UAE: Home workouts here to stay post Covid-19, residents say

Amidst lockdowns and movement restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, health and fitness became home-bound, boosting virtual workouts.

Although restrictions have been eased and public venues are more accessible now; YouGov’s latest research shows more than half of UAE and Saudi Arabia residents (56 per cent) strongly or somewhat agree with the statement, ‘remote workouts and events still hold appeal and are here to stay post Covid-19’.

When asked about their most preferred way of exercising, 25 per cent residents in both the countries said they prefer home workouts. The proportion of those who prefer exercising at a gym or indulge in outdoor exercises were lower – at 19 per cent and 16 per cent.

The research company said data was collected online from 2016 respondents in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by YouGov’s Omnibus between May 12 to 18.

Home workouts popular among women

Notably, home workouts are more prevalent amongst females as compared to males (35 per cent vs 20 per cent), while the latter are more likely to prefer working out at a gym (21 per cent men vs 17 per cent women).

According to the survey, at present, a quarter of UAE and Saudi residents (25 per cent) have a gym membership, and three in ten (31 per cent) are considering taking one, with a higher appetite among adults between 18-24 years.

Between the two countries, an affinity towards a gym is higher among residents in Saudi Arabia as compared to UAE, and they are more likely than the latter to be both a current and future member of a gym.

When asked about the factors considered while choosing a gym, cleanliness took the lead along with membership cost, with 40 per cent residents in both the countries considering each of them to be the most important factors.

They are more important than available facilities, quality of staff and other factors, highlighting that safety and hygiene remain a key concern for people, as much as cost of seeking a membership at a gym.

The survey said women appear to be more price and value conscious and are more likely than men to consider cleanliness and cost important. They are also more likely to emphasise on factors such as variety of classes (18 per cent women vs 13 per cent men) and entertainment facilities (16 per cent vs 12 per cent) when selecting a gym.

Covid-19 still a concern

Furthermore, when asked about their concerns about contracting Covid-19 from a list of locations, residents showed greatest concern about contracting it in gyms (with 56 per cent responding yes), followed by indoor sporting events (49 per cent), theme parks (45 per cent) and outdoor sporting events (43 per cent).

Notably, the fear of contracting the virus at all these locations is much higher among UAE residents as compared to the those in KSA.

Pandemic has changed exercise habits

The data also shows that nearly three in five residents in both the countries (58 per cent) said the pandemic and subsequent remote working have changed their exercise habits. The ease and convenience of doing home workouts, and not the accessibility (as 59 per cent said they have too many gyms in their area) could be discouraging people from joining a gym.

The onset of summer season could be another obstacle as 54 per cent said they exercise less during the Middle East summer (May-Oct) than other times of the year.

Having said that, people want to stay active and three in five residents (61 per cent) wish to exercise more than they currently do during this period. Providing a safe indoor experience – whether remote or in studio – can help people meet their fitness requirements during intense summer heat.

As revealed in the research, worry about contracting the virus is prevalent among respondents and they are hesitant to fully step out into public places, especially closed spaces. While virtual workouts may be dominant soon, addressing concerns of people and educating them about the benefits of taking a physical class may make them more confident about joining or returning to a gym.

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