (I usually keep emergency cash under the inner sole of my left shoe), energy gels, tissues, Vaseline?</li>
<li>Long sleeved or short sleeved top? One layer or two? How to cope with joggers nipple, shave and use plasters, Vaseline or a compression layer?</li>
<li>Will it be cold enough for hat or gloves (not a consideration here in Dubai!)?</li>
<li>Music or not? If so what earphones, and how can I make sure they won’t fall out when I sweat?</li>
<li>Visor, sunglasses, sweatbands? How can I keep my hair out of my face? </li>
<li>Can I actually face going out in public wearing this much Lycra?</li>
</ul><div>And all that is just kit. Then there’s this lot to fret over;</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>What should I have for breakfast and at what time?</li>
<li>Where can I get supplies on route, and at which stage do I want to take on these supplies? </li>
<li>What’s the weather forecast?</li>
</ul><div>Anyone who has trained for a long distance event will tell you that the backbone of their training was a long run ideally once a week. This is easy running at a pace slower than what you want to run the race you’re training for (between 30-90 seconds per mile slower). These runs increase your endurance and train your body to use fat as a fuel. This is essential for the marathon, since the amount of carb your body can store isn’t great enough to sustain that much continued running.</div><div> </div><div>Since May, these long runs have been my stable diet of running. And let me tell you, just because you’re running slower, these are not easy. After running for more than an hour there’s a load of mental and logistical challenges you need to learn to deal with. For anyone who has visited Dubai between May and September, you’ll know that the conditions are far from ideal! The temperature doesn’t really drop below 30c, and that includes the middle of the night. Initially I tried to do all my running outside, and I did some great runs around, JLT, the Springs, Meadows and Marina, but with my sleep cycle I found it very difficult to be able to get up early enough to avoid being caught in the midday sun. Soon I was seeking out an alternative and the treadmill became the best option. I’m no huge fan of the treadmill, but I’ve learned to deal with it as best I can. </div><div> </div><div>My wife’s iPad certainly helps; I rent a couple of movies in advance and hope they’ll help me through it. Watching Forrest Gump was a highlight, watching Alan Partridge got scary when I couldn’t stop giggling and thought I’d fall off the machine. There have been some poor ones too (Goal 2, American Psycho…). Like any runner, some days for whatever reason, you just can’t perform like you want to. Its best not to over think these ones, let it go and look forward to the next run.</div><div> </div><div>Last week my nerves really started kicking in. I’d had a poor run and I started downsizing my dreams, but then I thought about it and questioned why? I’ve committed so much to this, my wife has been so supportive, I’ve already raised much more money than I thought I would, and I know all my friends are family are right behind me. I want to give this my best. Like a student preparing a revision timetable I assessed all the time I have until the race. I researched marathon training schedules online, and I’ve settled on one by Hal Higdon which I really like and he’s the authority for marathon schedules. (See the plan in full here: <a href="http://halhigdon.com/training/51142/Marathon-Advanced-2-Training-Program">http://halhigdon.com/training/51142/Marathon-Advanced-2-Training-Program</a>). Once I’d fixed on my plan I was totally invigorated. I entered each session into my calendar and started looking forward to each and every session. This past week I’ve followed my plan to the letter and I’m loving it. There’s times when I feel great and I want to run further or faster, but I trust the plan and I’m sticking to it. I think knowing I can further or faster makes me look forward to my next session even more. </div><div> </div><div>I’m raising money for Motor Neuron Disease and Parkinson’s, two charities very close to my heart. Often during my long run I think about how lucky I am to be fit and healthy and move well and to be able to chase my dream. I think about my Aunty Maureen and my Granddad and how they suffered. And I think about how so many other people are suffering right now, not only those with the disease, but their loved ones too as they all battle the best they can with these incurable diseases. They need help, and I’d like to say everyone who supports me in every way I’m very humbled and grateful. <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/paulhymers">http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/paulhymers</a></div><div> </div><div>So that’s where I’m at. I’ve got a 10 miler to run today and 20 miles tomorrow (with Gandhi to watch on the iPad) and I can’t wait to get started. I’ve got 49 days until race day; I can’t wait to get there.</div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-86389700198488668202012-07-01T12:15:00.001+04:002012-07-02T12:40:26.275+04:00Fitness First out to find the Fittest in Dubai with top prizes of AED 50,000!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dB1UGmohYE/T_AHBBsUsBI/AAAAAAAAAf4/R8Os8HMgwfs/s1600/Fitness+First.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dB1UGmohYE/T_AHBBsUsBI/AAAAAAAAAf4/R8Os8HMgwfs/s320/Fitness+First.jpg" width="226" /></a> <strong>Fitness First have announced their competition to find the fittest man and woman in Dubai, and with a cash prize of AED 50,000 (£8,700) I’m sure there will be lots of interest!</strong> The cash prize isn’t only for the winner, the top 15 men and women will each get a cash prize or at least AED 3,000 (£522). <br />
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The competition is open to members and non-members of Fitness First. Registration starts from 1st July in all UAE clubs. Qualifying starts from the first day of Ramadan for only two weeks (<strong>TBC but probably Friday 20th July to Friday 3rd August</strong>) in the following Fitness First clubs; Uptown Mirdiff (ladies only), Deira City Centre, Meadows and Mirdif City Centre. Registration is AED 100 (£17). The qualifying circuit is a mix of rowing, running, push ups, squats, sit ups and dumbbell jerks, see the picture to the right. Attempts of the circuit will be timed and judged by a Fitness First representative according to standards of movement (see link to video below). <br />
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The fastest 15 males and 15 females in the qualifying circuit will qualify for a final round that is scheduled to be held at the Mirdif City Centre mall. The Women’s final will take place on Thursday 9th August while the Men’s final will be held on Friday 10th August. <br />
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For more details like Fitness First Middle East on facebook here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fitnessfirstme">https://www.facebook.com/fitnessfirstme</a> <br />
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Standards of movement will be posted on a video here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/DXBfitness">http://www.youtube.com/DXBfitness</a> <br />
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Good luck!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lXD-1dqDow/T_FeaNEENdI/AAAAAAAAAgE/SYHkWOr8j3k/s1600/FF2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_lXD-1dqDow/T_FeaNEENdI/AAAAAAAAAgE/SYHkWOr8j3k/s640/FF2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-81514284091558908322012-05-06T20:07:00.002+04:002012-05-07T20:17:15.411+04:00Fitness in Dubai's news update - May 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It’s only a couple of weeks since I was writing about so many new gyms and events going on in Dubai, yet now there’s even more! Even with temperatures soaring past 40 degrees, nothing can slow down the rate of expansion being witnessed by the fitness industry in Dubai.<br />
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<strong>JBR Hilton Tower Race, 18th May 2012</strong><br />
The Hilton Tower Race, in JBR is on Friday 18th May from 8am. Take on 35 floors, 925 stairs and 120 runners all to raise money for underprivileged children to get an education. All proceeds will go to Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Foundation. For details go to: <a href="http://www.premiermarathons.com/event/Hilton_Dubai_Tower_Race_2012">http://www.premiermarathons.com/event/Hilton_Dubai_Tower_Race_2012</a><br />
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<strong>Nike Running Club in JBR</strong><br />
Nike have been providing a free running club for a while with sessions in Dubai Festival City and Downtown on Tuesday and Friday nights respectively, but now they’ve added a Saturday morning session in JBR too. The fun starts at 7am, meeting at Al Fattan Towers (outside Frankie’s restaurant). Join their Facebook group for more: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NikeRunningMiddleEast">http://www.facebook.com/NikeRunningMiddleEast</a><br />
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<strong>Ignite Aquathlon, 11th May 2011</strong><br />
What’s set to be a great event is taking place on Friday 11th May at The Shack, Kite Surfer’s Beach, Umm Suqeim. There’s a race for juniors (200m swim and 800m run) at 6am and adults (400m swim and 2km run) at 7am. Register at: <a href="http://www.premiermarathons.com/">www.premiermarathons.com</a><br />
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<strong>InnerFight’s "Become Superhuman" seminar with Ben Greenfield, 11th & 12th May</strong><br />
The author of one of my favourite fitness blogs, Ben Greenfield (<a href="http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/">http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/</a>) is coming to the Evolve Gym in Dubai to deliver a two day seminar entitled "Become Superhuman". It’s an interactive fitness, nutrition and lifestyle workshop discussing the seven crucial modules necessary for developing a superhuman body and mind: performance, fat loss, recovery, digestion, brain, sleep and hormonal balance. Participants in the "Become Superhuman" workshop will be given all the systems and components necessary to maximize physical performance, body appearance and mental function. For more details contact: <a href="mailto:winning@innerfight.com">winning@innerfight.com</a><br />
