Your daily fitness guide: November 17 and 18

The much-talked-about Dubai Fitness Challenge kicks off in earnest today (October 20) at Safa Park, with a jam-packed weekend of activities planned for those keen to get in on the action. The challenge, which was announced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Executive Council, a few weeks ago, is aimed at making Dubai "the most active city in the world". The idea is that members of the community commit to spending 30 minutes a day for 30 days exercising. With this in mind, The National will be offering a helping hand - by highlighting fun activities and offering tips and advice that will keep you motivated for the entire month. Day 29 and 30: For the weekend of the fitness challenge why not head down to the official closing ceremony at Dubai Festival City? They have a huge programme of free activities with a yogathon, high-octane dances, thrilling Dragon Boat racing and Guinness World Record attempts. Plus world heavyweight boxing title holder, Anthony Joshua, brings his signature moves to Dubai. There will also be a fire work display on both nights. For more information visit https://dubaifitnesschallenge.com/portfolio-item/weekend-carnival-dubai-festival-city/ Day 28: Fitness Expo Dubai Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Fitness Expo Dubai 2017 will take place from November 16 to 18, at the Ice Rink in Dubai Mall. The Fitness Expo aims to make health and wellness accessible to all amateurs as well as professionals. Day 27: Free ladies day at Primal Gym Ladies can head to Primal Gym in Al Amaya Tower on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi and enjoy their line-up of free group fitness classes on Wednesday. These classes include Pilates, Body Pump, Zumba, Bodyattack, RPM, and more. Classes start at 5.15am and go until 6.30pm. To see the schedule, head to: www.facebook.com/primal.ae Day 26: Vox Cinemas fitness challenge Join the VOX Fitness Challenge #VOXFitnessChallenge in VOX Cinemas, City Centre Deira. VOX has created a circuit training session that is inspired by the The session will be hosted by veteran Fitness First trainers. The event is free but book a place at www.facebook.com/voxcinemas At 7pm on Tuesday, November 14 Day 25: TrainZSC at Zayed Sports City TrainZSC presented by Daman's Activelife is back and it's better than ever! Come out for stair climbing in the national stadium, running or walking on the track, kids activities, health checks and more. It's free to attend so register on trainzsc.com to avoid queues at the door. Day 24: Mobile Urban Fitness unit at JBR Dubai Fitness Challenge presents a Mobile Urban Fitness unit at JBR, which offers free-running challenges to kickstart your exercise regimen. Parkour DXB coaches will be on hand to teach how to vault, jump and balance on bars through three obstacle courses. There is also a BMX and skate park, plus bicycles and skateboards, enabling up to 25 people to use the fitness unit at one time. Sessions are free of charge and open to all ages and fitness levels. Wear appropriate attire and bring water and a towel. Sunday and Monday, 7am to 9pm, JBR, next to Paul and Sofitel, Dubai, download the Dubai Fitness Challenge app to register Day 23: The Color Run Register now for The Color Run, which returns to Dubai Autodrome in November. Billed as the Happiest 5K on the planet, expect a lot of fun, coloured powder at each kilometre mark and a new foamy cloud zone, all in the name of fun and fitness. Early-bird pricing is available for a limited time and a donation from each entry will go to Friends of Cancer Patients. November 11, from 7am, from Dh140 for early-bird registration, Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, www.thecolorrun.ae Day 22: Free ladies only Les Mills classes at Burj Park The Aviation Club in Dubai and Reebok have teamed up to present live Les Mills classes. From 5pm to 7:15pm, there will be ladies only classes. The schedule for the day includes Les Mills Tone at 5pm, BodyCombat at 5.45pm, BodyBalance at 6.30pm, and Bodyjam at 7.15pm. All classes are free. Day 21: Why not visit one of Dubai Fitness Challange's special mobile units? These innovative fitness units will be popping up around the city in more than 60 locations. There is a class every 45 minutes and it's all absolutley free. The units are open from 7.00am to 9.00pm so there really is no excuse. Click here for more information on the mobile fitness unit locations and mobile fitness class schedules. Day 20: Take part in today’s Get Driver Fit class, Driver Bootcamp, at 7pm at Yas Marina Circuit, and you can register on-site. The free fitness programme, as part of the Yasalam festivities in the run-up to the Grand Prix and designed to offer residents the chance to gear up for a healthier lifestyle, and runs until Friday, with the GDF Fitness Festival. Additionally, Train Yas is on tonight at Yas Marina Circuit from 6pm to 10pm, where you can walk, run or bike around the 5.55km track. Tonight, 7pm to 8pm for Driver Bootcamp; 6pm to 10pm for Train Yas, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/GetDriverFit Day 19: DFC @ Rooftop Yoga Rooftop Yoga welcomes participants of the Dubai Fitness Challenge for this free event. Urban Yoga and Talise have partnered with DFC to unite the fitness community of Dubai under (or shall we say over) one roof! Participation is free and open to all and all levels are welcome. November 6, 7:30pm-9pm at Emirates Tower Mezzanine, DIFC Day 18: Group fitness events Head to Peak Fitness at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and join them for their grand opening of their new GX Studio. From 4pm until 7pm, there will be free group fitness classes. There is a ladies only RPM class from 4pm-5pm, mixed BodyPump from 5pm-6pm, mixed Bodyattack from 6pm-7pm and a ladies only Zumba class from 7pm-8pm. For more information, call 02 443 3566 or visit www.pf-uae.com Day 17: Full Moon Yoga event Encouraging residents and visitors to Dubai to get together and experience another breath-taking night under the stars, the event welcomes all abilities and levels for a good stretch and relaxation session on the sand. Starting at 8pm, the resort welcomes both male and female guests to an hour intermediate yoga session followed by 30 minutes of meditation on the resort’s white sand beach - there will be refreshments on the evening too. The 90-minute event will be led by professional instructor; Melanie Swan priced at just Dh75 per person. Limited spaces available so attendees are encouraged to book in advance. Full moon yoga will take place on at 8.pm for one hour followed by a 30-minute meditation session and refreshments. Liv cardholders can redeem 50 per cent discount upon presentation of App or card. Towels and yoga mats are available but have limited availability and will be offered on a first come first served basis. For bookings or more information, please contact Willow Stream Spa on +971 4 457 3545 or email palm.willowstream@fairmont.com Day 16: Yoga event Attend the Full Moon Friday yoga sessions hosted by 136.1 yoga studio, which includes five classes, such as classical hatha yoga and breath awareness, iyengar yoga, vinyasa flow, power yoga, full-moon meditation and sound-healing meditation. Friday, 4pm to 7pm, Dh50 requested donation goes to support Dubai Cares, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai, 050 553 7765, www.yogafest.me Day 15 Caped crusaders walkathon Dubai Fitness Challenge is staging the city’s first ever Superhero Walkathon. Starting at the Skydive Dubai Fitness Carnival from 3pm, kids and the young at heart are invited to don their best superhero costume and make their way along a 3.2km route through Dubai Marina. The Marina will be transformed into a comic book scene as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and other superheroes battle it out for fitness supremacy on the streets of Dubai. This unmissable occasion is open for everyone and free of charge, simply head to the starting line at the main stage and use your super powers to reach the finish line. Time: 3pm-7pm Registration: 3pm Start time: 4pm Prize distribution: 6pm Day 14: Running Why not try something free today? Dust off your trainers, and hit the road with these five tips from LuluLemon ambassador Tala Al Ejou. Al Ejou is a personal trainer, running coach and creator of Run, Wild, Free. 1 Start off slow, get a good base first before deciding to run 10km and hating the whole experience. You know your own body, like everything in fitness it takes time, have some patience, let your body adapt to running and over time as you get fitter, those 10 min runs you started off with will turn into easy 30 minutes runs. 2 Run by time and not distance. It sounds less intimidating to go out and run for 30 minutes then it is to go out and run 5km. Running a distance sets too much pressure to get to that distance done , while running by a set time, you enjoy the experience more and when that time is up, your run is over. 3 Run with a pair of comfortable shoes, nothing worse that starting off your first time running with terrible blisters. Find the right pair, that fit you, not because someone told you how amazing their shoes are. We all have different foot morphology and running styles, so find your shoe. 4 Find a running community or run club that fits in with that you are trying to achieve. Dubai is an amazing place, with a wide variety of running clubs that cater to all levels. Running