Coronavirus: Dubai gyms reopen as Covid-19 restrictions ease

The battle back to fitness appeared well under way in Dubai on Wednesday, as gyms opened their doors for the first time since March.

Following weeks of coronavirus restrictions, exercise fanatics returned to their workout routines in their droves.

An estimated 750 people clad in mandatory face-masks arrived at GymNation in Al Quoz over the course of the opening day.

It was a similar story elsewhere across the city, with exercise classes booked up and thousands eager to hit the running machines and free weights.

“We introduced a capacity limit of no more than 15 people per visit to align with the government measures to protect staff and customers,” said Jithu Jacob, who owns Al Quoz Gym in the city.

I've been trying to train at home, running and things, but I've lost 5kg of muscle mass and gained 2kg of fat because I've not been able to train with weights

“Usually we have three trainers in the gym at any one time but we have reduced employee numbers to avoid overcrowding."

With one trainer and one cleaner on duty, Mr Jacob said workouts were limited to “40 minutes per session” between 6am and 10pm.

Hundreds of gyms across Dubai were ordered to close on March 16 as part of government measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The policy was among numerous restrictions placed on normal business operations that included the closure of restaurants and malls.

Now, as the UAE and the rest of the world considers a controlled reopening, government regulations in the UAE are easing.

Some businesses are being allowed to return to regular hours, albeit with specific conditions attached.

In the case of Dubai gyms, users must still be kept two metres apart, personal trainers must keep to two clients per session, masks must be worn at all times and all shared equipment must be regularly sanitised.

Speaking to The National, Loren Holland, the founder of GymNation, said more than 1,500 new clients had signed up for membership during gym closures.

He said now they were reopening, some class times had been reduced to allow for additional cleaning and changing rooms would remain closed.

Loren Holland, left, and Frank Afeaki, owners of GymNation in Al Quoz, are ready to welcome back their customers. Chris Whiteoak / The National

"We’ve got seven classes scheduled today ranging from body combat to spinning and they are all fully booked, meaning we should have more than 150 class participants on the first day back," he said.

“It’s very encouraging that members have the confidence to return to the facility and are eager to re-engage with health and fitness at a safe distance.”

“In preparation for the opening we have ensured that all our equipment is spread out.”

For Egyptian Ahmed Tony, Wednesday’s reopening of GymNation in Al Quoz, which offers more than 500 workout machines, could not have come soon enough.

“I could hardly sleep last night because I was so looking forward to getting back to my gym routine,” said the 30-year-old.

“I’ve been trying to train at home, running and things, but I’ve lost 5kg of muscle mass and gained 2kg of fat because I’ve not been able to train with weights.”

Paediatric nurse Francesca Fattoruso, 29, also said she was anxious to hit the gym again after a long hospital shift on the coronavirus frontline.

“It is odd being here during a pandemic and seeing people in face masks, but I’m used to it because of my day job,” she said.

“Working up a sweat in a face mask is not easy but it’s just something I’ll get used to.”

Egyptian Ahmed Ali, 32, was another keen fitness fanatic glad to be back in the gym.

“It is not easy remembering to keep a distance from people and working out in a mask, but it’s better than nothing,” he said.

“We just have to remember we are still in a pandemic and we need to respect the new rules.”

At Fitness First, gym members must book an exercise slot to prevent overcrowding.

Facilities can only operate at 50 per cent capacity and new partitions separate static equipment.

As Egyptian Nancy Moh prepared to return to work, she said she was shocked to discover some of her clothes no longer fitted and she weighed an extra 8kg.

“I lost 21 kilos two years ago by making changes to my diet and eating well,” said Ms Moh, an operations manager who used to weigh 111kg.

“It was not an extreme regime, just cooking without oil and eating fresh vegetables, brown rice and bread.

“It became a lifestyle so I was able to keep the weight off. When the lockdown came I lost my daily routine and was no longer walking around my workplace so the weight came back.”

Ms Moh said she now hoped to lose the so-called “corona-stone” by changing her diet, taking on nutrition advice from online business Good Habits.

Founder Carole Holditch has helped scores of people lose weight by offering heathy living advice and meal recipes.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Reporter: Kelly Clark: News. Francesca Fattoruso does some weights at GymNation in Al Quoz as gyms across Dubai start to open. Wednesday, May 27th, 2020. Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“Nancy’s story is not uncommon, she knows how good it felt to lose weight and has since put it back on again after the lockdown period,” said Ms Holditch.

“People have not been able to exercise or go to the gym, so they may have kept their calorie intake up but without burning it off, have put on weight.”

Prior to the restrictions on public gatherings, Good Habits hosted groups of up to 20 people to share insights into healthy living.

Today, like many businesses, those meetings have moved online.

“I started with 14 people ready to do an online Zoom class, now we have more than 50,” said Ms Holditch.

“One of the biggest triggers for overeating has been boredom.”

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.”

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Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.

BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme

Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

The biog

Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns

Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Food of choice: Sushi

Favourite colour: Orange