PowerUp September 2016

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L OFFICIA OF NE M A G A Z I M B AT O B R AV E C T I O N A FEDER t ghest spor The tou ome! comes h 16 23 Sep 20

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HISTO R I C GO L D MMA MOVES & WO RLD R E C O R D

Basic and advanced moves to secure your victory

PLACES TO LEARN MMA

Gyms offering MMA classes & trainings

Ruth Jebet bagged Bahrain’s first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 games in Rio and made history in France smashing a world record in 3,000 m steeplechase

3 STEPS TO GETTING LEAN Tips from Hayley Biddle

IRONMAN 70.3 BAHRAIN

Frequently Asked Questions, answered

FOREWORD

BAHRAIN AND SPORTS

Influencing the GCC and the World Sports can be a powerful tool to promote the holistic growth and development of the youth of a nation. In Bahrain, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad, we are dedicated to provide all sorts of opportunities for our young people as far as sports is concerned. I strongly believe that an efficient physical education programme equips people with vital qualities, such as leadership, perseverance, social and moral character, selfesteem, commitment to teamwork, and problemsolving and organisational abilities.

In today’s most challenging environment, such skills can only help individuals to succeed in life, and that brings prosperity to the nation. We are always on the lookout for ways of improving facilities and practices for physical education. One example of this is that I feel we should develop a more holistic physical education policy to be implemented right from the early school stages.

“ Health is a lifestyle and I chose it.”

-HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Possibilities for implementing such a policy are being explored. Essential life skills are so often the outcome ofan effective physical education. In fact, sports have been proven to actually raise IQ in addition to building confidence and teaching kids about managing emotions, such as self-control.

Sports help children to learn hard work, patience, persistence, and how to respond positively to setbacks and failures. Most importantly, sports helps a child to prepare to take on the many challenges that life has to offer and emerge victorious like a champion. Sports is an important part of the culture of the Gulf countries, especially endurance horse riding and show jumping, which have an immense traditional value, although we must not forget there are also other sports and sporting events that boast a rich history for us.

For the above reasons, I warmly welcome the arrival of

PowerUp, the first sports dedicated magazine based in Bahrain.

It will be a fantastic tool for the people of Bahrain to view sports clubs and fixtures that are available on our island. It will expose them to new sports from around the world and introduce them to exciting existing sports they may wish to try.

HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth & Sports, President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee

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SPORTS & FITNESS

Reader’s CEO & Editor-in-Chief - Chris Burrows Management Consultant - Redia Castillo Editorial-at-large - Agnieszka Piechoska Editorial - Rose Yap Contributors - HH Shaikh Nasser Media Office - HH Shaikh Khalid Media Office - Bahrain Olympic Committee Media and PR - Bahrain Football Association - Bahrain Tennis Federation Admin & Finance - Abigael Laud Layout Design - Arrun Kumar

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HH Shk Nasser and Bahrain Endurance 13’s participation at IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship Wiesbaden So proud of you ... you only proved to each and everyone that nothing is impossible if you put your heart and mind The Bahrain Olympic Team to it.

- Gavin Fernandes The dream team at the end of a tough and challenging race. Allez-Allez-Allez Bahrain!!!

- Christophe Sargis ON RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES

Photography - Bench Medina

You will be there saying not bahraini and you ain’t doin’ any better for your country. Yah the two are kenyans and there representin your country very well congrats to the three #stopracism

- Harold Tejada

- Naima Qwuty

DESIGN YOUR LIFE The first Bahrain based sports, health and fitness magazine. Our goal is to promote the sports culture and inspire our readers in the Arabian Gulf to take charge, be fit, and stay in shape for life.

PowerUp is an influential source of useful and entertaining content dedicated to sports, health, and wellness.

Addressed to an audience of health-conscious readers in the GCC region.

www.powerup-mag.com PowerUp Sports WLL Call us for editorial enquiries, rate cards, and event coverage.

Lines open Saturday to Thursday 8:30 to 8:00 PM Editorial +973 6670 0602 Advertising +973 6670 0603 +973 6670 0604 Events +973 6670 0605

Published by PowerUp Sports WLL. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

All Rights Reserved. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Spotted! World record holder and Rio 2016 Olympic gold medalist

Ruth Jebet with PowerUp

I salute all the medalist of Bahrain who won and made their country look great. Congratulations to all and Ma shaa Allah, God bless. I love Bahrain as its like my home for living on this Island from early 1979.

- Damian Fernandes

Editor’s Note: Send us your thoughts, comments, critiques, and requests via editorial@ powerup-mag.com. You can also take a picture of yourself with your PowerUp magazine and tell us of your own experience. We will select letters and pictures to print monthly.

Have you missed a copy of PowerUp magazine?

You can browse our current and past issues online through your mobile devices. Just download issuu app on Google Play for Adroid devices or App Store if you have apple devices.

You may also visit www.issuu.com/powerupmagazine

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VISIT US

ONLINE www.powerup-mag.com

Editor’s Note

F R O M T H E PA S T View our e-magazine archives on www.issuu.com/powerupmagazine or read online articles on www.powerup-mag.com

Congratulations are in order!

Hats off to the Bahrain Endurance 13 team for their remarkable performance in Ironman 70.3 Wiesbaden, Germany – as they were led to victory by HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. It’s truly uplifting to see our home-grown athletes shine on the international scene.

Bahrain seems to be exploding with all sorts of sporting initiatives lately, and we couldn’t love it more. As part of HH Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s commendable initiative, the KHK MMA will host their first Brave event later this month, and you can read all about it inside this issue of PowerUp – a proud Brave media partner! You will be able to watch the entire event on KHK TV, which will be created to follow and broadcast the event globally.

The superstar-studded show will be the first of many more coming next year; up to 35 events have already been planned across the Middle East, Europe, Brazil, and India to take the federation to the next level. Our salute to HH Shaikh Khalid for unveiling this amazing project, which we’re sure will put Bahrain’s MMA scene on the map.

We also must congratulate the Bahrain Olympic Committee and Bahrain Olympic team for putting together a historic number of Bahraini athletes who participated in the Olympics this year – the kingdom’s biggest delegation so far. But, especially, we congratulate Ruth Jebet and Eunice Kirwa for winning historic gold and silver medals for Bahrain. Ruth even went on to bag the world record in 3,000 metre steeplechase, shortly after her Olympics’ moment of glory – boy, does she mean business!

We’ve been busy here at PowerUp. We’re really excited about our new partnership with Boost Bahrain, formed with the aim of creating fun and exciting sporting events across the island. We’ve also teamed up with @Bahrain who will provide cost effective travel packages to Bahrain on our soon-to-be launched PowerUp Travel and Events website. This will be your one-stop-shop for all the sports, health, and fitness events in Bahrain, with online registration and booking features for both participants and sponsors.

Plus, we will be launching our first PowerUp TV videos online by the end of September. Do watch this space for some great announcements in the coming months!

Editor-in-Chief PowerUp Magazine

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contents

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L O FF I C I A O F NE M AG A Z I M BA T O B R AV E C I O N F E D E R AT sport st The toughe me! comes ho 16 23 Sep 20

MOVES 12 MMA Basic and advanced moves to secure your victory

PLACES TO LEARN MMA

Gyms offering MMA classes & trainings

HISTORIC GOLD AND WORLD RECORD

H I STO R I C G O L D & WO R L D R E C O R D

Ruth Jebet dashed for glory and emblazoned her name in Olympic gold at the 2016 games in Rio and breaks a world record.