with people is what one of the best motivations to keep you going throughout a run, it holds you accountable, and they'll push you through those days you don't want to run. 5 Small goals first. Don't sign up for a half marathon, before you have even run a 10km race. Start slow, enjoy the experience, and the increase in mileage.. Once that all comes into place, sign up to races, have fun, then start to set some goals and targets. Day 13: Junior Aquatics Club Open Day at Yas Waterworld Yas Waterworld host the Junior Aquatics Club Open Day on November 4, where children ages 6-12 can get swimming training from dedicated lifeguards and learn how to enjoy water safely through a variety of activities including rescue dives, races, a hula-hoop obstacle course and more. Once the training is complete, children and adults can spend the day enjoying the park’s 40 attractions. Arrive early to purchase your ticket and register. The session begins at 8.30am. Friday, 8am to 9.30am, free for a child with a paying adult, Yas Waterworld, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, 02 496 8008, www.yaswaterworld.com Day 12: Halloween event at The Room, Zayed Sports City Looking for a memorable Halloween party? The Room at Zayed Sports City will have the perfect balance of fun and fitness. The Halloween Spinning Program set to an eerie ambiance of spooky beats is sure to make your Halloween celebration an exciting one. Join Care Team Instructor Mim on #anextraordinaryroad to celebrate Halloween the fitness way with like-minded enthusiasts. Class starts at 6.30pm onwards. To book: call 02 4444 945 Day 11: Party in Pink Zumba event, Abu Dhabi Party in Pink to raise up breast cancer awareness and spread the Zumba love with instructor Roula. Zumba is a dance and aerobic fitness programmed that is inspired by various styles of Latin American song and dance. The ladies only event is completely free. Come dressed in pink or white to the Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi. The event is from 6pm-8pm. Day 10: FloatUAE at Downtown Dubai From from 6.00pm to 7.30pm, FloatUAE will be offering participants the chance to head down to Fitness First, Al Manzil, to try out the UAE's newest and most exciting way to workout, for free. The classes use the ultimate individual training platform - floating studios which create a new, dynamic, but most importantly, fun way to train on water. Sessions are a HIIT workout, and incorporate all exercises that are commonly used in the gym including squats, jumps, burpess and well as fun games and team building. Sessions are fantastic for core, strength, coordination and balance and are open to men, women and children ages 10 years and above. They will be holding 20 minute taster sessions of the class for people to try. To sign up for a spot, head to www.bookwhen.com/floatuae Day 9: Cycle For Health UAE The event will offer more people the opportunity to gear up and enjoy a leisurely ride in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, October 28. Organized by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and The Department of Health (previously known as Health Authority – Abu Dhabi), the free event enables visitors to borrow bikes and helmets and cycle through the iconic Zayed Sports City Stadium. Open to everyone of all ages and abilities, from enthusiastic cyclists to novices, the 1.9 km course will take riders on a loop through the stadium and along closed-off roads. Riding lessons and coaching are available, helping those who aren’t confident on bikes improve their skills. The venue hosts a dedicated area for beginners, as well as a children’s play area, an all-ages chill-out zone, and healthy snack options. Visitor parking is provided at Zayed Sports City Stadium, free of charge. For more information, visit http:cycleforhealthuae.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae or follow #CycleForHealthUAE on social media. Day 8: Tip of the day from Lola Martinez On October 6, Lola Martinez, 10, beat more than 200 UAE-based aspiring athletes to win the School’s Got Talent competition after demonstrating her abilities in dancing and martial arts. The Dubai-based Spanish athlete won Dh20,000 in the event hosted by Sun & Sand Sports that provided a platform for contestants ages 7 to 12 to express themselves and show their sporting talents. Nicknamed “The Warrior Princess”, Lola has been competing for three years and has won world jiu-jitsu titles at competitions in Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi. As a dancer, she took part in the Short+Sweet dance competition and performed with Justin Bieber on his Purpose World Tour earlier this year in Dubai. But Lola says that the School’s Got Talent competition was