Be a sport this summer at these indoor spaces

THE HEAT COMES AS NO SURPRISE TO RESIDENTS OF THE UAE — WE’VE LEARNT HOW TO STAY COOL IN THE SUMMER. WITH SPECIALISED GYMS AND TRENDS LIKE HYDRO-SPINNING AND AERIAL SILKS, THE COUNTRY ALSO PROVIDES AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONTINUED FUN AND FITNESS.

Home to international events like the Dubai World Cup horse races, the Omega Dubai Desert Classics for golf, and The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix motor race, the UAE is a known arena in the sports world. The country also has a rich history in traditions like camel racing, falconry, and target shooting, and offers activities that are big with tourists like dune bashing, skydiving, scuba diving, and zip-lining. However, all these sports have one thing in common — they primarily take place outdoors. And, with the dreaded blaze of the (too) long summer season here, it’s time to seek out havens from the sun. How then, can you keep your feet moving and the adrenaline pumping through the summer months?

Well, there are plenty of solutions — in fact, probably more so than you may have imagined. The UAE is well-equipped to deal with the heat — usually with air-conditioned and state-of-theart enclosures — and this is true in terms of sporting and fitness too. With the focus on a healthier community, the country offers a vast variety of indoor recreation and exercise options. This summer, you really have no excuse to not sweat it out in style.

Gyms and classes

When it comes to fitness centres, this country is certainly not lagging behind. Gym-regular or not, you’ve heard snippets of conversations (usually not in a whisper) about ‘leg days’, ‘ab days’, ‘treadmill playlists’, and weight training. Turn a city corner and you’re bound to spot a gym in the vicinity. And if ellipticals are not your thing, there are exciting classes to try out — different forms of yoga, pilates, rock climbing, kickboxing, and Zumba to name a few.

There’s even a golf simulator at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and an indoor introduction to horse-riding at Hoofbeatz. More of a foottapping, hip-swaying soul? There are plenty of dance classes to hop into — from classic forms like ballet to upbeat varieties like Afro dance.

Sports complexes and academies

Spanning across 24 hectares, the Hamdan Sporting Complex is one of the world’s biggest multi-purpose facilities. While the centre offers everything from badminton to cycling tracks, its focus is on developing the country’s water sports. In this regard, it has Olympic-standard swimming pools and offers synchronised swimming and water polo classes.

Don’t miss out on Dubai Sports World at the World Trade Centre. As the region’s largest indoor sporting venue, for three months this space will host a number of training camps and activities — some of which are free to take part in. Expect everything from cricket and tennis academies to football tournaments, a Ninja Warriors course, rugby, and padel.

Other popular facilities for indoor turfs and courts include Insportz Club, SportZone, and Koora Dome. And if old is your gold, there’s always Al Nasr Leisureland, which opened in 1979, and has never failed to entertain and keep Dubai’s families fit — the complex has indoor options for bowling, squash, ice skating, and fitness.

Entertainment and games

There’s nothing like having a grand time and burning calories without realising it. Whatever the season, there’s fun and entertainment for all ages in the UAE. Add finesse to your technique and stay active with a casual outing to the local bowling centre, billiards and ping pong hall or ice rink. Else, opt for a newer, more immersive arcade experience at virtual reality zones like Hub Zero or VR Park, where you can chase targets in dystopian settings and hide around corners in laser-tag shootouts.

You’ve probably heard of ‘trampoline parks’ — and the country’s youth cannot seem to get enough of them. If jumping, cartwheeling, and backflips are your forte, express your moves at Flip Out, BOUNCE, Jump Boxx, Gravity, Flippro or Jumping World. Add in games like dodgeball or zooming across the room on a slackline while ‘trampolining’ to make your crazy cool outing a high-energy workout.

Want to work the brain as you step up the pace? Try an escape room or a ‘challenge chamber’ activity with a group of friends at venues like Phobia, HintHunt, and Brain Games Dubai. Then, there are the theme parks — the world’s largest indoor theme park, IMG Worlds of Adventure, is right here in Dubai, featuring no less than four adventure zones for exhilarating action. While most other theme parks have outdoor attractions, they do offer great deals over the summer months and still have ways to keep you cool if you do venture outdoors. Think: gigantic water slides, wave pools, and lazy rivers.

Adventure, extreme, and freestyle sports

Thrill-seekers have it good with activities to fuel their adrenaline frenzy. Everything from aerial and pole fitness to Parkour and skateboarding is easily available in the UAE. There’s even an indoor skydiving experience up for grabs at iFly, where you can spend the warmer months practising your stunts for the real moment outdoors. For those who have a need for speed, Dubai Autodrome’s 620-metre indoor Kartdrome lets you show off your drag racing skills.

If you’ve read all this and are still thinking, “Why get ready to go out and walk into a communal indoor setting only to get sweaty?” — well, you have a point. There’s always your own space — an air-conditioned, WiFi-enabled, music-fuelled, snack-stashed home. So, get inspired by the fitness revolution on social media with local trainers and influencers like Nadine du Toit, @ glorygirlfit or Nabeel Merchant, @nabeel.freesoul. Find your go-to exercise regime on YouTube or plan on a weekly session of improvised dancing in front of the mirror if you must.

The point is simply this — to one-up the summer daze, balance out the couch-potato days, and keep yourself consistently active. letters@khaleejtimes.com