Ruth Jebet bagged Bahrain’s first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 games in Rio and made history in France smashing a world record in 3,000 m steeplechase

3 STEPS TO GETTING LEAN Tips from Hayley Biddle

IRONMAN 70.3 BAHRAIN

Frequently Asked Questions, answered

HEALTH & WELLNESS

SPORTS & FITNESS 8 Sports News

Get updated on the latest sports happenings, news, and events.

12 MMA A Passion Of Mine

Read the messageof HH Shk. Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa on his passion for Mixed Matial Arts and Brave’s first event.

56 Nutrition Tips For MMA

64 5 Tips To A Healthy Heart

58 3 Steps To Getting Lean Fast

67 Travel Fitness

Tips that will keep MMA athletes ready for weight-in.

3 doable steps to give you fast fat loss results.

62 Anti-Bullying Tips

It’s time to put a stop to such potentially damaging incident.

Importance of a healthy heart and some tips from Fitness First.

Tips to keep fit while traveling.

68 Workout To Go

Get motivated with the City Walker’s fitness programme!

14 From The Cradle To The Brave Interviewing the President.

18 KHK MMA Scouting Program

KHK MMA’s search for talented MMA athletes and partner gyms.

20 MMA Moves

Basic and advanced moves to bring you victory.

24 BRAVE Fighters

Check out the fighter’s Profiles

FASHION & GEARS

22 Olympians Without Borders

The passport swapping controversy.

72 Bring the Heat 76 Get More Out of Your Training 78 Train Like Usain SPORTS & FITNESS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

FASHION & STYLE

80 Grooming On The Run 81 Up Your Tech Game 82 Gym Buddies

SPORTS & FITNESS

SPORTS

NEWS

“Victory is having done your best. If you’ve done your best, you’ve won.”

-Billy Bowerman

NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR BAHRAIN MERIDA PRO CYCLING TEAM The Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team have welcomed their newly appointed staff, including Head Sports Director Gorazd Stangelj, Sports Director Mario Chiesa, Head Coach Paolo Slongo,

RANTANEN PERFORMS FIRST SURGERY IN BAHRAIN BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS RETURN Bahrain’s youth basketball team had a special welcome on return from Saudi Arabia, after recently winning the Under-15 GCC Basketball Championship.

Bahrain claimed their fifth title and qualified for next year’s FIBA Asia U16 Championship, following their 80-54 win over Qatar on the last day of the tournament held in Jeddah.

The team was given a warm reception at Bahrain International Airport by high-ranking sports officials, headed by Bahrain Basketball

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| PowerUp | September 2016

Association (BBA) President Adel Al Asoomi.

Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) General Secretary Abdulrahman Askar congratulated the BBA chairman, members and affiliates, on the achievement.

Askar dedicated this win to Bahrain’s sports leadership, headed by His Majesty the King representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) Chairman, and BOC President Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. He also congratulated SCYS General Secretary Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, and all BBA representatives.

Finnish orthopaedic surgeon Dr Jussi Rantanen recently conducted the first surgery for the National Sports Medicine Centre during his visit to Bahrain.

Rantanen’s visit is part of the new strategy of the centre in an attempt to provide quality medical treatment services for the patients.

Sports Medicine Centre

one of the soigneur Michele Pallini, and one of the press officers Geoffrey Pizzorni.

In addition, two cyclists Kanstantin Siutsou and Borut Božič have joined the team.

As part of establishing a top contending team in the pro peloton and 2017 season, the Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team have also announced two more signings with Manuele Boaroand and Giovanni Visconti.

Director Dr Khalid Al Shaikh said the centre would offer more similar services in the future by hosting a number of the world’s most experienced surgeons of different specialties.

Al Shaikh thanked the visiting doctor, who performed various surgeries for a number of sports celebrities from all around the world, including English football star David Beckham.

Dr Rantanen, who has been an orthopaedic surgeon since 1998, has revealed 27 injuries among the national athletes during his three-day visit.

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SPORTS NEWS

PRINCESS REEMA CONGRATULATED

43 MEDALS FOR BAHRAIN AT 26TH GCC WATER SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP Bahrain claimed fourth place in the seniors category, and second among the juniors, after winning 43 medals in total – including 28 in the juniors section – at the 26th GCC Water Sports Championship held in Dammam, which concluded last month.

Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) board member and Women’s Sport Committee Chairwoman Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa congratulated Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud on being appointed as undersecretary for women at the General Authority for Sports.

The appointment was Qatar’s juniors secured first announced following the weekly cabinet meeting, place in their category with 39 medals while Saudi Arabia which was chaired by Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier was third with 28, Oman fourth with 15, and the UAE fifth with 19.

UAE claimed first place and the GCC title in the seniors category with a total of 19 medals. Saudi Arabia was second with six and Oman third.

In the Under-10 category, Qatar finished first, Bahrain second, and Saudi Arabia third.

BAHRAIN ROYAL ENDURANCE SHINES IN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

FUTSAL LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS FIXTURES SET Last month marked the end of the second round of matches (Round of 16) in the fourth Khalid bin Hamad Youth Centers’ Futsal League and the first People with Disabilities League, organised by the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs.

Four matches were held

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at the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation (BDSF) Hall in Isa Sports City, where South Sehla Youth Center team, Safra Youth Center team, Zallaq Youth Center team, and Salmabad Youth Center team qualified to the quarterfinals at the expense of Hamad Town Youth Center team, Jurdab Youth Center team, Hoora-Gudaibiya Youth Center team and Naim Youth Center team.

His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of HM the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports (SCYS) and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) expressed his delight at the positive result achieved by Royal Endurance Team member, AlMiqdad Janahi, who won the second position on the back of his horse “Will Outshine”

SPORTS & FITNESS

and Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Shaikha Hayat commended the decision, which underlines the noticeable efforts exerted

by Princess Reema towards women’s sports in Saudi Arabia, and wished her progress.

Shaikha Hayat also welcomed the strong cooperation between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to further reinforce women’s sports reputation in both countries.

Princess Reema has featured in the 2014 list of the Forbes among 200 strongest women in the Arab World.

in Belgium’s 120-kilometre race – in his first European experience.

The positive result is part of the series of success achieved by Bahraini horsemen in various external participations. His Highness affirmed his special pride in such achievement, which proves the extent of strategic plans of Bahrain’s Royal Endurance Team.

His Highness praised the accomplishment of the Bahraini rider, describing Al-Miqdad as one of Bahrain’s Royal Endurance Team’s youthful faces promising a bright future.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 9

MAIN CARD

START AT 08.00 PM MAIN EVENT

CO-MAIN EVENT

MOHAMMAD FAKHREDDINE VS THIAGO VIEIRA WELTERWEIGHT

RAMI AZIZ VS ABDULKAREEM SELWADY LIGHTWEIGHT

RICHIE MARTINEZ VS AHMED AMIR WELTERWEIGHT

MASIO FULLEN VS ABDUL MUNIR FEATHERWEIGHT

KEVIN KOLDOBSKY VS ELDAR ELDAROV WELTERWEIGHT

PRELIMS

TO BE ANNOUNCED BANTAMWEIGHT

IVAN LOPEZ VS JESSIE RAFOLS FLYWEIGHT

START AT 06.00 PM

FRANS MLAMBO VS STEPHEN LOMAN BANTAMWEIGHT

MOHAMMED FARHAD VS BADR-EDDINE BANTAMWEIGHT

MOHAMMED ATIF VS SUNNY KHARI STRAW WEIGHT

SPORTS & FITNESS

MESSAGE

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS IS A PASSION OF MINE AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN

I

have seen so many young men come into the gym at KHK MMA, with passion and desire. They were perhaps from poor families or have encountered struggles in their life which they couldn’t overcome, therefore they arrived at the gym with no achievements, no direction, and no focus in their lives.

However, they had a will to succeed at something, they just didn’t know what. The first change I noticed in these young men was that training MMA in the gym, whether it’s working on strength, conditioning, or martial arts skills, gives you an increased thirst for life. Due to the fact that increased fitness improves your physique, and you start feeling good about yourself, you begin to have a more positive outlook on life. Naturally you want to improve, and come back the next day. Learning is motivation. Mixed martial arts is a never-ending learning curve and if you commit to MMA, you will never stop learning and the motivation will be constant.

The second phase of improvement I see in young men who try MMA is personality. It’s incredible what happens when you give someone an injection of confidence and self-belief. Suddenly shy individuals are telling jokes, laughing, being more talkative and walking around with their heads held high. Training MMA brings out personalities and their finest qualities. Positivity flows in the gym and a camaraderie, a brotherhood between fellow practitioners that is so hard to find out on the streets. When you start training MMA you realize what you are capable of, and you are capable of more than you know.

Finally, the most heart-warming thing for me to see, is the discipline MMA instills in our youth. Youth is characterized by a lack of discipline and wildness in our natures. The responsibility of our parents is to teach us discipline, but this cannot always be achieved.

We are individuals, perhaps we rebel, or experiment with different, dangerous things in our youth, some of us the adventurous type and like to trespass into forbidden areas. Perhaps we are angry with something and like to fight in order to vent our anger. This is natural. All of this anger, desire to rebel, adventure, and wildness can be channeled through training MMA. In the MMA gym is a code of respect and honor. Through training, and practicing respect on a daily basis, I have seen the wildest, most rebellious children become calm, focused, mixed martial arts practitioners. In MMA you must always be humble because there is always someone who has more skills than you, and there is always someone you can learn from.

With an increased thirst for life, personality and discipline, a child is capable of anything and in MMA there is much that can be achieved. Brave Combat Federation, right here in Bahrain, is a new MMA promotion which will put on shows to showcase the skills of the finest mixed martial artists on this planet. This is an attainable goal for any of our youth generation, they could be the next superstar, the next world champion and most importantly the next gentleman. Whoever you are, wherever you are from, I urge you to try this great sport.

Khalid bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

First Deputy President of The Supreme Council for Youth & Sports President of Bahrain Athletics Association President of West Asian Athletics Federation

12 | PowerUp | September 2016

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MMA

AN OVERVIEW

MMA is a formidable and crowd-pleasing sport. But how did it evolve to its present form? This article gives a glimpse of its history.

M

MA is a fullcontact combat sport that allows both striking and grappling, using techniques from other combat sports and martial arts, while standing or sitting down.

In the classic Greek era, an ancient Olympic combat sport known as Pankration, a combination of grappling and striking skills, similar to modern mixed martial arts was one of the main events.

This was later passed on to the Romans, with their gladiatoral contests in their big arenas.

During the early 20th century, various mixedstyle contests took place throughout Japan and the Pacific Rim. In 1980, CV Productions Inc., created the first regulated MMA league in the United States, named

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the Tough Guy Contest, later renamed Battle of the Superfighters. The company sanctioned ten tournaments in Pennsylvania before the Pennsylvania State Senate passed a bill prohibiting the sport.

Originating from the full contact sport of Vale tudo in Brazil (brought by the Gracie family to the US), the UFC was created in the United States in 1993 with minimal rules, and was promoted as a competition to determine the most effective martial art for unarmed combat situations.

It wasn’t long before the fighters realizes that if they wanted to be competitive, they needed to train in additional disciplines. UFC fighters began to morph into well-rounded, balanced fighters that could fight standing or on the floor. This blend of fighting styles and

skills became known as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Here, competitors from different styles were pitted against each other. Later, individual fighters employed multiple martial arts into their style. Following the adoption of additional rules to increase competitor’s safety and to comply with sport regulations as well as to broaden mainstream acceptance of the sport, MMA has seen increased popularity with a pay-per-view business that rivals boxing and professional wrestling.

Today, the UFC is the premier organisation in MMA that enforces the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts without exception. With more than 40 fights every year, the UFC hosts most of the topranked fighters in the world.

Events are held in many countries across the globe.

SPORTS & FITNESS

DID YOU KNOW? In the UFC, the fighter is the top priority. If the ref feels that a fighter is not intelligently defending himself, he will not allow him to keep competing.

The ref will warn the fighter that he needs to defend himself. If he doesn’t, the fight is over.

MMA is considered to be safer than boxing because once a fighter is knocked out, he is not given a chance to get up and continue fighting. In boxing, if a fighter gets up within 10 seconds, the fight goes on.

The reason the UFC uses an Octagon instead of a ring is for fighter safety.

When competing in a ring, a fighter can fall out or get thrown out. In the Octagon, a fighter may find himself pressed up against the fence, but he won’t fall out.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 13

SPORTS & FITNESS

From the Cradle

to the Brave INTERVIEWING THE PRESIDENT

KHK MMA’s new baby will boldly go where no promotion has gone before.

K

HK MMA was born as a fighter-centred promotion, built upon the vision of two passionate pioneers, HH Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa alongside aspiring fighter and the team’s founder and current CEO Mohammad Shahid. As involved as he can get, HH Shaikh Khalid has even stepped into the cage himself and won via knockout, only to affirm that he has his fighters’ interests at heart.

The birth of KHK MMA has already transformed Bahrain, a small country with a big nucleus of hard-working, determined people, and the company’s focus on development of 14 | PowerUp | September 2016

amateur fighters has opened up new opportunities to aspiring athletes who were perhaps lost or devoid of options before.

LAUNCHING THE NEXT GENERATION

CEO Mohammed Shahid is currently leading a scouting programme, which will change the lives of many of those young athletes who have the talent and work ethic to succeed.

“It has been an amazing time for me to stay away from promoting fights in order to just sit down and look at some really good upcoming talents across the

gyms,” he said. “The athletes are excited, and they all want to participate. This programme has opened my eyes to how many talented athletes are out there in Bahrain, and we want to make sure we will miss none of them.”

This is the strong ethos underpinning KHK MMA: they have an opportunity to enrich lives, harness talent and instil core values. That is exactly what they are doing. KHK has grown since its formation into a large-scale force for good, putting on shows, investing capital in some of the world’s best coaches, and welcoming world class fighters from around the globe to their gym where they train, inspire, and build relationships with

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MMA

The results of KHK MMA’s vision can be seen among the youth of Bahrain. Their acceptance and love for MMA has shown through the growing number of new gyms and new faces walking through the doors, participating every day.

MMA began to explode, and with demand, there must be supply – cue the birth of KHK MMA’s new baby, the Brave Combat Federation (BCF). A brand new fight promotion based in Bahrain, which will put on spectacular shows featuring elite fighters from around the globe, all made

BRAVE NEW ERA

But, Brave 1 is only the start for the CEO Shahid. “Brave CF is a system that allows nations to feel the full impact of what each of their athletes in Brave is achieving, and when they are carrying their flag at the global level. We work closely with other nations, and with the help of governments and our media partners, we will endeavour to set up offices in the respective countries. We want to make sure the athlete gets to let his country know that he waved his country’s flag on a global level.

“Meanwhile, the whole world is watching. Brave will show in 2017 why it is such a force for good, and we’re confident the fighters will be right behind our vision, because it is for the fighters.”

With this fighter-centred global vision and the pulling power held by HH Shaikh Khalid and Shahid, expect this brave new era to spark life into the Middle East, as it embraces the world and simultaneously the world

SAVE THE

DATE! BER

THE NEED FOR MORE: BRAVE CF

possible by the vision of Shahid and HH Shaikh Khalid working together.

“Brave. The Beginning” will take place on September 23 and will be the showcase proving to the world and Bahrain that a small country should not necessarily have a small vision. The card is stacked with world class Middle-Eastern and international fighters, some of whom have fought at the very highest level in MMA.

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SEPTEM

the Bahraini amateur and professional fighters. KHK MMA has become a brand which is focused on one thing: developing successful people.

“KHK MMA gym is a place with one goal that is – becoming a champion.

Everyone in the gym has a mission to be the best fighter in the world. With all the competitions happening, and all the upcoming fights and Brave’s first event just around the corner, the atmosphere is sweat, blood and tears, and most of all a lot of heart and energy. It’s a great set of people we have in the team that work like a family and look after each other, assisting in solving each other’s problems in and out of the gym.”

SPORTS & FITNESS

PREMIERE : OW BRAVE SH THE “ BRAVE. G” BEGINNIN A @ KHALIF ITY SPORTS C

With Brave’s first event just around the corner, the atmosphere is sweat, blood and tears, and most of all a lot of heart and energy.

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September 2016 | PowerUp | 15

SPORTS & FITNESS

MMA

MMA IN THE MEDIA

PowerUp sat down with ArabsMMA the go to’ source for martial arts news Founder, Zahi Ephrem to talk about the importance of MMA media and what he has to say about Brave and MMA’s development.

T

he MMA media plays a large role in the growth of the sport, because without the stories, the hype and without the coverage, these men are simply fighters.

Fans need their heroes to be people they can relate to and that’s where the media comes in. The best coverage is able to reach beneath the surface and peel away the bravado, to uncover the real human beings behind the fighters. ArabsMMA found a way to build the necessary relationships with the fighters, and through genuine, passionate reportage gain their trust – which consequently gave the fans the information they crave about their heroes.

ArabsMMA created a great impact in the industry, translated in its representation as the ‘go to’ source for martial arts news. Here’s what

16 | PowerUp | September 2016

An increase in organized, competitive MMA events is going to take this sport to new levels, never seen before in this part of the world.

Hungrier fighters, more gyms, more competition, more excitement, more fans and consequently bigger paychecks. Brave’s first event will happen soon and let’s hope it sets a new bar for professionalism and entertainment. the man behind this project has to say about Brave and the development of the industry.

“We are entering a golden era of mixed martial arts, a period of exponential growth, which is coming as a result of inspirational forces such as H.H Shaikh Khalid and other pioneers dedicating their lives to the cause. Its exciting times for fighters and fight fans alike. Suddenly mixed martial arts is becoming a

viable career path, for fans, they’re seeing elite athletes representing their country, who are becoming the nation’s new heroes. For this to continue on an upward trajectory we need committed organizations with a mission to grow the sport across the region. MMA is still in its infancy in the Middle East and North African region, the market has yet to reach its saturation point. So far, there has not been a fighter-

centered model which shows and provides the fighters with the support and respect needed. I believe this is a key factor to the development of the sport.

An increase in organized, competitive MMA events is going to take this sport to new levels, never seen before in this part of the world. Hungrier fighters, more gyms, more competition, more excitement, more fans and consequently bigger paychecks. Brave’s first event will happen soon and let’s hope it sets a new bar for professionalism and entertainment. One thing is for sure, KHK MMA, the company behind Brave Combat Federation has shown professionalism from the outset and support for the fighters in all aspects. I see no reason why Brave won’t inherit the same philosophy.

Come September 23 all our questions will be answered.”

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City Centre Bahrain • Seef Mall • Ramli Mall • Bahrain Mall Galleria Mall • Seef Mall, Muharraq • Saar Mall

SPORTS & FITNESS

18 | PowerUp | September 2016

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MMA

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SPORTS & FITNESS

September 2016 | PowerUp | 19

SPORTS & FITNESS

The beauty of mixed martial arts is that victory can be achieved in a myriad of ways, both standing and on the ground.

I

n MMA, punching, kicking, and brute force can only get you so far.

Everyone remembers Brock Lesnar’s first fight with Frank Mir, his second professional fight before he went on the four fight obliteration of the heavyweight division.

Lesnar used his explosive power to wrestle Mir to the ground and pound him relentlessly, but Mir was able to capitalise on a mistake, secure a surprise knee-bar, and shock the beast to win a fight he was destined to lose.

Ladies and gentlemen, jiu-jitsu matters in MMA and here are two simple but deadly submissions which can be used to control

20 | PowerUp | September 2016

your opponent’s arm and if necessary, apply so much pressure that they must give up or risk a broken/hyperextended arm.

1

KIMURA FROM SIDE CONTROL

ORIGINS: One of the

greatest judoka of all time, Mashiko Kimura, defeated Helio Gracie with this move, otherwise known as the Reverse UdeGarami. As Kimura weighed down upon the Brazilian, he rotated the arm in the motorcycle motion and applied pressure. Gracie didn’t give up and thus his arm was broken twice until his corner threw in the towel.

STEP 1: With a firmly established side control, you are in a sprawl position.

Ensure one arm is tucked under the opponent’s head and the other underneath the target arm.

STEP 2: The arm underneath the opponent’s head will now come over the head and underneath the target arm establishing a tight grip.

STEP 3: Use your head to keep the opponent’s arm down, with all your weight upon his chest.

STEP 4: Grab the opponent’s wrist with your free arm. Lock the opponent’s arm and rest your elbows on the floor as you compress his arm tight.

STEP 5: Drive forward, step

over the opponent’s head and shift your body back, using your free arm to force the opponent’s arm against the tight grip you have formed.

2

ARM BAR FROM GUARD

ORIGINS: The JujiGatame,

now commonly known as the Arm Bar, is one of the first techniques learned in many jiu-jitsu programmes because it can be achieved from just about every position upon the ground. It’s one of the most simple and most used submmission in MMA today.

STEP 1: Your opponent is in your guard preparing to rain www.powerup-mag.com

MMA

SPORTS & FITNESS

down the punches. Control his wrist and elbow of the hand you want to armbar.

STEP 2: Place your foot on

the hip, tightening your knee behind the targeted arm.

STEP 3: Break your

opponent’s posture by lifting your opposite leg and kicking it towards his armpit, as you press down and keep his posture low.

STEP 4: Control the head and keep it low. Move the hand controlling the wrist to the opponent’s head and keep it tight to your chest.

STEP 5: Move the foot off

1

the hip and around/over the opponent’s head with downward pressure.

STEP 6: Hip up and bridge, while hug holding the isolated arm to complete the arm-bar.

TIPS FOR SECURING THE FINISH: TIP 1: Keep your knees tight together as if you are squeezing an orange in between.

TIP 2: Don’t cross your legs and keep the toes pointing towards the floor.

OTHER STEPS BACK CONTROL

3

This is a position where one competitor gets behind the other and controls him by wrapping his legs around the back of his opponent and placing his heels (also known as “hooks”) inside the opponent’s thighs, while also controlling the torso and arms from the back. Having back control is considered to be very advantageous. This is because the person who is being controlled cannot defend well, especially if the

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2

person with control is on top of the other person, both people face down.

4

HAMMERFIST

A punch where the competitor brings the bottom (pinky side) of his closed fist into contact with his opponent with speed and force.

5

MOUNT

A ground position where a competitor is on top of his opponent with his

legs around the opponent’s body. The opponent is on his back, and the competitor is facing him, driving his hips forward to maintain pressure.

People who are competing may “take the mount” or may “be mounted.” This position is very advantageous for the person on top and very dangerous for the person on the bottom.

6

SPRAWL

A response to a takedown attempt, where the

competitor jumps back, drops his hips, and drives his weight into the opponent who is attempting to take him down.

7

TRIANGLE

A choke performed by a competitor wrapping his legs around the opponent’s head and one of his arms, bending one knee over the other ankle/shin. Named for the shape of the space between the legs, this choke can be executed from the guard or from the mount.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 21

SPORTS & FITNESS

8

MMA

DOUBLE-LEG TAKEDOWN

This is a level change, with the knee hitting the floor; a penetration step, where the user steps forward to get close to the opponent’s hips; and then shooting the hands behind the opponent’s legs and either placing a hand behind each knee or clasping them together behind the thighs.

3

CLINCH A position where competitors try to control each other’s bodies by wrapping their arms around one another, fighting for good arm and hip position, frequently as a precursor to a takedown attempt. The clinch looks a bit like hugging, but is not affectionate.

9

22 | PowerUp | September 2016

GUILLOTINE

A choke a competitor executes by positioning himself in front of his opponent, wrapping his arm around the top of the opponent’s neck and under the chin, and applying pressure on the neck and throat. The guillotine can place a lot of pressure on the neck as well as render an opponent unconscious.

4

6

9

10

SPINNING BACK-FIST

A punch where a competitor starts out facing his opponent and then spins around quickly with one fist outstretched, using the momentum generated from the spin to put force behind the resulting contact, which occurs when the spin comes full circle.

5

7

10

11

8

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SPORTS & FITNESS

THE BEGINNING

MAIN EVENT

THIAGO VIEIRA VS MOHAMMADFAKHREDDINE 8-O-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: BRAZIL AGE:25 HEIGHT: 6'2" CLASS: WETERWEIGHT

8-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: LEBANON AGE:32 HEIGHTS: 0'0" CLASS: WETERWEIGHT

BATTLE OF THE BEASTS The biggest MMA star in the middle-east is headlining Brave “The Beginning”, on a stacked fight card that is mouth-watering top to bottom. He stalks his opponents around the cage, slowly cutting off their bloody supply, or space to move, and draw them into a dog-fight. In a dog-fight, there is no man quite like Mohammad Fakhreddine (8-1), who combines excellent footwork with dynamite fists.

“The Latest” has suffered one defeat, via submission, which he then valiantly avenged in a classic three-round war with Jarrah Hussein Al Silawi. That was his last fight and now Fakhreddine has another war in front of him, with a man who will certainly do something no fighter wants to do, stand bang with Fakhreddine.

Thiago Vieira (8-0) has been obliterating his opposition in Brazil, and out of all his When these fists land, the opponent’s tend to drop to the ground as their legs fail victories, five were ended in the first round, three in the second. This man is a them under the power of “The Latest.”Big men crumble under his shots, not only beast and he’s coming to fight the beast of the middle-east. because of the deadly power he possesses, but his brutal precision.

“Monstro’s” style is aggressive, he is imposing at 6,2, and his kicks, which he often And if he happens to land on top of you in a mounted position, expect some of the likes to use, are deadly. A win over someone with fakhreddine’s reputation will most brutal ground-and-pound ever seen in middle-eastern MMA. place Vieira under the spotlight as a power to reckon.

Fakhreddine is a regional MMA veteran, and a star because he is a true fighter This is a real main event match-up between two men who will not take a who will never run from a fight. In fact, he will chase his opponent’s down until they backwards step, they won’t back down and they prefer to stand and trade – expect stand and fight him, such is his aggressive style. vHis solid takedown defense fireworks, enjoy the show because this fight could be a fight for the ages. allows him to throw his combinations without any inhibitions; if his opponent dares to change levels they will likely eat some punches or end up flat on their backs staring into Fakhreddine’s merciless eyes.

THE BEGINNING

24 | PowerUp | September 2016

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CO-MAIN EVENT

SELWADY VS RAMI AZIZ

MMA

SPORTS & FITNESS

ABDULKAREEM

8-3-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: IRAQ AGE:25 HEIGHT: 5'10" CLASS: LIGHTWEIGHT

5-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: JORDAN AGE:21 HEIGHTS: 5'7" CLASS: LIGHTWEIGHT

AGRO BETWEEN AL-SELWADY AND AZIZ TO BE SETTLED, FINALLY Everyone loves a domestic grudge match, which involves emotion, bravado and Jordan’s Al-Selwady, famed for his vicious striking, has had a long lay-off and has

genuine dislike between the two fighters. Brave Combat Federations premier show, been honing his skills in catch-weight wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. He lost his title in a Brave 1, has made a co-main event which will get all fight fans in the middle-east shock defeat in 2014, and is on a mission to get it back. buzzing.

In fact, the new Al-Selwady may be unrecognizable since his last fight as he’s On September 23rd the new co-main event of Brave “The Beginning” features two been training under the tutelage of grappling wizard Ashraf Shishani, at Shishani dominant Desert Force featherweights, Rami Aziz (8-3) and former champion Submission Systems. Add that to his improved wrestling, already dangerous Abdul Kareem Al-Selwady (5-1), who will now settle an ongoing score in Bahrain striking and you have one very well-rounded fighter. for Brave “The Beginning” He will also have his father in his corner, adding extra emotion to an already Verbal taunting and repeated insults have finally culminated in a fight, which will charged atmosphere. Essentially this will be a compelling contest between two be a significant fight in that weight class, between two genuine contenders. This excellent athletes, who are dying to get their hands on each-other and show the world who the better man is. has been a long time coming and it’s going to be absolutely thrilling to watch.

Baghdad’s Rami Aziz, who has persistently goaded Al-Selwady, is extremely confident in his abilities. Conditioning certainly helps with confidence and Aziz has incredible conditioning, courtesy of his triathlon training and marathon running. His most recent fight saw him capture his third submission victory over Ali Quaisi via rear naked choke and he is certainly a major threat when it comes to the ground game. @powerupmag

More than that, this is a fight between two contenders in the featherweight division who are hungry for success, and aiming for the top. Aziz believes it’s his time, and Selwady is convinced the title belongs to him and he is destined to get it back. On the 23rd of September, one man’s ambitions will be seriously dented and one man will be making his case for the title.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 25

SPORTS & FITNESS

THE BEGINNING

ELDAROV VS KOLDOBSKY

In a titanic battle between two red-hot fighters from two colossal gyms, something’s got to give. KHK MMA’s beast from Daghestan, Eldar Eldarov takes on ‘El General’ from Argentina, Kevin Koldobsky, SBG Ireland’s latest wonderboy.

VS ELDAR ELDAROV KEVIN KOLDOBSKY 6-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: RUSSIA AGE:25 HEIGHT: 5'10" CLASS: WELTERWEIGHT

6-2-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: ARGENTINA AGE:25 HEIGHTS: 5'7" CLASS: WELTERWEIGHT

Two formidable fighters, with similar styles, will go head-to-head in this contest as Eldarov rides a seven fight win streak dating back seven years, while El General has won his last four.

SBG Ireland and KHK MMA have become a new force in MMA, fostering current and future world champions and simultaneously transforming the sport in their respective regions. Now two of their finest athletes will enter the ring and fight, in a battle for bragging rights between the two mighty gyms.

Their styles are simple: pressure your opponent, break their will, then break them.

This will be a fierce fight between two men who like to destroy their foes, not leave it to the judges. They share 13 victories between them inside the cage and 12 of those were finished inside the distance.

Who will be victorious at Brave “The Beginning” and how will they get it done?

Expect Eldarov to utilize his incredible grappling and go for his signature submission, the Rear Naked Choke, whilst El General, Koldobsky, may opt for the same strategy or some ground-and-pound, should he get the strong-as-an-ox Eldarov to the ground.

ABDUL MUNEER VS MASIO FULLEN A fighter who honed his skills in the Ultimate Fighting Championship has arrived in Brave Combat Federation for a new journey! Mexican Masio Fullen is a three-fight veteran of the UFC, and is now looking make a statement in Bahrain’s new MMA showcase.

However, his ambitions in Brave coincide with another spine-tingling arrival – the man they call “Cutman”. India’s most explosive export, Abdul Muneer, has entered Brave and will be looking to give Fullen a rude awakening as East meets West.

THE BEGINNING

The Cutman has a unique, fan-friendly style which makes him an instant hero. Kill, or be killed. He will, as he always does, rush out to annihilate his foe, as quickly and as brutally as possible. His fast hands and explosiveness, combined with solid takedown defence, make him a problem for anyone brave enough to enter the cage with him.

One man who will have no fear is “Lobo”, being so well-rounded, he could end your night in a hundred different ways.

His world class Taekwondo make him a scintillating striker, both precise and unpredictable. He will gladly wait for his foes to make their move and punish them with crisp counters. Yet should you take Lobo to the ground, you had better be an expert, because the Mexican has an array of devastating submissions, whether it’s a Kimura, Armbar or a Rear Naked Choke.

The Cutman Muneer’s fights don’t go past round one, so expect fireworks at Brave 1 when he takes on Masio “Lobo” Fullen, who will be looking to make a huge statement in his new promotion having perfected his art in the world’s most famous battleground.

26 | PowerUp | September 2016

VS

ABDUL MUNEER MASIO FULLEN 6-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: INDIA AGE:32 HEIGHT: 5'8" CLASS: FEATHERWEIGHT

10-6-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: MEXICO AGE:28 HEIGHTS: 5'10" CLASS: FEATHERWEIGHT

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MMA

THE BEGINNING

VS RICHIE MARTINEZ AHMED AMIR 3-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: UNITED STATES AGE:32 HEIGHT: 6'2" CLASS: WELTERWEIGHT

4-1-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: EGYPT AGE:26 HEIGHTS: 5'9" CLASS: WELTERWEIGHT

CRISANTO PITPITUNGE VS IVAN LOPEZ

SPORTS & FITNESS

MARTINEZ VS AHMED AMIR

There is nothing more captivating than watching two experts in their craft go head-to-head. American grappling phenomenon Richie “The Boogeyman” Martinez has arrived in the middle-east armed and dangerous, with his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt and astounding grappling abilities. He likes to submit his prey using a range of moves, but his favorite is the Japanese Necktie, which he has used to extinguish countless foes and will surely be looking to do so in Brave Combat Federation. However, if this is a horror movie in the making, Americas Boogeyman may meet his match at Brave “The Beginning”.

He must face Egypt’s “Butcher”, Ahmed Amir, who has won his last four fights by submission and has some dangerous hands to complement his ground skills. The Butcher will have no fear of the Boogeyman despite him being a Black Belt under Eddie Bravo and a member of the famous “Freak Brothers” alongside his brother Gio. Reputations count for nothing when that cage door closes. Sure, Martinez has spent the last two years on the grappling circuit and should the fight become a grappling contest, there may only be one winner.

However, Amir is called “The Butcher” for a reason. He slices through his opponents like meat, and before they even know it, they’re being packaged up and sent back where they came from in pieces. This is mixed martial arts, where grappling matters, Jiu Jitsu matters, and so do your two fists. Martinez will need to make adjustments as he leaves the comfort of his mat and enters the cage, where the Butcher Amir awaits.

On September 23rd, East meets West in this epic grappling showcase as The Boogeyman and The Butcher, two submission specialists, square-off in Brave’s premier showcase.

THE BEGINNING

Nino Demoledor, AKA Ivan Lopez is quite simply among the world’s elite MMA fighters. He arrives in Brave Combat Federation having won 13 out of 16 MMA battles, which is an intimidating record in this sport. Add to this fact that he has never been finished and he has competed against some of the world’s pound-for-pound best fighters, and you have a man who would strike fear into the bones of the toughest men in the world.

Brave needed a worthy challenger for Nino Demoledor, someone who could stand-up to this beast, look him in the eyes and trade punches with him without taking a backwards step. They needed someone who had fought at the top level, and could cope with the high caliber skillset of Lopez. Brave needed a hungry fighter, who had tasted success and wanted more. They found this man, in the form of Crissantos Pitpitunge, AKA “The Slugger”. This Filipino legend of PXC (Pacific Extreme Combat) is a former World Champion and knows what it takes to beat the best. He’s a fighter through and through who will stand up to Lopez. He possesses aggression, killer instinct and supreme conditioning which means his energy will not wilt even during the most grueling fights. Not to mention his one-punch knock-out power which can stiffen any individual with a single shot.

The Slugger, also a Policeman, will go to war with Nino at Brave 1 and both fighters will be looking to make this division their own. Can Nino transfer his dominance in Mexico to Brave? Will the Slugger be the first man to finish Nino Demoledor? This could not only be a fight of the night, but an all-time Brave classic.

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VS CRISANTO IVAN LOPEZ

8-5-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: PHILIPPINES AGE:N/A HEIGHT: 5'6" CLASS: FLYWEIGHT

13-2-O (WIN-LOSS-DRAW) COUNTRY: MEXICO AGE:N/A HEIGHTS: 5'5" CLASS: FLYWEIGHT September 2016 | PowerUp | 27

SPORTS & FITNESS

MMA

MCGREGOR VS DIAZ FIGHT NIGHT (PART TWO) Well, we were all waiting for it and it certainly didn’t disappoint. In fact, it probably outweighed all expectations. The McGregor vs Diaz rematch was probably the most eagerly awaited fight in recent years.

E

ven those that don’t follow UFC MMA have been intrigued to switch channels to watch what has already been hailed as the best fight of the year so far. You might like or love him, you might absolutely detest him, but whatever your feelings are towards Conor McGregor, the man can certainly draw a crowd.

For me, McGregor is exactly what the UFC has been missing for the last few years, a showman. It isn’t just in the ring that he has shown his talent for drawing crowds, he does it everywhere he goes, be that in training, in the street or at the press conference pre-fight, ‘and boy are they something to behold!’

The press conference before the re-match probably had more talking points than the actual fight itself.

Firstly, McGregor turned up 30 minutes late, which had already served to annoy the hell out of his opponent. Diaz

28 | PowerUp | September 2016

didn’t even let McGregor get through his opening sentence before he stormed off the stage. His team then proceeded to shout abuse at McGregor’s team whilst

possessed, and won it. It was now shaping up to be an epic battle; McGregor fought back in the fourth hitting Diaz with all he had, but Diaz took it all and although he was now

You might like or love him, you might absolutely detest him, but whatever your feelings are towards Conor McGregor, the man can certainly draw a crowd. making their way to the exit.

Now, McGregor didn’t take this sitting down; he let rip with a string of obscenities and even looked like he was going to jump off the stage into team Diaz at one point.

However, the stage was now set for yet another epic fight night.

The rematch took on a similar feel to the first encounter. McGregor came out strong taking the first and second round;Diaz finished the second well and launched into the third like a man

bleeding heavily and was looking pretty battered, he continued to hold his own.

Diaz finished strongly, winning the last round after throwing all he had at McGregor. ‘The Notorious’ had learned a lot from their last encounter and defended well throughout, never allowing Diaz to take him to the ground where he had lost the last fight.

It turned out to be the fourth round where McGregor clinched the contest, and although Diaz put up an

amazing fight, he lost the encounter by three rounds to two.

McGregor was full of respect for his opponent at the close, saying: “I’ll tell you what man, his face was opened up and he’s still just coming. He’s still coming at me. You’ve got to respect that and the style of fighting he brings.”

So,what is in store for the future –it surely can’t finish there? I would personally like to think that we will see a third fight. With the scorecard standing at one fight each, it has to lead to a ‘trilogy’ of fights. From the trash talking and pre-fight abuse through to the exchange of blows in the Octagon, I will be there on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it all ends. If truth be told, I’m a McGregor fan. However, I wouldn’t be disappointed if either came away as the victor. They have both proved themselves worthy of the winners’ accolade.

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SPORTS & FITNESS

MMA

BENEFITS OF MMA COMMUNITY Joining an MMA community keeps you on track with your training and helps you make friends along the way.

MMA

CONFIDENCE The confidence built from training in MMA can accompany you in the office, your relationships, and wherever else you can use a selfassurance boost. You may find yourself with increased leadership skills or an ability to conquer presentations just like you would in the ring.

Cage fighters are extremely disciplined, undergoing rigorous training and explosive fights. This is what it means to make MMA a lifestyle.

M

MA fighters usually undergo intensive and grueling training. To add to that, they are known for having a strict, healthy diet and an intense workout. Why do MMA fighters stomach it? To quote a girl fighter called Cherese, “I want to live a long and healthy life. I feel like I’m able to do that at the gym I’m at, and with the friendships I’ve created. Of course MMA is expensive, but I don’t really look at it as a cost because it’s helping me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I want to invest in that”.

The lifestyles of MMA cage champions are far from normal. Their days consist of training and workout. Most of them work out forty hours a week or more; this is their full time job. MMA fighters’ diet is not for

30 | PowerUp | September 2016

MMA fighting is not just about brutal fighting, it’s an art—its about determination, discipline, hard work, focus, consistency, and patience. enjoyment but for fuel and energy for the body. This rigorous training is essential to prevent injuries while fighting. MMA fighting is not just about brutal fighting, it’s an art—its about determination, discipline, hard work, focus, consistency, and patience.

DISCIPLINE The discipline you’re sure to develop from training in MMA can be applied to the rest of your life, from enhancing your capacity sticking to a schedule to strengthening your resolve to eat well.

FITNESS Training in MMA is guaranteed to increase your level of fitness.

MMA fighters are some of the most superior, well-rounded, Olympic caliber athletes ever. Living the MMA lifestyle can transform your body, along with your mind and spirit.

SELF-DEFENSE Studying MMA can greatly increase your level of preparedness in the face of a dangerous situation. With your knowledge of combative arts, you can defend yourself whenever you need to.

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MMA

BEST PLACES TO LEARN MMA (AND ALLIED SKILLS) IN BAHRAIN

From its humble beginnings, MMA has slowly become one of the most highly anticipated sports with a growing fan base. Here are some of the best places to learn MMA.

BAHRAIN MMA GYM

A small gym on the outskirts of Tubli, but don’t let the humble façade of the place fool you. It has already birthed some of the most renowned MMA fighters in the Middle East such as Mohammed Shahid, CEO of KHK MMA; and Hamza Kooheji who has fought in the Desert Force Championship, the largest mixed martial arts promotion in the Arab world.

For more information: Bahrain MMA Gym +973 1363 0620 /mmabahrain

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REZA’S MARTIAL ARTS CENTRE

Reza’s Martial Arts Centre offers several world respected martial arts, such as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (this programme is affiliated with Alliance jiu-jitsu, the number 1 jiu-jitsu team in the world!), Thai Boxing, and Mixed Martial Arts all under one roof. There are also conditioning classes for those who want to improve their fitness level for their specific training.

For more information: Reza’s Martial Arts Centre +973 1769 4646 www.rezamartialarts.com

RED WOLF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS GYM

SPORTS & FITNESS

BAHRAIN FIGHTERS MMA

Owner Yousif Alkooheji Red Wolf Mixed Martial Arts gym was established at the end of 2014 started Bahrain Fighters MMA in West Riffa two years ago.

by Ahmed Alwazzan. The gym offers Jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing, The gym offers boxing, Muay Thai, MMA and a lot more kick boxing and all the techniques under their British coach a fighter require to be a good Steve. First time visitors get mixed martial arts fighter. Their free classes. head coach is Mr. Faisal Alwazzan and two of their fighters were For more information: Bahrain Fighters MMA selected to be a part of KHK MMA. For more information: Red Wolf Mixed Martial Arts Gym Instagram: team_red_wolf_mma +973 3339 1182

JAPAN KARATE ASSOCIATION

Japan Karate Association Bahrain is an official branch established under the umbrella of the Japan Karate Association World Federation.

JKA is the preserver of the soul and spirit of karatedo, based on the ancient Japanese tradition of Bushido (the way of the Samurai). Its mission is to promote this way of karate throughout the world, ensuring that it remains true to its precepts.

For more information: Japan Karate Association +973 3888 6930 www.jka-bahrain.com

Instagram:@yousifkooheji @coach_siv +973 3300 0374

OXYGEN GYM

Oxygen Gym offers an inspiring mix of classes, including boxing, karate, and taekwondo. To strengthen and condition the body, there is the Abs Buster, Pump Up, Circuit Fear Factor (which includes body toning, weight loss, and anti-cellulite exercises), the Fat Burner, High Intensity Interval Training, Hour of Power, and Strength. Oxygen is your onestop shop.

For more information: Oxygen Gym +973 1761 6165 www.oxygengym.com

September 2016 | PowerUp | 31

SPORTS & FITNESS

TRIATHLON

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT IRONMAN 70.3 MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP BAHRAIN HOW DO I 1 REGISTER FOR IRONMAN 70.3 MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP?