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<strong>SHP Dubai have opened their gym in Swiss Tower, JLT</strong><br />
This gym focus on 1-to-1 sessions and small (4 or less) group sessions, and aim to offer a holistic approach that evaluates and addresses the key aspects of your health and performance. Their aim is to take care of all of your needs so that you can turn up and give it your best. No excuses. One of their membership packages even includes personal gym kit and a laundry service! I’ve always been jealous of footballers who turn up at training and have all their kit prepared and laid out for them, now you can enjoy that too! For more details go to: <a href="http://www.shpdubai.com/">http://www.shpdubai.com/</a> or email <a href="mailto:ian@shpdubai.com">ian@shpdubai.com</a> <br />
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Stay healthy!</div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-51603601365130360922012-03-26T10:59:00.000+04:002012-03-26T19:03:19.588+04:00Dubai’s fitness explosion! Dubai fitness news update!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZQVCWEsDv4/T3CE-x3DykI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/IRpeNQzErxU/s1600/Corefit+games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZQVCWEsDv4/T3CE-x3DykI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/IRpeNQzErxU/s320/Corefit+games.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It seems to me that Dubai has an insatiable appetite for everything to do with fitness right now. New events, new gyms and group exercise classes are popping up everywhere. Maybe it’s all of the Friday brunches that guilt-trip everyone into making amends the other six days of the week. Who knows? Who cares! I think it’s fantastic! All of these new events, gyms and classes mean that there’s surely something close to you in Dubai, no matter where you live. No more excuses of not being bothered to get to the other end of town! <br />
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<strong><u>New events </u></strong><br />
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This last month has seen the Open for the <strong>Reebok 2012 CrossFit Games</strong> (<a href="http://games.crossfit.com/">http://games.crossfit.com/</a>) take place. For the past five weeks athletes from all over the UAE have been making their way to the CrossFit affiliates in Dubai (Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark <a href="http://crossfitlifespark.com/">http://crossfitlifespark.com/</a> and The Burn Room <a href="http://www.theburnroom.com/">http://www.theburnroom.com/</a>) to test themselves against the very best in the world and see how they fare. Though it’s too late to enter there’s nothing stopping you trying out these WODs to see how you stack up against over 60,000 other athletes of all ages and abilities. <br />
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On <strong>Friday 6th – Saturday 7th April 2012</strong>, Dubai Marina-based gym Core Direction (<a href="http://www.coredirection.com/">http://www.coredirection.com/</a>) are hosting their inaugural <strong>Corefit Games</strong> at the Dubai International Marine Club. The heats take place on Friday 6th, followed by semis and finals the following day. Entry is AED 100 per person, and the prizes include flights and four nights’ accommodation in Thailand for two! Great prize! One sure to bring out the best in the region! <br />
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<strong>Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark</strong> <a href="http://crossfitlifespark.com/">http://crossfitlifespark.com/</a> (who are soon to move their box to JLT) are hosting a <strong>CrossFit Gymnastics certification course on Friday 20th – Saturday 21st April 2012</strong>. This is a gymnastics course open to everyone to develop your CrossFit-specific gymnastic skills. Sign up soon, this is sure to be very popular! <br />
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<strong><u>New gym</u></strong> <br />
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Fitness Zone JLT (<a href="http://fitnesszonedubai.com/">http://fitnesszonedubai.com/</a>) is a very comprehensive gym which also allows guests to pay-per-visit rather than signing up for a membership fee scheme. <br />
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<strong><u>Dubai-based blogs that are new to me: </u></strong><br />
<a href="http://coffeecakesandrunning.wordpress.com/">http://coffeecakesandrunning.wordpress.com/</a> <br />
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<a href="http://ingerindubai.com/">http://ingerindubai.com/</a> (though unless you speak Norwegian you’ll need to enable translator on Google) <br />
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<a href="http://www.wix.com/americanfitness/beastsquad#">http://www.wix.com/americanfitness/beastsquad#</a>! – This site gives more information on a whole range of personal trainers in Dubai so you’ll be sure to find someone who suits your needs. <br />
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<strong><u>New group classes</u></strong> <br />
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<strong>The Circuit Factory</strong> (<a href="http://www.circuitfactory.ae/">http://www.circuitfactory.ae/</a>) have expanded out of Al Quoz and are now also running daily sessions from JBR (next to Barasti) and the Meadows. <br />
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<strong>Ignite Fitness</strong> (<a href="http://www.ignite-wellness.com/">http://www.ignite-wellness.com/</a>) have some Easter special offers for both of their locations, The Shack in Umm Suqeum and RIVA Beach Club on Palm Jumeriah. <br />
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<strong><u>Abu Dhabi</u></strong> <br />
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And this explosion isn’t just in Dubai, but it seems that Abu Dhabi is also catching on. Read this great article in The National for more details: <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/smaller-gyms-trim-the-high-cost-of-keeping-fit#full">http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/smaller-gyms-trim-the-high-cost-of-keeping-fit#full</a> <br />
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If you’re reading this in Abu Dhabi and looking for some CrossFit style training, look no further than <strong>Stop The Clock Fitness</strong>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/StopTheClock-Fitness/314785138564979">https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/StopTheClock-Fitness/314785138564979</a> <br />
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<strong>I hope this update encourages you all to get your trainers on and get involved. It’s happening now, don’t miss out!<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong> </div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-65778538775767047382012-01-19T10:51:00.001+04:002012-01-19T11:01:35.140+04:00The Athlete’s Foot in UAE is now selling Vibram Five Fingers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2GRGVNBoMWI/Txe_e7mcEkI/AAAAAAAAAUw/P2cuSdW07A0/s1600/TAF1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2GRGVNBoMWI/Txe_e7mcEkI/AAAAAAAAAUw/P2cuSdW07A0/s320/TAF1.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><strong>The Athlete’s Foot in UAE is now selling Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs)</strong>. They have stock in the following seven stores across the UAE; <strong>Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, DFC, Arabian Centre, Sharjah Mega Mall, Mushrif Mall Abu Dhabi</strong>. The models and price available are listed below. <br />
<br />
<strong>Men’s models and prices: </strong><br />
KSO – AED 569<br />
KSO Trek – AED 799<br />
Bikila – AED 669<br />
KomodoSport – AED 699 (available in two colours)<br />
TrekSport – AED 649<br />
<br />
<strong>Women’s models and prices:</strong><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B3EJ4JziC_0/Txe_mRDG2vI/AAAAAAAAAU4/jJ0eTHpnwZI/s1600/TAF2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B3EJ4JziC_0/Txe_mRDG2vI/AAAAAAAAAU4/jJ0eTHpnwZI/s320/TAF2.JPG" width="320" /></a>Classic Paillette – AED 549 (available in two colours)<br />
Jaya LR – AED 649 (available in two colours)<br />
Jaya – AED 549<br />
KSO Trek – AED 799<br />
Bikila – AED 649<br />
Speed – AED 599<br />
KomodoSport – AED 699<br />
TrekSport – AED 649<br />
<br />
<strong>Kid’s model and price:</strong><br />
KSO – AED 349 (available in various colours)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_hmMuLgby0c/Txe_vGuxOuI/AAAAAAAAAVA/LLfH_8k4HZ8/s1600/TAF3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_hmMuLgby0c/Txe_vGuxOuI/AAAAAAAAAVA/LLfH_8k4HZ8/s320/TAF3.JPG" width="239" /></a>This is just the start for The Athlete’s Foot and Vibram. They’re expecting an order of 8,000 pairs of VFFs in the first week of February 2012 which will include the full range from Vibram, not just those models listed above. They also plan to push stock of VFFs out to their other stores in the GCC, in <strong>Oman, Bahrain and Qatar</strong>.<br />
<br />
For anyone reading in <strong>Lebanon</strong>, a full range of VFFs are already available from <strong>Aleysa in Kaslik Tower Building, Ground Floor</strong>, Jounieh. Call +961 9 636 852 for more information. Tell them I sent you.</div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-16386362214936861982011-12-26T09:14:00.001+04:002012-01-01T09:31:59.758+04:00Fitness in Dubai checks out Platform 3 Fitness, Dubai Marina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8qcbhe7U4HM/Tv_ulC2cWbI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/YHWBnUJylUc/s1600/p3+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8qcbhe7U4HM/Tv_ulC2cWbI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/YHWBnUJylUc/s320/p3+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I love group training sessions, I love the motivation, competition and camaraderie that they can provide. But <strong>having a session completely tailored to your goals, your specifications, where your form is watched for every rep and the gaze of the trainer is focused on only you, like the eye of Mordor, provides a different focus and arguably better results</strong>. Obviously we’re all different, perhaps some people prefer the slight anonymity of group training sessions, and to some the idea of group exercise and its competitive nature is a very real nightmare. It’s all down to your personal preferences, horses for courses as they say. Yes, there’s the added expense with personal training, but then you’d pay more for a bespoke suit over one off the shelf. Bespoke by its very nature is more expensive. You need to weigh up the cost versus the benefit for your goals and decide what’s important to you. <strong>How much are you willing to pay, both in effort and cash to achieve your goals?</strong> <br />
<div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2Dgte8Q9sQ/Tv_uwmn_pRI/AAAAAAAAAUc/5_gDCtheF4o/s1600/p3+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2Dgte8Q9sQ/Tv_uwmn_pRI/AAAAAAAAAUc/5_gDCtheF4o/s320/p3+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Which brings me on to <strong>Platform 3 Fitness (<a href="http://www.p3dubai.com/"><strong>www.p3dubai.com</strong></a>)</strong> in Dubai Marina, opposite Da Shi Dai & The Noodle Room in JBR. I can’t bring myself to call Platform 3 a gym, it’s so much more than any usual gym that there should be a new world to describe it. It’s an incredible space filled with all the best toys that everyone must look at and want to try out. And it’s so cool! It’s a cross between a nightclub, an activity centre, a boxing club and a gym. It features a competition-boxing ring, climbing wall, house sports therapy room, live DJ set, sauna and juice bar. <strong>It’s an uber-gym</strong>. I couldn’t wait to get started. </div><div></div><div>Core to the training sessions at Platform 3 are what they believe to be the <strong>three components of fitness</strong>: </div><ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbiwPXuF1_8/Tv_u5v4wUrI/AAAAAAAAAUo/52z813QchMo/s1600/p3+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="98" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pbiwPXuF1_8/Tv_u5v4wUrI/AAAAAAAAAUo/52z813QchMo/s320/p3+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<li><strong>Personal training </strong></li>
<li><strong>Sports therapy </strong></li>
<li><strong>Nutrition </strong></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">They offer a holistic approach incorporating these three components and work on an individual appointment basis, with <strong>pricing schedules based on attendance rather than time</strong>. Sessions don’t come cheap (prices vary from AED 300 for a single session up to AED 12,500 for 50 classes). However, without the commitment of an annual membership, <strong>a bespoke programme is tailored precisely to your needs</strong>. </div><div></div><div><strong>Founder of Platform 3 Fitness, Omar Al-Duri (and top 5 finalist in the 2011 Shape Magazine Personal Trainer of the Year)</strong> showed me round and my session started with an attack on the climbing wall as a warm up. I’ve never climbed before but I was totally shocked at how difficult it was. Not only was I absolutely rubbish, but within minutes my forearms were screaming and I had a complete sweat on. Note to self: must work on grip strength. </div><div></div><div>Next Omar had a tasty circuit lined up for me, incorporating all big compound moves to get the maximum results and using lots of toys like the ViPR, kettlebells and a gravity machine (think pull-ups on an inclined platform on rails). After three rounds, the first being 2 mins per station, the second 1 min per station and finally 30 seconds per station I was completely spent. As I lay on the floor too tired to get up, I realised the mix of new exercises and new equipment had not only made the time fly past, but <strong>I’d been totally engaged throughout, rather than going through the motions of my usual routine. More importantly, I’d had a great time!</strong></div><div></div><div><strong>Platform 3 Fitness: Park Island Dubai Marina, Telephone: 04 435 8083 </strong><a href="http://www.p3dubai.com/"><strong>www.p3dubai.com</strong></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-68371628251113498232011-12-09T22:45:00.005+04:002012-01-01T09:32:38.060+04:00Fitness in Dubai reports on the UAE Fitness Challenge II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>Today’s Men’s Fitness and Shape Magazine UAE Fitness Challenge (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.323912610953896.85076.142113665800459&type=1#!/events/190453464376856/">https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.323912610953896.85076.142113665800459&type=1#!/events/190453464376856/</a>) was a tremendous success. OK, I lost the title I won back in June, but that didn’t dampen my day in the slightest. I finished third in the individual men’s event and I’m over the moon with that.</strong><br />
<br />
<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xRPLinMalhQ/TuJy_mXzBwI/AAAAAAAAATk/DPuQ2zS73Kk/s1600/UAE3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xRPLinMalhQ/TuJy_mXzBwI/AAAAAAAAATk/DPuQ2zS73Kk/s320/UAE3.jpg" width="320" /></a>This time the event was outdoors, on the lawn before the beach at Le Royal Meridien Hotel in Dubai Marina. The format was different too. Only on Tuesday were the exercises revealed; plyo box jumps, hand release push ups, kettlebell swings and a 100m run, but it wasn’t until moments before the first heat that competitors were informed of what the workout would actually entail, such as length of time, or number of reps etc. Gathered in the sun we were told that the format for the individual event was a 12 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of the following:</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>10 plyo box jumps with full extension (24 inches for men, 20 for women)</li>
<li>15 hand release push ups</li>
<li>20 kettlebell swings (16kg for men, 8kg for women)</li>
<li>100m run.</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">For the team event, every member of the team had to work the four exercises listed above, but would switch exercises only when one of the team had completed the 100m run. Each rep completed by each team member would be added together to give a total rep count score for the team.</div><div></div><div></div>In my head I was worried about the kettlebell swings, but quietly confident... until I watched the first heat. Oh my God, it was destroying very good athletes, and 12 minutes at such a high intensity seemed an eternity!<br />
<br />
<div></div><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwegrxrqBj0/TuJzI8GYs8I/AAAAAAAAATs/tmY-A9FcQfU/s1600/UAE2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwegrxrqBj0/TuJzI8GYs8I/AAAAAAAAATs/tmY-A9FcQfU/s320/UAE2.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was in the second heat, and right away I struggled with the box jumps, which seemed really high and I couldn’t get a rhythm. The push ups started OK, but the 20 kettlebell swings did the real damage. In was near the back on the first round but tried to make up ground on the run. I nearly caught the guy next to me (individual men’s winner, Justin, who is on my left in this pic), but when the exercises started he stormed ahead of me again. And so it continued. I remember hearing there was 5 minutes to go and I was devastated. I was already on my last legs. For those 5 minutes every rep was excruciating. I could hear people cheering me on put the words sounded like a different language, I was lost in a world of pain.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />
I finished up completing five full laps along with the box jumps, push ups and 16 of the 20 kettlebell swings. I thought six full rounds would be a good score, and I gave it my best. I couldn’t have done anymore. </div><div></div><div></div><div><br />
I slumped in the shade for an hour trying to get my breath back. I was absolutely knackered, and missed out on watching some of the other heats which was a shame. I’ve got ot say I thought the atmosphere was electric. Everyone screaming words of encouragement and pushing each other to give everything they had. I loved it.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />
The finale was the top three men, women and teams to do a one off race to decide the winner. The challenge was a 50m bear crawl, then 50m of five frog jumps and three burpees in sequence to the finish line. I was shocked I was in the top three men and really wasn’t in any condition to take part, but I gave it my best. I was third of the three men.</div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x-LGwmfm0DA/TuJzXn1NxeI/AAAAAAAAAT0/nOuuh3p4Gz4/s1600/UAE1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x-LGwmfm0DA/TuJzXn1NxeI/AAAAAAAAAT0/nOuuh3p4Gz4/s320/UAE1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Also, I must take my hat off to the women competing today. Rock hard. I can't be sure, but I think in the men's category, only the winner completed six full rounds, but all three of the top women did (I think). And the Glory Girls team(<a href="http://www.glorygirlfitness.com/">http://www.glorygirlfitness.com/</a>) done incredibly well to place second in the team event. Amazing performances!</div><div><br />
</div><div><strong>The whole event was excellent. It was a privilege to take part in it. Huge congratulations to Cliff and his team at Core Direction (<a href="http://www.coredirection.com/)%20for">http://www.coredirection.com/)</a> for pulling it off. Also huge congratulations to everyone at CrossFit LifeSpark (<a href="http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/">http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/</a>) who absolutely smashed it today. Candice Howe, owner and trainer, was victorious in the women’s event, and the team including Ben, also owner and trainer, won the team event. What a great advertisement for CrossFit they all are!</strong></div><br />
<br />
<div><strong>Roll on the 2012 event, I’ve got a title to regain!</strong></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-16732878993819622262011-12-04T17:24:00.000+04:002011-12-04T18:30:46.627+04:00UAE Fitness Challenge II, Friday 9th December 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7aNc3HbAPs/Ts0sTDdLYeI/AAAAAAAAATU/O6AfUtYxGVg/s1600/fitness+challenge+II.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V7aNc3HbAPs/Ts0sTDdLYeI/AAAAAAAAATU/O6AfUtYxGVg/s320/fitness+challenge+II.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Due to the success of the first Men’s Fitness & Shape Magazine Middle East Fitness Challenge back in June, they’ve decided to do it all again. The next instalment is taking place on <strong>Friday 9th December 2011</strong>. After my very surprising victory, I’m out to defend my crown. I’m learning there’s pressure that comes with winning.<br />
<br />
LATEST (4/12/11): The challenge will be a AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) format of the following 4 exercises;<br />
- plyo box jumps<br />
- hand release push ups (i.e. thighs and chest flat to the floor)<br />
- kettlebell swings<br />
- 100m run<br />
<br />
The top two in each category will then face off in a secret challenge! <br />
<br />
Come along and join in the fun!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-31409988852419909232011-11-26T08:21:00.001+04:002011-11-26T08:23:20.638+04:00Fitness in Dubai tackles Ice Warrior II in Ski Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>Ice Warrior II was awesome! Such good fun! I’m really chuffed I finished 7th and maybe would have done better if I’d been braver from the start.</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEOIWsxQ0_c/TtBpNpBQsbI/AAAAAAAAATc/YpyRJJZWPGs/s1600/Ice+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iEOIWsxQ0_c/TtBpNpBQsbI/AAAAAAAAATc/YpyRJJZWPGs/s320/Ice+pic.JPG" width="320" /></a>Everyone started in groups of five. One instructed where to go and kitted up with helmets and chipped timers we were off. First a run though the Mall, the car park and then up what seemed like hundreds of flights of stairs. The five of us were all still together and I decided to stick in the middle of the group so that I could see what was coming. Big mistake. Huge! After the stairs, we were sent down a slide in rubber rings. Since only one person could go down the slide at once, this gave those at the front a huge time advantage over those at the back.<br />
<br />
My memory of all of the obstacles starts to blur after that, but it certainly included; crawling up a toboggan slide, jumping over ice walls, getting sprayed with cold water, pulling a rubber ring up a hill with rope, crawling between huge rubber balls, running up the steepest section of Ski Dubai, a balance beam, shovelling snow into a bin, running down stairs and then back up (millions of them) and sledging down the slope. I’m knackered just thinking about it all!<br />
<br />
It flew past and so quickly and I was back in the warmth after 21m 56s. The atmosphere was fantastic, everyone laughing and joking, sharing their stories and encouraging each other on. It’s certainly an event that I’d recommend and I’m already looking forward to taking part in Ice Warrior III.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-13712428958922446892011-11-18T08:40:00.001+04:002011-11-18T08:43:26.552+04:00Fitness in Dubai powered by Body Control<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5Ml8wZ3RIk/TsXhpO5uZOI/AAAAAAAAATI/pDm78RW89sc/s1600/Body+control.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x5Ml8wZ3RIk/TsXhpO5uZOI/AAAAAAAAATI/pDm78RW89sc/s320/Body+control.jpg" width="241" /></a><strong>I first come across Body Control (</strong><a href="http://www.bodycontrol.fr/"><strong>http://www.bodycontrol.fr/</strong></a><strong>) after the Fitness Challenge in June. There was a band included in my prize and I was very keen to find out more.</strong></div><strong></strong>Acupuncture comes from traditional Chinese medicine and works through the manipulation of energy channels known as meridians. The needles used in acupuncture address imbalances in your energy flow. Body Control bands are made from silicone, and have two holograms on the inside. These holograms from 8ight (<a href="http://www.8ight.com/">http://www.8ight.com/</a>) store a frequency which when in contact with a meridian point do the same thing.<br />
<br />
OK, I know what you’re thinking. But stick with me, the proof is in the pudding. There’s a whole range test that sow the impact of these bands, on your strength, balance, flexibility and susceptibility to radiation from mobile phones. These tests are difficult to explain, so thankfully there’s a video here for you to watch.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mydubaimycity.com/en/videofull/1092/Body-Control--Wristbands-to-Increase-Strength--Flexibility--Balance"><strong>http://www.mydubaimycity.com/en/videofull/1092/Body-Control--Wristbands-to-Increase-Strength--Flexibility--Balance</strong></a><br />
<br />
If you’re still sceptical, try out the tests for yourself in any stockist of Body Control bands, which in Dubai include Stadium, Sun and Sand Active Sports and Studio R. The bands cost AED 175.<br />
<br />
<strong>As for me, I’ve never taken mine off since June and on days when I’m really pushing myself in the gym I’ll wear two bands. Every little helps, right.</strong></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-60939605150535476562011-10-26T23:42:00.002+04:002011-10-26T23:50:30.089+04:00Dubai Fitness Challenges - The FAAStest in UAE and Ice Warrior II Challenge at Ski Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>I'll be brief until I get some more information, but now that it's officially winter here in Dubai it seems that there's great races and challenges springing up all over the place. Here's some sketchy details of a couple that have tickled my fancy.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong><u>The FAAStest in the UAE by Puma</u></strong><br />
<br />
Puma have launched a Jamaican-inspired new range of trainers, which claim to cut the frills and focus on speed. There's three breeds which make up the Puma Faas Collection, the 500 for the long distance runner, the 300 for the all-round runner and the 250 for the workout runner. Here's a link to the Puma store so you can take a look.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shop.puma.co.uk/sport/collections/faas-lab-running/53900,en,sc.html">http://www.shop.puma.co.uk/sport/collections/faas-lab-running/53900,en,sc.html</a><br />
<br />
To promote these new shoes, Puma are looking for the FAAStest in the UAE by holding a range of events all over the country. I've got no idea what's involved, but these events are happening at these times and places:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afcuj-4LteQ/TqhiQj25EvI/AAAAAAAAASM/2DVKPOOT2LY/s1600/faastest.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afcuj-4LteQ/TqhiQj25EvI/AAAAAAAAASM/2DVKPOOT2LY/s320/faastest.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><strong>Friday 28th October 2011</strong>, between 3pm-7pm in JBR car park</li>
<li>Sunday 30th October 2011, between 11am-3pm in Dubai Media City quadrangle</li>
<li>Wednesday 2nd November 2011, between 11am-3pm in Dubai Internet City food court</li>
<li>Saturday 5th November 2011, between 3pm-7pm in Safa Park</li>
</ul>As soon as I find out anything more I'll update this post.<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Ice Warrior II Challenge at Ski Dubai</u></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-voYlxURIbUE/Tqhib-QtEkI/AAAAAAAAASU/xITVqGvyiKY/s1600/ice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-voYlxURIbUE/Tqhib-QtEkI/AAAAAAAAASU/xITVqGvyiKY/s320/ice.jpg" width="320" /></a>Again, I'm not sure what's involved, but I've been promised that it's going to be 18 gruelling obstacles on the snow in the -4c temperature of Ski Dubai. It's happening on <strong>Saturday 19th November 2011</strong>. Registration costs AED 250 and is limited to the first 100 applicants. The link to the facebook page for this event is below:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/?sk=fl_10150636989095542#!/pages/Ice-Warrior-II/268651486500857">https://www.facebook.com/?sk=fl_10150636989095542#!/pages/Ice-Warrior-II/268651486500857</a><br />
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The link to register online is here:<br />
<a href="http://www.premiermarathons.com/event/Ice_Warrior_II">http://www.premiermarathons.com/event/Ice_Warrior_II</a><br />
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<strong>I hope to see you there!</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-73716087433586952602011-10-13T09:05:00.002+04:002011-10-13T09:09:46.300+04:00The National photoshoot - Dubai's JBR beach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a_0ZvoBa9WA/TpZxYMAx8gI/AAAAAAAAASA/Dee1b637tpw/s1600/IMG_3884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a_0ZvoBa9WA/TpZxYMAx8gI/AAAAAAAAASA/Dee1b637tpw/s640/IMG_3884.jpg" width="480" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TtfOwWGpabQ/TpZwsQFyjkI/AAAAAAAAARw/ZKvTbJ098gs/s1600/IMG_3882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TtfOwWGpabQ/TpZwsQFyjkI/AAAAAAAAARw/ZKvTbJ098gs/s640/IMG_3882.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rq6QDy5xosg/TpZwdICOqnI/AAAAAAAAARo/Copk8OOm4Jk/s1600/IMG_3875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rq6QDy5xosg/TpZwdICOqnI/AAAAAAAAARo/Copk8OOm4Jk/s640/IMG_3875.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpOI4j5GfsU/TpZw9kYuRXI/AAAAAAAAAR4/8Q1oubGRITY/s1600/IMG_3883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpOI4j5GfsU/TpZw9kYuRXI/AAAAAAAAAR4/8Q1oubGRITY/s640/IMG_3883.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-39389923823459766732011-10-10T09:28:00.004+04:002011-10-10T22:31:22.588+04:00The National - Hit the ground running: barefeet runnning and its alternatives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b10Bk2zehbA/TpM5Tyh9MwI/AAAAAAAAARk/fe9RtSlQUKI/s1600/Barefoot+TheNational.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b10Bk2zehbA/TpM5Tyh9MwI/AAAAAAAAARk/fe9RtSlQUKI/s640/Barefoot+TheNational.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/hit-the-ground-running-barefeet-runnning-and-its-alternatives?pageCount=0">http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/well-being/hit-the-ground-running-barefeet-runnning-and-its-alternatives?pageCount=0</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"></span> </div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-89111424107640996862011-10-07T21:12:00.002+04:002011-10-10T22:31:48.616+04:00Viva, October 2011 - The best health tips ever<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_EXV_w6dys/To8zUHstIQI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/HHg3aoXV0sE/s1600/VIVA+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B_EXV_w6dys/To8zUHstIQI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/HHg3aoXV0sE/s400/VIVA+1.jpg" width="282" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFWzbzGKf6E/To8zlF4hOQI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Ia6LPwQSiV0/s1600/VIVA+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bFWzbzGKf6E/To8zlF4hOQI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Ia6LPwQSiV0/s400/VIVA+2.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, Viva, 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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-34921100570688934772011-10-03T09:13:00.006+04:002011-10-10T22:32:02.272+04:00New shoes – Sir Isaac S by Newton Running<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AMpSCxybBwE/TolEGx7uEQI/AAAAAAAAAQo/YFCj_wiZZPM/s1600/2705-01910_whitesilverred_pd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AMpSCxybBwE/TolEGx7uEQI/AAAAAAAAAQo/YFCj_wiZZPM/s1600/2705-01910_whitesilverred_pd.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wz315iZEOuE/TolEQxHDBqI/AAAAAAAAAQs/LJXtP-IF4sE/s1600/isaacs2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wz315iZEOuE/TolEQxHDBqI/AAAAAAAAAQs/LJXtP-IF4sE/s200/isaacs2.png" width="200" /></a></div>In July, results of my Biomechanical Analysis at UPANDRUNNING Dubai indicated what I feared to admit, I’m a heel-striker. Click on this link <a href="http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-heel-striker.html">http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-heel-striker.html</a> to read and watch footage of the Biomechanical Analysis testing. One of the suggestions of the report provided to me was to try running shoes by Newton Running (<a href="http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/">http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/</a>) since these are shoes specifically designed for runners who want to develop a more natural style, be that either barefoot running or POSE technique.<br />
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As you can see from these pictures, the main difference you notice is that the forefoot of the shoe has four thick raised sections. The science behind this is that they take the impact of the footfall and spring back to propel the runner forward. I can see the point of that, what I’m not sure is why there’s only four rather than five? Surely each of these sections are to support the metatarsals, and at my last count I had five of these. I’ve looked through the ‘Science’ section (<a href="http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/science/action-reaction-technology.html">http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/science/action-reaction-technology.html</a>) of their website, but this isn’t specifically addressed.<br />
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Enough science, let’s talk about how they feel. Firstly, the raised sections feel huge. For those readers who’ve played football, the raised sections feel like running on concrete in moulded-stud boots, but lots more comfortable. The second big surprise is that just like when you first put on Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) are start running, the Newtons immediately change your style so that you stop heel striking. It’s automatic. I think the reason for this, is that in a standard running shoe the height drop between the heel and toe is 1/2 inch. This makes it difficult to avoid hitting the heel portion of a regular shoe first. The Newton shoes have only a 1/6 to 1/5 inch drop.<br />
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So once you get over the fact that you can feel these four sections underfoot, and that you’re naturally moving to a mid- forefoot strike, they’re a great ride. I feel light and fast, but unlike with VFFs, there’s no issue with running downhill, or needing to stop or change direction quickly. They’re providing all of the motion support I need, but they feel like wearing lightweight racers.<br />
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There are two problems: the first one is the pain of the adjustment phase. Just like trying to get to grips with barefoot running, running in the Newtons is hard work on my calves. I’ve been very careful not to run in them too much or too often. Changes in style take a very long time. The longest run I’ve done in them so far was 7 miles, and I noticed after 4 miles my calves were really tight and sore. I switched back to my old running style and then felt OK again.<br />
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The second issue, I haven’t yet found a stockist of Newtons in the Middle East. I bought mine in London (stockists there include Bike and Run, Pro Feet, Run and Become, Suka Sport and Sweatshop Harrods) for £120. However, if you're comfortable knowing your size, Newton Running UK will deliver to the ME.<br />
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Overall, I'm really happy with them so far. I'm happier with my technique, and feel secure that the Newtons are providing enough cushioning in the right place to help me avoid the broken foot issues of the past.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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 The National newspaper, 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.</span></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-52271553306934937132011-09-15T09:36:00.006+04:002011-10-08T23:07:35.772+04:00The Local Experts – Founder of Regime Fitness Dubai, Adam Fox-McGregor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>Regime Fitness Dubai (</strong><a href="http://regime.ae/"><strong>http://regime.ae/</strong></a><strong>) run an amazing 3 hour long drop-in circuit class in Dubai Marina, meaning you can turn up and train when it’s most convenient to you. Brilliant! A full-on strength and cardio workout, in Dubai Marina (next to the Yacht Club) and a free breakfast to boot. Not only that, but there’s a weekly running club too. Adam Fox-McGregor, founder and trainer, has kindly agreed to answer our questions.</strong><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-HYgBaL8u8/TnGOr-4jqZI/AAAAAAAAAQY/b44IWvNmv0w/s1600/adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-HYgBaL8u8/TnGOr-4jqZI/AAAAAAAAAQY/b44IWvNmv0w/s400/adam.jpg" width="265" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What does your weekly training regime look like?</span><br />
AF-M: I like to hit the gym at least three times a week, lifting relatively <strong>heavy weights</strong>. I don’t like bodybuilding splits, I prefer to do <strong>full body routines</strong>. I’m a big fan of Eric Cressey and Robert Dos Remedios and I like to change my routines regularly. I love <strong>swimming</strong> and try to do so a few times a week, all be it only for brief 20 minute sessions. I prefer to run late at night when I'm finished for the day, because I’m up for work at 5.30am and I don’t want to run any earlier than that!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What are the staples in your diet and supplementary intake?</span><br />
AF-M: I eat a lot of chicken, fish and greens, and supplement my diet with Maximuscle supplements, mostly <strong>Promax</strong>.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: How do you keep yourself motivated?</span><br />
AF-M: <strong>I really enjoy entering events</strong>, either as part of a team with our Regime Fitness trainers (<em>FiD: Adam and the team completed the Wadi Bih Run 2011</em>), with clients or individually. In Dubai we’re really spoilt with the amount of great events that are held in amazing locations.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What’s the worst fitness/sporting mistake you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?</span><br />
AF-M: I've done half marathons with mates back in the UK off the cuff with no specific training. It’s not much fun during the race plus you can’t walk for a week after it! What did I learn? <strong>If I’m going to put myself forward for something – train for it!</strong><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What fitness/sporting achievement are you most proud of?</span><br />
AF-M: <strong>Setting up Regime Fitness is without a doubt the achievement that I am most proud of</strong>. There’s no price on being your own boss and being able to develop and adapt the perfect circuit routines based on the expertise myself and my partner Dan have collectively is very cool. The feedback we’ve been given as well as seeing amazing results within our regulars makes me extremely proud.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What can someone expect from a session at Regime Fitness?</span><br />
AF-M: You can <strong>turn up at a time that suits you</strong> and do your session. It’s a 45 minute hardcore circuit training session that’s suitable for people of <strong>all abilities</strong>. We change our exercises regularly, there’s great music and we’ve some very cool kit so there’s no opportunity to get bored. The beauty of it and what makes it so popular is the flexibility. Plus, <strong>the backdrop is the phenomenal Dubai Marina Yacht Club</strong>, looking out over the yachts in the Marina. At the moment we hold circuit classes four times a week and two bootcamps. From <strong>September onwards, due to increased demand we’re adding a whole host of new classes, like yoga and zumba</strong>.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What’s the best piece of fitness/sporting advice you’ve been given?</span><br />
AF-M: I'm a big fan of Lance Armstrong; his books are full of fantastic motivational quotes. <strong>"Pain is temporary, quitting last forever"</strong> is one of my favourites.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: Huge thanks Adam! Really looking forward to checking out the new classes, and training outside again once the mercury drops a little more!</span><br />
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<strong>For more information or a free Regime trial session call 055 919 7052 or find them on Facebook, RegimeFitnessDubai (</strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Regime-Fitness-Dubai/185801421447209"><strong>https://www.facebook.com/pages/Regime-Fitness-Dubai/185801421447209</strong></a><strong>).</strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">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.</span></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-48607200877325765992011-08-04T13:16:00.002+04:002011-08-04T13:23:31.182+04:00Fitness in Dubai's weekly workouts - Men's Fitness, August 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After winning their UAE Fitness Challenge, Men's Fitness asked my if I'd share with their readers my weekly workouts. Here it is. For those in the UAE, it should be on sale today - see the cover image below. If you'd like more details of weights used etc, or if you have any questions, please make a comment or email me. I'd love to know what you think. Enjoy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RjLVJT7_Mfc/Tjpg9ucYUaI/AAAAAAAAAPY/HSep3Y0soZw/s1600/MF+AUG11+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RjLVJT7_Mfc/Tjpg9ucYUaI/AAAAAAAAAPY/HSep3Y0soZw/s640/MF+AUG11+a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fI_nl-m2pXo/TjpiUXuxAyI/AAAAAAAAAPc/VzDcVqriMoQ/s1600/MF+AUG11+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fI_nl-m2pXo/TjpiUXuxAyI/AAAAAAAAAPc/VzDcVqriMoQ/s640/MF+AUG11+b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIvPWRS6Vf0/TjpjUkri8lI/AAAAAAAAAPk/ayvvs6zxuOA/s1600/MF+AUG11+c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIvPWRS6Vf0/TjpjUkri8lI/AAAAAAAAAPk/ayvvs6zxuOA/s640/MF+AUG11+c.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScFZlzfL_co/Tjpktie7fMI/AAAAAAAAAPo/MJov31plXsc/s1600/MF+AUG+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ScFZlzfL_co/Tjpktie7fMI/AAAAAAAAAPo/MJov31plXsc/s400/MF+AUG+cover.jpg" width="297" /></a></div> </div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-77636324127208692842011-07-21T06:49:00.009+04:002011-10-08T23:08:01.511+04:00The Local Experts – Founder of The Circuit Factory, Phil Parkinson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOXFHlhe5e0/TieVutoVAuI/AAAAAAAAAO4/T1H8q4ahEJA/s1600/cf_logo+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOXFHlhe5e0/TieVutoVAuI/AAAAAAAAAO4/T1H8q4ahEJA/s320/cf_logo+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is the second in new series asking Dubai-based fitness experts some questions, which I hope will provide you with some tips, motivation and an insight into their methods and personalities.<br />
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<strong>The Circuit Factory (</strong><a href="http://www.circuitfactory.ae/"><strong>www.circuitfactory.ae</strong></a><strong>) is a beast of a circuit class! Run in 24 Fitness Gym in Al Quoz, Dubai, it's taking Dubai by storm, so it’s brilliant that Phil, founder and trainer at The Circuit Factory has taken the time to answer our questions. For my review of the The Circuit Factory click here: </strong><a href="http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2011/05/24-fitness-al-quoz-circuit-factory.html"><strong>http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2011/05/24-fitness-al-quoz-circuit-factory.html</strong></a><br />
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Watch this to see and hear about the results The Circuit Factory is achieving.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What does your weekly training regime look like?</span><br />
PP: I don't have a specific plan that I follow; I just try to smash myself up as much as I can. Whenever I’m in or around a gym with 45 mins to spare, if I’m in reasonable shape, <strong>I attack myself</strong>. I do tend to alternate between heavy weights which obviously build my body and high intensity circuits which shred me up and show my pretty muscles off.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PU9DO-ndeEw/TisZs6ewCRI/AAAAAAAAAO8/TddhCGkUZrw/s1600/Phil+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PU9DO-ndeEw/TisZs6ewCRI/AAAAAAAAAO8/TddhCGkUZrw/s400/Phil+Pic.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil strikes a pose!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What are the staples in your diet and supplementary intake?</span><br />
PP: I don't really do supplements.<strong> I take whey protein because I’m a sheep and it's what everyone takes</strong>, but in all honesty, I can run out and not get any for a month and still not see a difference in my results. I’ve never really seen a visible result from taking a protein or supplement. Everyone raves about creatine, but it does nothing for me. I don't take any other supplements.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: How do you keep yourself motivated?</span><br />
PP: Motivation is easy for me. I'm in a job where if I don't look the part, no one takes me seriously. <strong>Would you trust a bald barber, or a Financial Advisor who arrives in a Toyota Yaris?</strong> I'm in the health and fitness industry; the product is a decent body – if I don't have that, I have nothing. Cracks me up when I see PT's with man boobs giving advice to people about how to get in shape. Insanity.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What’s the worst fitness/sporting mistake you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?</span><br />
PP: I once started taking this protein powder that gave me the worst wind. I usually like the smell of my own farts, but this one was something very different. It was like boiled cat's entrails with a hint of dog food. I used to come back to my car after training someone for over an hour, get inside and it would smell like the inside of an egg. It was literally like I had farted in there 10 seconds before, yet no one had been in there for over an hour. <strong>Taking that protein was a bad mistake</strong> as I'm sure my colon is still feeling the effects (two years on).<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What fitness/sporting achievement are you most proud of?</span><br />
PP:<strong> I'm very proud of The Circuit Factory (</strong><a href="http://www.circuitfactory.ae/"><strong>www.circuitfactory.ae</strong></a><strong>).</strong> This is a group exercise class that I devised and I’m now growing. <strong>It's only been going 9 weeks, but some of the feedback and results we've been able to achieve have been out of this world</strong>. We already run a second location for General Electric and are looking at a third now. A girl called Lina Sami works for me and recently entered the UAE Fitness Challenge (I believe you’re familiar with this) and came first by doing no training other than a daily dose at The Circuit Factory. This gave me a major confidence boost to show me that we’re doing something very special with it.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What can someone expect from a session at The Circuit Factory?</span><br />
PP: One of the most challenging, dynamic and fun workouts they’ve ever done. <strong>A genuine sense of achievement every time you complete a class.</strong><br />
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</div><span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: What’s the best piece of fitness/sporting advice you’ve been given?</span><br />
PP: Never stand down-wind of me or accept a lift in my car. Exercise is so basic. <strong>Train hard with the appropriate diet and your body will do things you never thought possible in a very short space of time</strong>.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">FiD: Thanks Phil! Good luck to you and The Circuit Factory which I'm sure will continue to go from strength to strength!</span><br />
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<strong>For more information about The Circuit Factory, go to </strong><a href="http://www.circuitfactory.ae/"><strong>www.circuitfactory.ae</strong></a><strong> or email Phil at </strong><strong><a href="mailto:phil@circuitfactory.ae">phil@circuitfactory.ae</a></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">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.</span><br />
<strong> </strong></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-746265534890977292011-07-15T09:28:00.002+04:002011-07-28T00:03:45.249+04:00Men's Fitness, July 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KlhzI7Un6e8/Th_P_rJyVkI/AAAAAAAAAO0/jdanrxMjjeY/s1600/mf1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KlhzI7Un6e8/Th_P_rJyVkI/AAAAAAAAAO0/jdanrxMjjeY/s640/mf1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">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.</span></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-9741971188599227452011-07-12T09:21:00.017+04:002011-10-08T23:10:04.082+04:00Biomechanical Analysis at UPANDRUNNING Dubai, Al Wasl Road<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>I’m a heel striker</strong>. I didn’t think I was, but the video evidence you can see below is conclusive. When wearing traditional running shoes my heel strikes the ground first. This explains a lot!<br />
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Long standing readers of this blog will know all about the problems I’ve had in the past 18 months when I set about trying to run barefoot. <strong>I did too much too soon and within two months I was on crutches</strong>. (To read more see here: <a href="http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2010/04/learning-hard-way.html">http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2010/04/learning-hard-way.html</a>) Since moving my feet back into trainers, and more importantly really starting to enjoy my running again, <strong>I’m starting to get an appetite for another marathon</strong>.<br />
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I’ve completed the London marathon twice, in 2002 and 2005, but I suffered terribly and was disappointed both times. Maybe now I’m older and wiser I can do better. With this in mind I decided it was time to really look carefully at how I run. In the past few years, as soon as I’ve started to up my mileage past the 30 miles a week mark I’ve suffered pain on the outside of my knees. <strong>This time I want to fully investigate any root problems before I increase my mileage, so I checked in for a Biomechanical Analysis at UPANDRUNNING Dubai with Graham Poynor-Woods (</strong><a href="mailto:gpw@upandrunningdubai.com"><strong>gpw@upandrunningdubai.com</strong></a><strong>) a Orthotics Specialist and Biomechanics Coach. </strong><br />
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Two video cameras, one from the side and one from behind, recorded my running; barefoot, with Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs), and finally in my Nike Pegasus. The next stage was a range of mobility tests, checking my intrinsic biomechanics looking for any imbalances and checking my pronation. This is how the foot rolls when you strike the floor, and overpronation is when the feet roll inward too much. This is where orthotics can be helpful since they can help repositioning the foot.<br />
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<strong>The report provided was very comprehensive with details instructions for exercises and stretches with will help correct my imbalances, as well as specific recommendations on the correct footwear for my feet and gait.</strong> Also what was really fantastic was the CD with all of the video footage with proper software which allows for proper comparison by<strong> being able to watch 4 screens at once</strong> and a host of other tools. This video is terrible by comparison, and I avoided the camera from behind shots so that no one could be offended by my hairy back.<br />
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<strong>So what does being a heel striker mean? </strong>The first problem is that with every step I’m stopping my momentum, in effect <strong>braking with each footfall</strong>. It’s my inertia which is bringing my non-striking leg forward. A better style, as explained in the POSE method, is to allow gravity to work more in your favour, to think of running as a series of falling forwards. Smaller strides, where the foot lands on the mid- to forefoot reduces the braking with each step. It’s much more efficient.<br />
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The second issue is the <strong>shock of each impact</strong>. Heel striking relies on your trainers to disperse the weight of impact, but there’s a shock through the ankles, knees and hips. If a footfall lands underneath the centre of gravity, with a bent knee the natural suspension systems in the body of the foot arches and Achilles reduce this impact. <strong>Less impact = less chance of injury. Simples.</strong><br />
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<strong>Last time I tore off and smashed my foot</strong>. This time if I want to transition to a more midfoot strike I need to ensure that the trainers I wear provide adequate mid- and forefoot cushioning. Graham has recommended Newton running shoes (<a href="http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/">http://www.newtonrunning.co.uk/</a>), so I’m very keen to give these a try when I’m back in the UK next month. This time I'm going to adjust slowly. I jog the 2km from the office to home most nights, so I'll use these jogs to work on my form and technique. Most importantly I'll listen to my body this time, and not try to run through the pain. <strong>Patience is what it takes</strong>.<br />
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<strong>The test was conducted at UPAND RUNNING, 969 Al Wasl Road, Dubai. See </strong><a href="http://www.upandrunningdubai.com/"><strong>http://www.upandrunningdubai.com/</strong></a><strong> or call +971 4 328 4600 for prices and more info.<br />
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Huge thanks to Graham for all his help and support.</strong> <strong></strong><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">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.</span></strong></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-44071571219884546052011-07-11T09:02:00.005+04:002012-01-19T11:19:56.101+04:00Dubai stockist of barefoot shoes Vibram Five Fingers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) are available in Dubai</strong>. The Society Shop in Festival City has stock of KSO, Sprint, Flow and Bikila VFFs. However, at <strong>AED 950</strong> (£160 or $257) for the KSO or Sprint, and an eye-watering <strong>AED 1,100</strong> (£180 or $300) for the Flow or Bikila, they are <strong>MUCH more expensive</strong> than you'd pay in either Europe or the US! Call them on +971 4 232 6550 to check availability in your size before you head down there.<br />
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In the barefoot community there’s lots of information about spotting fakes. To do this, check that the colours and styles you’re about to purchase to make sure they exist in the Vibram palate on their website. I certainly don’t condone fakes, but I can understand the demand since Vibrams are very expensive for what is just 3mm of moulded rubber and a fabric cover.<br />
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<strong>UPDATE 4th AUGUST 2011:</strong> Vibram Five Fingers are available from <strong>Adventure HQ</strong> located in Dubai’s Times Square shopping centre with <strong>prices starting at AED 515</strong>. Finally, thank God someone has seen the sense to stock these at a reasonable price, <strong>well done Adventure HQ</strong>. Huge thanks to Jason for the tip off! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AdventureHQme?sk=wall#!/AdventureHQme?sk=info">https://www.facebook.com/AdventureHQme?sk=wall#!/AdventureHQme?sk=info</a><br />
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<strong>LATEST UPDATE 19th JANUARY 2012:</strong> Vibram Five Fingers are available from <strong>The Athlete's Foot</strong> in seven locations across the UAE, see here for more info: <a href="http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2012/01/athletes-foot-in-uae-is-now-selling.html">http://barefootindubai.blogspot.com/2012/01/athletes-foot-in-uae-is-now-selling.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://paulhymers.com/?p=399">http://paulhymers.com/?p=399</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">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.</span></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-36767193016171395532011-07-05T22:38:00.019+04:002011-10-08T23:10:31.490+04:00The Local Experts – Candice Howe, the fittest woman in Asia and co-owner of CrossFit LifeSpark Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="color: black;">This is the first of a new section where I will ask Dubai-based fitness experts some questions, which I hope will provide you with some tips, motivation and an insight into their methods and personalities.</span><br />
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</span><strong><span style="color: black;">I’m over the moon that Candice Howe, winner of the Reebok 2011 CrossFit Asia Regionals, and co-owner and trainer at CrossFit LifeSpark (</span></strong><a href="http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/"><strong><span style="color: black;">http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: black;">) has taken some time out of her manic schedule to answer a few questions. </span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></strong><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: What does your weekly training regime look like?</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">CH: CrossFit (</span><a href="http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html"><span style="color: black;">http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html</span></a><span style="color: black;">) training is constantly varied, so I do something different every week. </span><strong><span style="color: black;">I train 5-6 times per week for about</span> 60 to 90minutes.</strong> Each session includes <strong>a strength piece</strong> – usually a power or Olympic lift, and then <strong>the WOD (workout of the day)</strong> which will generally be between 5 and 20 minutes in length and a couplet or triplet (2 or 3 movements) to be completed at <strong>high intensity</strong>. Today for example, I will warm up then work up to 3x100kg deadlift, followed by deadlift maximum repetitions at 85kg. My WOD is 2 couplets with 5 mins rest in between: 9-6-3 (9 reps, then 6 reps then 3 reps) power clean at 40kg and 15-12-9 push ups. Then the 5 min rest, followed by 9-6-3 power snatch at 30kg and 15-12-9 box jumps on to a 24 inch box. Finally I will accumulate 2 minutes in a handstand before a cool down and stretch. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: What are the staples in your diet and supplementary intake?</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">CH: I follow the </span><strong><span style="color: black;">Paleo diet – fruit, veg, seeds, nuts, and protein</span> (meat, fish, poultry) – no processed food, legumes, grains or diary</strong>. No, it’s not as restrictive as it sounds! The upside for me is that as long as I eat Paleo I don’t suffer from muscle soreness after training! I don’t take any supplements, and try to get everything I need from whole foods. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: How do you keep yourself motivated?</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">CH: Right now, with the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games</span> finals (FiD: taking place on 29th – 31st July at Home Depot Center in Carson, California <a href="http://games.crossfit.com/">http://games.crossfit.com/</a>) coming up that is all the motivation I need. When I don’t feel like training or fancy a cheat meal <strong>I think to myself, ‘What would the other girls be doing right now?!’</strong> That helps keep me on the straight and narrow and helps me dig deep to push through even the toughest days! Moving forward I want to get to the Games again next year, so the hard work for that starts now! The beauty and beast of CrossFit is that we pull from so many disciplines, so there are always things to work on – <strong>having constantly evolving goals and varied programming keeps it fresh and interesting! </strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: What’s the worst fitness/sporting mistake you’ve made, and what did you learn from it?</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">CH: Hmm… stopping sport! Between the ages of 15 and 17 I did very little exercise. The school I was at</span> had no PE programme, and being a teenager I didn’t bother going out to look for an alternative to nothing! As a result, when I went back to sports some gymnastics induced injuries arose (they had never manifested as I always had enough muscle to support my joints). Two years of no training and I developed hip issues due to hypermobility and a lack of muscle to support my joints. It took me a long time to come back to any intense or high impact exercise. So <strong>my biggest mistake was going cold turkey on exercise for two years and then expecting to be able to pick up where I left off</strong> with no issues – even as a teenager this was not the case! <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: What fitness/sporting achievement are you most proud of?</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">CH: <strong>Winning the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Asia Regional!</strong> (FiD: checkout the hard earned medal!) I entered</span> the competition in order to build community and spread the word about CrossFit in Dubai – so to have made it to Regionals was amazing – winning was incredible! Having the opportunity to progress to the Games is once in a lifetime.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">FiD: What can someone expect from a session at CrossFit LifeSpark? </span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TddoAR4yD_8/ThNi2DmbVeI/AAAAAAAAAMI/0h48j_ox768/s1600/logo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TddoAR4yD_8/ThNi2DmbVeI/AAAAAAAAAMI/0h48j_ox768/s320/logo1.jpg" width="320" /></a>CH: A tough workout and a great community! The beauty of CrossFit is that everything is scalable. This means that all classes are mixed ability and each person’s fitness level determines the workout they do. We follow a similar structure in class to the one I use – each session includes a comprehensive warm up, a skill or strength piece and the WOD. The group dynamic in the box (gym) is great, <strong>people cheer each other on, help each other out and really work and grow together</strong>. You can expect more than just a great workout!<br />
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<span style="color: lime;"><span style="color: red;">FiD: What’s the best piece of fitness/sporting advice you’ve been given?</span> </span><br />
CH: <strong>“Take a deep breath… now do it again,”</strong> is my coach’s motto! (FiD: I remember hearing that one few times!) At the moment with all the training I am doing for the Games it is very apt! In general: ‘If you aim at nothing, you hit nothing’ – <strong>you need to come at everything you do with a goal, otherwise you don’t know what you are working for or towards</strong>. It’s advice that was given to me in a very general context, but something that influences everything I do. <span style="background-color: white;"><br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">Thanks Candice, good luck in LA! We'll all be rooting for you, I'm sure you'll do Asia proud!</span> CrossFit LifeSpark is based in Star International School, off Al Wasl Road, Dubai. For more information about CrossFit LifeSpark, go to: </strong><a href="http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/"><strong>http://crossfitlifesparkdubai.com/</strong></a><strong> or email Candice at </strong><strong><a href="mailto:candice@lifesparkcoaching.com">candice@lifesparkcoaching.com</a></strong><strong> </strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">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.</span></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-57992075349989634452011-07-05T10:28:00.003+04:002011-07-28T00:02:06.164+04:00Shape magazine, July 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<strong>UAE Fitness Challenge 2011</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FYrOvome6XI/ThLMuCrYFQI/AAAAAAAAALs/DgTI64-ft2E/s1600/shape2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FYrOvome6XI/ThLMuCrYFQI/AAAAAAAAALs/DgTI64-ft2E/s400/shape2a.jpg" width="292px" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CG8WgpV0100/ThLLwRKcyJI/AAAAAAAAALk/k1fEeOOFPBo/s1600/shape3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" i$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CG8WgpV0100/ThLLwRKcyJI/AAAAAAAAALk/k1fEeOOFPBo/s400/shape3a.jpg" width="291px" /></a> <br />
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</div><strong>UAE's best fitness blogs</strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAlzMfKkl0Q/ThLM3F7fhnI/AAAAAAAAALw/ZEMxOr1LzGQ/s1600/shape1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAlzMfKkl0Q/ThLM3F7fhnI/AAAAAAAAALw/ZEMxOr1LzGQ/s640/shape1a.jpg" width="462px" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAlzMfKkl0Q/ThLM3F7fhnI/AAAAAAAAALw/ZEMxOr1LzGQ/s1600/shape1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAlzMfKkl0Q/ThLM3F7fhnI/AAAAAAAAALw/ZEMxOr1LzGQ/s1600/shape1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">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.</span></a></div></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204518380297132365.post-21975441294253830202011-07-04T10:03:00.003+04:002011-10-08T23:17:14.734+04:00VO2 Max Testing at UPANDRUNNING, Al Wasl Road, Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>VO2 max measures the ability to transport and use oxygen</strong>, and is accepted as the single <strong>best measure of cardiovascular fitness and maximal aerobic power</strong>. It is measured either in absolute rate in litres of oxygen per minute (l/min), or more commonly as a relative rate in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (ml/kg/min). An average score for males and females would be 45 ml/kg/min and 38 ml/kg/min respectively. Scores among super-human runners, cyclists and cross-country skiers exceed 85 ml/kg/min for men and 70 ml/kg/min for women. <strong>My score was recorded as 59 ml/kg/min.</strong><br />
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Before the session started I’d completed a form detailing my health and history, and we started today with initial measurements; height 172cm, weight 72kg and calliper tested body fat 9.6%. The test was fully explained by Dr Anna and Orla. I was to be on the treadmill strapped in with a harness (ominous to say the least!) and my mouth and nose was to be covered with a gas-mask-type thing rigged to the machine. The test can be tailored to the specific individual, so Dr Anna and I agreed on the incline increasing every 2 minutes minute up to a 5% plateau, and speed increasing every minute until failure. Nice.<br />
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I wasn’t comfortable running with the gas mask, not that it affected my performance, it just didn’t feel right. <strong>The novelty of Darth Vader-like sound effects wore off quickly</strong>. After 9 minutes I was running at a 5% incline and at 10kph and impatient to get intom my normal stride and rhythm. Before the test started I told myself that I should be aiming for 18kph, but when it got to 15kph (which is the pace I’d run 10k in) I really started to struggle. Within the next minute I was spent, despite the vociferous encouragement provided by Dr Anna and Orla. <strong>My heart rate during the final minute plateaued at 189pbm and my VO2 max peaked at 59.2 ml/kg/min</strong>.<br />
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Here's a few clips from the test very kindly recorded by Dr Anna.<br />
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<strong>The data gathered also included my Anaerobic Threshold (AT), this is the point where more lactate acid (the stuff responsible for causing cramp) is produced than the body can deal with and it accumulates in the bloodstream.</strong> A runner’s worst nightmare. I’m thinking about training to run another marathon, therefore the feedback from this type of testing can be invaluable to me to ensure that I’m training in the right zones to optimise and increase my AT. With luck and hard work, hopefully this time if I do run a marathon <strong>I’ll not run face first into the wall after 19 miles!</strong><br />
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<b>The test was conducted at UPAND RUNNING, 969 Al Wasl Road, Dubai and costs AED 750. See <a href="http://www.upandrunningdubai.com/">http://www.upandrunningdubai.com/</a> or call +971 4 328 4600 for more info.</b><br />
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<strong>Huge thanks to Dr Anna and Orla.<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;">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.</span></strong></div>Paul Hymers - Fitness in Dubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17933462131679832347noreply@blogger.com2