{"id":98650,"date":"2025-07-28T06:08:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T06:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/98650\/"},"modified":"2025-07-28T06:08:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T06:08:11","slug":"morning-runs-ice-workouts-how-uae-residents-are-staying-fit-beating-summer-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/98650\/","title":{"rendered":"Morning runs, ice workouts: How UAE residents are staying fit, beating summer heat"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

From changing their exercise timings to trying out new activities, UAE fitness enthusiasts are experimenting with their workouts this summer. As UAE summer temperatures<\/a> regularly exceed 45\u00b0, some individuals have opted to run before dawn, while others participate in activities such as ice baths.<\/p>\n

Former international sprinter Daniel Oderinde, an athletics coach and runner based in Dubai, has observed a significant shift in workout routines<\/a> preferences during the summer. “I’ve noticed, both in my training and when coaching others, that the heat doesn’t mean people stop, it just means they change when and how they train,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He said that he often runs early in the morning or later in the evening. \u201cI often move runs to early mornings before the sun is fully out, like the Grey Days 5K social runs hosted with New Balance or opt for evening sessions after work when it’s a bit cooler,” he said. “On days when the heat is unbearable, I take my runs indoors<\/a> to the treadmill to stay on track safely.”<\/p>\n

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

He added that this shift during summer months required more planning. \u201cAn early morning run means prioritising sleep the night before and staying hydrated in advance,\u201d he said. \u201cEvening sessions require planning meals and water intake carefully throughout the day to avoid cramping and ensure my body is fuelled to perform.”<\/p>\n

Marked shift in workout routine<\/p>\n

According to Julien Khoury, founder of Dubai wellness centre Breasy, they have seen a “distinct shift” in workout preferences as the warmer months approach. “There’s a growing inclination towards early morning starts to fully capitalise on the cooler hours before the sun reaches its peak,” she said. “Also, as the day winds down, we see a strong pull towards later evening sessions.”<\/p>\n

She said that Breasy had responded to this demand by adjusting timings and offering a relaxed schedule. “For our outdoor offerings like yoga sessions, gym workouts, and run club, we’ve moved to earlier morning starts,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur sunset and evening sessions now begin slightly later, always culminating with an invigorating cold plunge. We also understand that summer brings a natural ebb and flow with holidays, so we\u2019ve adopted a more relaxed and reduced schedule. This flexibility ensures our community members can travel and return without missing a beat. For example, our popular floating breathwork sessions at Aura Skypool are now running bi-weekly through the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Workouts with ice<\/p>\n

Fitness company GymNation took advantage of the summer months by offering a one-of-a-kind workout session at one of its branches. The \u201cCoolest Class in Dubai\u201d fitness experience, which was offered at the Motor City branch every Saturday in July, included workouts with ice and fans.<\/p>\n

One of the activities, Blizzard Sprints, required participants to run on treadmills against giant fans. The Polar Push involved sledge pushes with ice blocks, and the Glacier Grip challenge included ice-bucket farmer carries.<\/p>\n

According to Rory McEntee, the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, the response to these unique classes was \u201coverwhelmingly positive\u201d and the sessions may be extended. \u201cClasses have booked out so quickly that we\u2019ve implemented a ballot system to keep it fair and give as many people as possible the chance to participate,\u201d he said. \u201cConsidering this demand, we\u2019re already exploring options to increase capacity and run additional sessions to meet interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NasreenNasreen Abdulla<\/a><\/p>\n

Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you\u2019ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From changing their exercise timings to trying out new activities, UAE fitness enthusiasts are experimenting with their workouts…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":98651,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[1198,210,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-98650","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114929369313161307","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}