Staying active in the UAE summer can be tricky, with the high temperature and even higher humidity rendering any time spent outdoors unpleasantly sweaty. While there are running clubs and cycling tracks for a hardcore few, it is safe to say the rest of us are probably looking to be sporty somewhere indoors with efficient air-conditioning.
Not only is there a huge choice of venues across the UAE offering everything from weight lifting to MMA, even better news is the growing number of places offering free events.
With an increasing number of sports venues opening up, offering options such as Reformer Pilates and five-a-side football, most companies also offer one free class to potential clients, allowing them to check out new activities without spending any money.
As the summer heat drags on, we round up some of the best ways to get an indoor workout, for free.
Venues and malls
Abu Dhabi Summer Sports
Taking over Adnec Halls 4-11 until August 21, ADSS offers more than 37,500 square metres of indoor facilities. While some of the events are paid for, Abu Dhabi Cycling club has complimentary sessions for everyone during the event. There's also a free running track around the venue and a lifting area that can be used, but registration on the ADSS app is required for entry.
Dubai Sports World
Dubai's biggest indoor sports event, Dubai Sports World, is taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre at Sheikh Saeed Halls 1–3 until September 2. Offering everything from basketball academies to football, most classes are chargeable. However there is a free-to-access gym.
On August 24, there will be a free indoor run with Nike ambassador Manal Rostom, while on August 31, she returns to lead a free HIIT class.
Dubai Mallathon
Running until the end of August, the Dubai Mallathon invites the public to join free group walks and runs from 7am to 10am at nine malls across the city, including Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira and Dubai Marina Mall. It is free and open to anyone.
No pre-registration is needed and anyone looking to take part can grab a wrist band at the registration desk, and choose to take part in either a gentle walk or choose 2.5km, 5km or 10km runs.
Yas Mall
Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi recently announced the commencement of a new walking club, being held three times a week. Happening between 8am and 9am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings until further notice, this is a free group stroll before the mall opens. The meeting point is at the Fashion Entrance, and anyone can join in this relaxed, unhurried walk.
Gyms with free day passes
Warehouse Gym, locations across Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Warehouse Gym has branches in Yas Bay, Al Barsha, Al Khawaneej, Dubai Design District, Business Bay, Al Quoz, DIFC and Jumeirah Park, among others.
Offering classes such as strength training, boxing, Crossfit and grit, as well as cardio and mobility, the gym has a three-day free pass to anyone wanting to check it out. Guests just need to register online first.
GymNation, locations across the UAE
Open 24 hours a day, GymNation is for those who take their fitness journey seriously. There are branches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. GymNation offers classes including Les Mills, yoga and Zumba, plus more than 500 pieces of equipment. They also have a three-day free trial, but registration is required first.
Fit, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah
Fit is open 24 hours a day to allow members to work out when it suits them. With locations in the capital's Yas Island and Al Hamra in Ras Al Khaimah, the gym offers a free day pass to anyone looking to try out the facilities. Classes offered include MMA, yoga and spin.
TK MMA & Fitness, Dubai
Located in Media City, TK MMA & Fitness offers a free one-day gym pass for those interested in trying out its classes. Specialising in MMA, Muay Thai, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and personal training, the venue also has MMA, BJJ and Muay Thai classes for children. Register online for the pass.
9Round, Dubai
With branches in Al Wasl and Jumeirah, 9Round takes a different approach to fitness classes. There’s no set schedule, so participants can begin a 30-minute session at any time. The workout moves through nine stations, with a trainer tailoring each exercise to individual fitness levels before participants switch every three minutes. The gym offers a free trial class for those interested, along with a seven-day pass to virtual workouts.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEnablers%20of%20digital%20services%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Blockchain%20and%20cryptocurrency%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Crowdfunding%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Banking-as-a-service%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Banking%20identification%20number%20sponsors%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Issuers%2Fprocessors%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Programme%20managers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDigital%20issuance%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Blockchain%20and%20cryptocurrency%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Alternative%20lending%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Personal%20financial%20management%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Money%20transfer%20and%20remittance%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Digital%20banking%20(neo%20banks)%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Digital%20wallets%2C%20peer-to-peer%20and%20transfers%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Employee%20benefits%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Payables%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Corporate%20cards%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EValue-add%20for%20merchants%2Fconsumers%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Data%20and%20analytics%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20ID%2C%20authentication%20and%20security%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Insurance%20technology%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Loyalty%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Merchant%20services%20and%20tools%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Process%20and%20payment%20infrastructure%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Retail%20technology%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESME%20recovery%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Money%20movement%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Acceptance%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Risk%20management%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Brand%20management%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENew%20categories%20for%202023%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Sustainable%20FinTechs%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Risk%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%A2%20Urban%20mobility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
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The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
