Keep calm and carry on. That’s my New Year’s resolution for 2023, which I mean to manifest in various arenas of my personal, professional and private life.
And what better way to enjoy a hit of calming dopamine than by exercising? And what better exercise to get stuck into than yoga?
The age-old Indian practice is, arguably, the most effective modern-day workout out there. The physical benefits are many.
Even a basic child’s pose can be dialled up such that it becomes a super-effective stretch. I particularly enjoy the variation that requires me to turn to each side, in child’s pose itself, and then extend the opposite arm along the floor as much as I’m able.
My back feels instantly toned. Follow this up with a simple cat-cow stretch and that’s an easy but effective warm-up I can get on board with before every session, no matter the type of exercise that’s to follow.
Postures aside, yoga encourages and inculcates the right way to breathe. It was only when I first took up the practice in my early 20s, for example, that I started expanding my stomach on inhaling and contracting it with each exhale. I had been breathing “wrong” for two-odd decades!
And the side effects of effective breathwork? Well, only that it boosts oxygen intake to the bloodstream and removes carbon dioxide as a by-product — a process that sustains life itself.
Better lung capacity also strengthens the chest muscles, so you look and feel more fit, and improves circulation that, in turn, can make you more calm, energetic and disease-resistant.
The discipline’s third tenet is perhaps most sought after in our pandemic-hit, stress-riddled lives: mental strength.
Be it an asana that requires balance, a pranayama that involves releasing your breath (and pent-up stress) in a whoosh, or the ever-popular, calmness-inducing savasana that tail-ends every session, yoga is proven to firm up mental faculties.
For me, chanting "Om" at the end of each class is the perfect antidote to dislodge any negative thoughts accumulated over the course of the day. That, and Candy Crush (yes, still).
I prefer to chant the single-syllable mantra six times — the first three times elongating the “Au” sound and the last three focusing on the “Mmm”. The positive vibrations of that one simple invocation stay with me long after they are gone.
The kind of yoga I prefer to practise has also evolved as I’ve grown older. In my 20s Bharat Thakur’s “artistic power yoga” was the right fit — think 108 sun salutations in 50 minutes and head stands galore.
The levels of flexibility I reached in those five years endure to this day, although I need to rely on a solid wall and cushioned mat (or a very trustworthy partner) to get into a head stand at present.
Soon after I gave birth, I signed up for private lessons with a pranayama pro from the Shivajyothi Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Centre in Dubai.
These got my breathwork and posture back in order in less than three months, prepping me for the active but not frantic sessions I favour now, as I hurtle towards the big 4-0.
At Yoga Ashram, which is a short walk from my home in JLT, instructors conduct sessions adapted to various abilities and interests (they even do one each for children and pregnant women).
On days I am feeling particularly energetic, the yoga circuit class for weight loss is a good fit. A loop of Shakti hops can, after all, be considered a bona fide cardio exercise.
On other days, I explore classes such as yoga-Pilates (many Sufi rolls equal fewer tummy rolls), dynamic flow (down-dog, plank, push-up, repeat) and even sound healing and meditation.
The end game remains the same: to get toned if not thin; to push myself as much as I am able depending on time, day and mood; and to feel fab for hours after — or, in other words, to keep calm and carry on.
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Mobile phone packages comparison
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Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
DIVINE%20INTERVENTOIN
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The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud