Bouncing back. After their yoga instructor moved to Dubai, sisters Amna, left, Hind, centre, and Mariam Balfaqeh felt at a bit of a loss. Not for long, though. They got together to open Tone Fitness, a studio for women to build healthy bodies and minds. Delores Johnson / The National
Bouncing back. After their yoga instructor moved to Dubai, sisters Amna, left, Hind, centre, and Mariam Balfaqeh felt at a bit of a loss. Not for long, though. They got together to open Tone Fitness, a studio for women to build healthy bodies and minds. Delores Johnson / The National
Bouncing back. After their yoga instructor moved to Dubai, sisters Amna, left, Hind, centre, and Mariam Balfaqeh felt at a bit of a loss. Not for long, though. They got together to open Tone Fitness, a studio for women to build healthy bodies and minds. Delores Johnson / The National
Bouncing back. After their yoga instructor moved to Dubai, sisters Amna, left, Hind, centre, and Mariam Balfaqeh felt at a bit of a loss. Not for long, though. They got together to open Tone Fitness,

UAE Portrait of a Nation: Emirati sisters’ fitness centre attracts local clientele


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Faced with a lack of choices to continue their old hobby or start a fun new one, the trio bounced back with a great idea for a new business that helps not just them but also a community of fitness minded women.

ABU DHABI // Hind, Mariam and Amna Balfaqeh loved yoga but when their teacher – who taught the three sisters at home – moved to Dubai, the women felt lost.

It left a gap in their lives – and they found there was a lack of class options available for Emirati women who wanted a more active lifestyle.

Determined not to lose what yoga brought to their lives, the sisters began thinking outside the box.

“We didn’t have anything in the community here in Al Maqta so we thought it was a business opportunity,” says Mariam, 33.

A year ago, the sisters, who all work full time for semi-government organisations, opened Tone Fitness. “It was something we did as a family,” Mariam says.

The news of the new facility spread by word of mouth and – with classes from yoga to Zumba – the sisters soon were inspiring others to make it a family affair and get moving. From sisters, to aunts to mothers, the studio crosses the barriers of generation, the Balfaqeh sisters say, as it provides a culturally sensitive space for their clientele, which is 99 per cent Emirati, to work out.

“The women are comfortable,” Mariam says. “For prayer, they know we know to turn off the music.

“It’s cultural sensitivities that they know we notice, like class times changing for Ramadan, these things are important.”

All three Balfaqeh sisters work between eight and 10 hours a day in their full-time jobs so the project has not been easy for them to balance – but it has brought them closer.

“In the beginning there was a lot of shouting,” Mariam says.

“But now we can’t just fall out for a weekend. That’s not acceptable.

“I was very stubborn before but now I have to hear their points of view. We learnt a lot about communication. We’re sisters and really good friends.”

Amna, 29, agrees the sisters have overcome their differences. “Now, everyone knows their responsibilities,” she says. “In the beginning there wasn’t that clarity.

“Now it’s easier and the relationship got stronger. There’s more discussion and less arguing.”

Mariam says encouraging others to lead a healthy lifestyle is “very important” to the sisters and, Amna says, it has been rewarding to see people trying out new forms of exercise.

“They can come here and do many different things and they like that,” she says.

Hind, 31, says running the studio has had a great impact on her life. “It’s changed my life, in terms of both food and exercise,” she says.

It has also allowed her to experience the trials of running a business. “We thought it would be easy,” Hind says. “But getting into it, it’s really not as easy as it seems. It’s been very challenging for me to juggle both jobs. At first it was really hard to balance. I would rarely see family or friends. But it was only for a short time while we set things up.”

As for the future, there is much work ahead, but that’s fine with the sisters. “It’s part of us, part of our personalities,” Mariam says.

When they travel now they are always on the lookout for new classes and ideas, ensuring they stay ahead in the ever-evolving fitness market.

It is a challenge, but one that makes them an even stronger family unit. “We have each other’s backs and our family is backing us and believing in what we do,” Mariam says. “It’s really important for us to have that.”

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Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km

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The five new places of worship

Church of South Indian Parish

St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch

St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch

St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais

Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais

 

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The Bio

Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity

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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Messi at the Copa America

2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final

2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals

2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final

2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final

if you go

The flights

Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes. 

The hotels

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes. 

When to visit

March-May and September-November

Visas

Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.

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Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries

First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus 

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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

 

UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

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The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs 

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

RESULTS
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Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

3/5

(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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THE RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

Winner: Alnawar, Connor Beasley (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m

Winner: Raniah, Noel Garbutt, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 2,200m

Winner: Saarookh, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez

6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Rated Conditions Dh125,000 1,600m

Winner: RB Torch, Tadhg O’Shea, Eric Lemartinel

7pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh70,000 1,600m

Winner: MH Wari, Antonio Fresu, Elise Jeane

7.30pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m

Winner: Mailshot, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

 

RESULTS
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