Dubai Fitness Challenge: What’s new, what’s more this time

Dubai: Dubai is set to transform into the world’s first and only “city gym” with the month-long Dubai Fitness Challenge set to kick off on Friday.

Running from October 18 to November 16, Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) has stepped it up several notches in its third edition, the organisers said on Thursday.

Launched in 2017 by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, DFC offers Dubai residents new and exciting ways to be “In It, Together,” and commit to 30 minutes of physical activity for 30 days.

Returning to this year’s edition are two flagship Fitness Villages at Festival City Mall and Kite Beach, supplemented by 10 community-focused Fitness Hubs, over 40 fitness events and more than 5,000 fitness and health programmes spread across the city.

Activities on the inaugural day will begin from 4pm.

There will be two fireworks to celebrate the start of DFC at the Fitness Villages. Firework will be displayed at 7:45pm at Festival City Mall Fitness Village, followed by an 8pm display at the Kite Beach Fitness Village.

Signature new features for Dubai Fitness Challenge include ‘Find Your 30’ virtual hub and ‘City is a Gym’ to encourage maximum participation from all of Dubai.

‘Find Your 30’, is a new virtual platform on the DFC website, which provides a multitude of a freely accessible content in easy-to-digest formats including articles, videos, vlogs, podcasts and daily challenges, amongst others.

Another new addition to 2019 Dubai Fitness Challenge is ‘City is a Gym’ –a virtual map that highlights 30 free workout zones at different venues across the city. For more information, visit cityisagym.com.

Flagship Elements

The Festival City Mall Fitness Village

On the Ground Floor, the DEWA 30X30 Skills Zone

2-hour contest with daily prizes plus run to win the DFC Grand Prize of Dh50,000 in gift cards from Dubai Festival City

Circuit training at the Fitbit Fitness One and Fitbit AI Zone

Workout sessions, including sunset yoga (participants are requested to bring their own mats) and boot camps by Fitness First

Signature IMAGINE Fitness Workout that synchronises its choreography with the IMAGINE Show’s iconic water and visual effects

Dubai Chamber ‘Ultimate Mile’, which features 10 workout exercises fom the promenade to Marsa Beach

The Festival City Mall Fitness Village will be open throughout the DFC period from 12pm to 10pm from Sunday to Wednesday, and 12pm to 12am on Thursday to Saturday.

The Kite Beach Fitness Village

With 10 zones, participants of all ages find a plethora of activities and experiences, including an Aqua Park that features an exciting inflatable water obstacle course, a martial arts gym, boxing ring, beachside basketball court, beach spinning facilities and a kids’ Skill and Play area.

Sign up to play in the Beach Sports zone

Free coaching session on kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding until sunset.

Tough Mudder Obstacle Course that’s open for all with a special edition Mini Mudder course for kids between 5-13 years and promises to provide lots of thrills and spills.

Outdoor gym, hydration station, and a traditional Ghaf tree where participants can pin their 30x30 pledge.

Open from 7am to 9pm from Sunday to Wednesday and 7am to 11pm from Thursday to Saturday there’s something for everyone at Kite Beach throughout the 30 days.

Community-focused Fitness

To ensure more people have access to a variety of workouts within close proximity, Dubai Fitness Challenge is introducing 10 Fitness Hubs across communities this year. These hubs are set to provide participants with the chance to experience a whole host of free-to-attend activities, ranging from spinning and self-defence, to yoga, Pilates, dance classes, and a lot more. A list of confirmed Fitness Hubs and dates are as below: