UAE - Armed with a packed calendar of over 200 virtual sessions and 2,000 classes across 150 locations, Dubai residents are all set to welcome a ‘safe and sanitised’ fourth edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC).

Most of the residents have already made fitness a big part of their lifestyle this year, due to the pandemic. While several people have taken up running and yoga, there has also been a big boost people using YouTube and other video portals for at-home workout routines.

Tanya Zag, a Dubai-resident said being indoors amid the curfews took a toll on her mental well-being. “I began running a few months ago and it has become the best stress buster for me. It empowers me and even if I have had a tough day at work, running takes all my worries away.”

“I am really looking forward to the DFC this year. The entire city is buzzing with electrical energy, which is fantastic,” she added.

Jhona Meryl, a fitness influencer said: “It’s really exciting because it’s a collective effort, and the best part is that when people do something continuously for 30 days, it becomes a habit and enforces positivity, which is something people really need right now.”

Day 1 of DFC

Starting today, residents are all set with their athletic wear, yoga mats, personal exercise tools, and of course, their face masks for outdoor activities. To ensure social distancing, prior booking has been made essential for all events on www.dubaifitnesschallenge.com.

The annual event, launched in 2017 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, is one of the most sought events where families and individuals break a sweat, irrespective of their fitness levels.

The hybrid event has promised to make fitness easy and accessible to all — from young adults, teenagers, families, older residents and people of determination, to businesses and schools.

Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of Dubai Sports Council, has promised the event will maintain strict safety and hygiene regulations, social distancing guidelines and sanitisation requirements.

“For us, sports are an essential activity at all times, but it has become even more important in this period of Covid-19. Exercising and staying fit strengthens your immune system and a strong immune system is your best defence against illness,” he said.

What to look forward to?

Residents can look forward to a packed calendar of free fitness events, sports activities, health and wellness programmes and virtual sessions, including three dedicated Fitness Villages, ten community-centric Fitness Hubs.

Participants can unlock free 30-day programmes from leading global apps – Fitbit Premium, NEOU, Steppi, Sweat, Sworkit, Daily Burn, FIIT and Les Mills on Demand.

This year, the challenge is placing an elevated focus on at-home sessions with the Find Your 30 virtual content hub. Free-to-access, the facility is being hosted on the DFC website, allowing participants to use a wide range of fitness content for all ages and abilities.

This includes workout videos, 30-day exercise programmes, discipline challenges, podcasts, healthy recipes, health and wellness articles and vlogs, workout graphics, educational videos for children that will be sourced from experts in the fitness and health industry.

New in 2020 will also be a programme of free, weekly guided Dubai Running Tours, providing a unique, on-foot perspective of iconic sights across the city. Organised in partnership with Arabian Adventures and sports brand ASICS, the tours will be available throughout the 30 days of the Challenge.

 

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