Free yoga class at Umm Suqeim Park. Courtesy Natalia Fata.
Free yoga class at Umm Suqeim Park. Courtesy Natalia Fata.
Free yoga class at Umm Suqeim Park. Courtesy Natalia Fata.
Free yoga class at Umm Suqeim Park. Courtesy Natalia Fata.

How and where to work out for free in the UAE


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Fitcamp

Start your weekend with circuit training in Dubai’s Al Barsha Park. This 60-minute workout has grown since launching in December, and now attracts up to 30 participants every Friday, from 8.30am. Overlooking the lake, to the left of the main entrance, sessions target all fitness levels. They involve a 10-minute warm-up, followed by two rounds of 30-second exercises, which typically include lifting and slamming weighted ropes, TRX pull-ups and lateral raises. A 15- or 20-second break separates each activity.

Personal trainers Sarah Crowther and Naj Ganyana are behind the classes. “We want to help people move their bodies and improve their health without spending a small fortune on gym membership or expensive classes,” Crowther says. “Fitcamp is mostly circuit-based with the odd team competition and fun group activity thrown in for good measure.”

Crowther and Ganyana shout words of encouragement via microphones connected to wireless headsets. Background music includes motivational remixes of music by the likes of Adele and Rihanna.

A 10-minute cool-down completes the hour-long class, which involves all major muscle groups and helps burn fat. With a responsive WhatsApp group, the class is sociable and a great way to make new friends. Bring a towel and bottle of water.

• Pre-booking is essential; for more information, call or WhatsApp 052 834 9936 or 056 548 4397.

Yoga

There are a variety of free yoga sessions popping up across the UAE. One of our favourites is the Wednesday night hatha class at Umm Suqeim Park, next to Dubai’s Kite Beach. Targeting all fitness levels, each posture can be completed to varying degrees of difficulty, with standing poses, hip openers and backbends all part of the mix. Running from 7.30pm to 9pm, the classes are held on the grass to the left of the main entrance opposite the beach.

Instructor Natalia Fata takes participants through a relaxing and rewarding 90 minutes. “Everyone comes with baggage and stress,” she says. “Within 20 to 25 minutes, we’re all moving together, and by the end, we have found peace and comfort. Anyone can come no matter what their age, religion, gender or background.”

About 60 to 80 students attend each week. Bring a mat, water and warm jumper for the cool down.

• For more information, call Natalia Fata on 055 860 0677 or visit www.yogawithnati.com

Parkour

For something different, try one of the weekly parkour “jams” in Abu Dhabi. A training discipline that uses movement to get from one point to the other, parkour includes running, climbing, swinging and vaulting, and is usually practised in urban spaces. Often featured in movies, it has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Today, anyone from complete beginners to seasoned pros can participate in the two-hour sessions every Friday in the capital. The location changes each week, so check the Meetup group (www.meetup.com/uaeparkour) for details. Attracting between 10 and 30 participants, the jams include a light warm-up before instructors teach new techniques. These might include how to climb a wall, how to do flips and how to land safely from a jump without hurting your knees or back. "It's a great atmosphere," organiser Iyad Al Mrouj says. "We'll have some guys doing simple stuff over and over, and then one guy doing a really hard movement. The jams are spread over a wide area and sometimes large crowds gather to watch."

• Jams start from 3pm. For more information, call Iyad Al Mrouj on 056 127 7818 or visit www.uaeparkour.com

Nike+ Run Club

Run your fastest kilometre at Nike Running Club’s Tuesday speed sessions. Held at 8pm at Gate 1 of Zabeel Park, Dubai, the classes feature 400-metre interval training with Nike coaches and pacers. Those looking to build their fitness from scratch, may prefer the Friday “Ready Set Go” sessions at Burj Park in Downtown Dubai. Coaches check stride and gear, and set up beginners for a lifetime of running.

A third “Just Do It” class on Sundays is ideal for long-distance runners. Starting from Dubai Marina Mall promenade, the group sets off at a slower pace and covers up to 9km in each session. Finally, for ladies only, Monday’s 8pm class sets off on a 3km to 4km route from Sunset Beach.

“We have a session for everyone,” says Rafael Roots, an NRC coach. “Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate or advanced runner, we cater to all fitness levels. Many people, beginners included, have gone on to become triathletes or marathon runners.”

• To reserve a space, visit www.gonike.me/NRCDubai

Trekking training

Anyone wanting to target their quads and glutes should consider trekking training at Yas Marina Circuit. Held from 7pm to 8pm every Tuesday night, sessions are designed to help mountain climbers scale peaks more efficiently. They also offer an excellent overall workout, and whether you’re planning to conquer the next giant summit or not, you can dramatically increase your fitness level, strength and even hand-to-eye coordination with this great cardio workout.

Run by Amy Subaey, director of UAE Trekkers, sessions involve climbing up and down sets of stairs in a variety of styles including running, skipping and hopping. Students might also walk down stairs backwards or bear-crawl up and down.

“We often take in five flights of stairs, but if you’re a beginner you just do whatever you can,” Subaey says. “In between sets, we do planks and other body-weight exercises. There’s a great vibe at Yas Marina Circuit. It’s very sociable and a fun place to be.”

There are usually eight to 10 people at each class.

• For more information, call 055 886 2327 or email info@uae-trekkers.com

weekend@thenational.ae

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Syria squad

Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

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Thanksgiving meals to try

World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.

Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as  well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.

The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.

Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

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MATCH INFO

Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')

Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)

How Sputnik V works

Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday

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What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."