A circuit to love: Boot camps in Dubai

With boot camp programmes all the rage lately, we head to The Circuit Factory for a sweat-inducing session to find out more.

Boot camp: the very words are enough to make you break a sweat. With its popularity showing no signs of slowing down at clubs across Dubai, this military style fitness regime has the power to transform the way you work out while leaving you wanting for more.

In need of a refresher course, we decided to head down to The Circuit Factory in Al Quoz for a session that combined a host of intensive routines paired with hyper motivational trainers (there was yelling, some of it warranted). It’s the kind of programme you should mentally prepare yourself for if there is to be any hope of walking out on your own two legs.

The 60-minute class consisted of about a dozen students and the room was spread out like a Monopoly board of fitness interval stations. Every 60 seconds each pair of participants switches stations with minimal breaks in between, leaving you breathless and drenched to the core.

Starting out there were drill sprints where we would rush between two walls as many times as possible, like a cheetah on the hunt for some fresh gazelle. Next was a session of burpees as we dropped into squat position with hands on the ground, followed by an enthusiastic hop into the air. Following another manic minute of kettlebell swings and planks, there was time for a short water break. At this point, the entire routine is repeated three times over. To finish things off in true boot camp style, we each grabbed a weighted bag and ran a circuit around the building’s perimeter, cursing in a multitude of languages befitting Dubai’s cultural diversity.

Regular patrons who swear by this type of intensive circuit style programme are not shy about singing its praises, and we can understand why. You can easily burn more than a 1,000 calories in one session and it provides the type of full-body work-out that leaves you feeling strong and accomplished afterwards. It can be tough and gruelling, requiring a certain level of strength to survive, but it leaves an impression on the psyche. If you ever need to jump-start your motivation levels, it’s definitely something to try.

For details on classes, visit www.fitnessfactory.ae, www.b2bfitnessdubai.com or www.originalfitnessco.com.

kadry@khaleejtimes.com