the most difficult and pushed her to new limits, inspiring her to make new goals. Lola, a student at Kent College, offers advice to other young athletes saying: “Enjoy your training; nobody else can motivate you to train. You need to be able to challenge yourself to train, so do what makes you happy. It doesn’t matter if you’re first, second or third, as long as you are training.” For those children looking to get fit, she says: “Nobody is watching but yourself. Look to yourself. You are the decider. Do what makes you happy. Day 7: Tip of the day from yoga instructor Tina Bock There are plenty of yoga classes on offer as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, as well as in Abu Dhabi and the other emirates. From hatha, vinyasa and kundalini styles to AntiGravity yoga, classes for kids and postures meant to assist fertility , there are enough variations to keep all manner of fitness buffs happy and healthy. Nike has even launched a yoga app . Abu Dhabi-based yoga instructor Tina Bock offers tips on how to make the age-old discipline work for you in the long run. She says: "Starting and maintaining a yoga practice, just like in any fitness regimen, takes commitment. Making yourself a schedule and sticking to it is the best way to form and welcome a healthy habit into your daily life. Invest in a teacher or trainer you trust, and who will allow you to grow physically and mentally. Find a studio or centre that allows you to feel comfortable and safe. Always listen to your body and take rest when it needs it." Day 6 Free Bodytree pre-natal Seminar Explore all things healthy for you and your bump. Learn about the benefits of baby massage, hypnobirthing, pediatric first aid, pre-natal partner yoga, post-natal safe return to exercise, baby signing, baby 101 workshop and reflexology. Email info@bodytreestudio.com to reserve a space 7:15pm-8:15pm Day 5 Abu Dhabi Dash, Zayed Sports City This short distance running race is the largest corporate team relay race in Abu Dhabi. It promotes corporate wellness, employee engagement and an active lifestyle for all levels of fitness. The race route is just 1.5km per person – a total team distance of 15km. The Abu Dhabi Dash also features an activity village and main stage programme where you can join fitness classes and have fun trying different sports and activities. ADCB Bikeshare will be there with cycling competitions to promote a healthy lifestyle culture. Register your team: www.racethedash.com Day 4 TrainZSC Run the 884 steps of the National Stadium at Zayed Sports City at TrainZSC presented by Daman ActiveLife. The weekly vertical training sessions are a great workout that starts with a warm-up, ends with a cool-down and includes an optional fitness challenge at each quadrant focusing on arms and core. There is also be a bouncy castle for the little ones to enjoy, and free BMI screenings. Mondays, 6pm to 9pm, free with registration, ages 12+, National Stadium, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, register at trainzsc.com Day 3: Sundays are the best days for keeping the weekend Zen going, so we think the free yoga classes at Marasi Business Bay might be just the ticket. The classes are part of Dubai Properties' initiative to encourage an active live and promote physical and mental health, so very in-tune with this month's challenge. Check them out on Sundays and Tuesdays for Swing Yoga, and Mondays and Wednesdays for the standard variety. To register email info@pilogastudio.com Day 2: It’s still the weekend, and while there are plenty more activities to get into at Safa Park, if you’re feeling a little bit adventurous and want to have a change of scene, why not head to Adventura Nature Adventure Park. Open daily from 9.30am to 6pm at Mushrif Park, Dubai, the space offers a variety of fun circuits and obstacle courses for everyone to jump in to. You can zip line, rope climb and even attempt the 25-metre Tarzan Jump. There are plenty of circuits especially for the kids too, so it’s the perfect day for everyone, and you’re going to get way more than 30 minutes of exercise in. Day 1: Check out these activities at Safa Park: So if you've been looking for some motivation to get fit, Safa Park is the place to start, between 1pm and 9pm on Friday and 1pm and 7pm on Saturday. There will be ample parking and the closest metro station is Business Bay. For more details click here . _______________ Read more: _______________

Your daily fitness guide: November 17 and 18

With #Dubai30x30 on until November 18, why not take this opportunity to kickstart a more active and healthy lifestyle, wherever you are in the UAE. We'll be highlighting fun classes and activities to try, and providing expert tips and advice, on a daily basis