You can register online at www.ironman.com/ bahrain70.3 as an individual or a team. If you are Bahraini please follow the section on the website under register, “Registration for Bahraini citizens”.

WHERE DOES 2 THE RACE START AND WHAT IS THE DISTANCE?

You will begin your IRONMAN journey with a 1.9 kilometre swim off the shores of the spectacular Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay. You will then take off on a 90 kilometre bike ride through incredible landmarks such as the Al Fateh Mosque and then head towards the amazing F1 circuit in the BIC. The run takes you through the Al Areen Wildlife Park and back to the BIC for the finish line.

Come December, it will be another rousing Ironman 70.3 event in Bahrain. We sat down with the organizers to discuss people’s most frequently asked questions about the event.

WHERE CAN 3 I TRAIN FOR IRONMAN IN BAHRAIN?

There are many places to train in Bahrain. During the hot weather it’s best to train indoors on a home trainer on the bike and on a treadmill for your runs. You need to have access to a pool. Most triathletes train in Zallaq for the long bike rides, it’s safe and there are plenty of groups and clubs to join.

WILL I NEED 4 A LOT OF SPECIAL GEAR?

If you’re a first timer, just get the basics first. Your basic needs are a trisuit (that you wear throughout the race), swimming cap, goggles, a bike, helmet, cycling shoes, and running shoes.

5 KIT?

WHEN AND HOW WILL I GET MY RACE

You will receive your race kit during registration that will take place on the 8th and 9th of December from 9:00 am -5:30 pm, at the BIC. Don’t forget to bring ID with you.

6 32 | PowerUp | September 2016

AND RUN BAGS WHEN I CHECK THEM IN?

You will check in your bike and run bags during bike check in at Transition 1 (The Four Seasons) on the 9th. The run bag will be transported to the BIC. On race day, your swim bag will be transported to the BIC and all bags will be collected at a designated area there after you finish your race.

HOW WILL ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS GET TO THE RACE?

7

There will be shuttle buses located at the three race hotels for the event weekend that will run back and forth to both the BIC and the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay for all events.

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HOW DO I VOLUNTEER?

If you would like to volunteer send us an email on the website under the section “Volunteer”. We would love to have you with us!

For more information: Ironman.com/Bahrain70.3 facebook.com/imbahrain703 @im703middleeast

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HAVE FAITH YOU CAN DO IT

Hayley Biddle Women’s Fitness Ambassador | @fitaussie_in_bahrain

SPORTS & FITNESS

T ADVENTURE! FOR A CYCLIST WHO HAS ONLY HAD TO ENDURE THE ROUGH TERRAIN OF ZALLAQ, GOING UP THE FRENCH ALPS PROVED TO BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.

34 | PowerUp | September 2016

he Road to Awareness Cycling Challenge formed by the senior management of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, is one daunting physical and cerebral task. Road to Awareness Campaign was initiated to raise awareness and funds for UNICEF’s water, sanitation and hygiene program (WASH) to provide children with drinking water and proper sanitation facilities

in Africa and the Middle East.

The 9th edition of the challenge took place from June 24th to 26th from from Carpentras till Monte Carlo, taking the riders to 450 kilometers covering Mont Ventoux, Col d’Allos, andCol de la Bonette, before reaching Monte Carlo. Every year, Starwood chooses 20 different passionate cyclists to be part of the challenge.

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CYCLING

SPORTS & FITNESS

PRE-QUALIFICATIONS As a cyclist, you had to be active and cycle at least 100 kilometre weekly. I had three months to train, and believe me, I did not realize the intensity of what I was getting myself into until I

DAY 1

clipped on my bike the first day. I trained on my indoor smart trainer and paddled for few hours every day to prepare my body against the tremendous physical strain those mountains posed.

Distance

157.6 km

DAY 2

Distance

121.8 km

DAY 3

Moving time

Elevation

Moving time

Elevation

Moving time

Elevation

7:40:49

2,634 m

6:39:02

2,438 m

7:29:04

1,900 m

Estimated Avg Power

Energy Output

Estimated Avg Power

Energy Output

Estimated Avg Power

Energy Output

101 w

2,798 kj

123 w

2,935 kj

105 w

2,835 kj

Distance

Day 1 started in Carpentras with a warm up of about 15 kilometres before we arrived to Bedoin and started climbing Mont Ventoux (Altitude 1912 metres). This is the road that has always been taken by the professionals in the Tour de France and the most challenging of the three roads that lead to the top. The giant of the Provence is a very challenging col. The 22 kilometres ascent has three sections, the first one of 6 kilomtres at an average gradient of 5%, the second section is about 10 kms long at an average of 10% and the last 6 kilometres had an average gradient of 7-8%. It was hot, with direct sun and windy; the weather played a major role.

We covered 157.6 km with 2,634 metres elevation gain in 8 hours and half.

OVERALL We were twenty passionate cyclists in this challenge.

There were support cars behind, in front, and in between carrying bags of food, water, and medicine in case we ever needed it.

It was amazing! I had my moments when I thought that I would mentally breakdown and ask myself how far can I still go? I didn’t know what to expect, sleep was hard to come by. Every time you paddle up the mountains it hurts, and it hurts again, and

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Day 2 from Digne les Bains to Jausiers over the Col d’Allos (Altitude 2,250 m) the climb was featured in the program of the Tour de France 2015. This day has been programmed many times in the Tour and is practically a full stage of the Tour. We covered 121.8 km with 2,438 metres elevation gain in 7 hours and half.

you know it’s still going to hurt. But I was determined to finish and suffer for this priceless cause.

This is the first time I have ever attempted something like this, and despite all the training I did for three months, the shock of actually cycling through France in an expedition of this nature was intense. And let me tell you, all the training that I had in Bahrain was not enough to prepare me for those heights, simply because the terrain was different, the experience was different and

165.1 km

Day 3 started with the climb to the top of the famous Col de la Bonette (Altitude 2,715), which was on the programme of the Giro d’Italia this year.

This year’s Giro was decided in the descent of the Col de la Bonette when the Dutch rider Krijswijk crashed and Nibali took the overall lead. We didn’t have time to warm up as when we left the hotel, we immediately started the climb. The mythic climb and the highest paved road in Europe. From the top of the climb we rode in group to Nice, then Monte Carlo, a fantastic 165.1 kms gently descending into Nice. We covered 163.27 kilometres with 1,900 metres elevation gain in 9 hours and half.

the weather was the main hero of the performance. We were sleeping in different hotels every night, and at one time my body just rejected all sorts of food and I had to be fed intravenously. Will I do it again?

Without any doubt YES! However, I will train more intensely and for a much longer period. All in all, I scaled the heights and I finished the expedition without anyincidents. I was a very proud myselfcyclist the minuteI reached the top of each climb.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 35

SPORTS & FITNESS

SPORTS AND BEYOND DR. SAQER AL KHALIFA President, Bahrain Triathlon Association and Assistant Undersecretary for Youth Authorities and Centres Of Ministr of Youth and Sports Affairs

The day I graduated from high school, I thought that I would never hear this again: back to school. But, year after year, I somehow am always connected in one way or another to it, and I am pretty sure that you are as well.

W

ho doesn’t like visiting the stationery store?! Back to school is all about new notebooks, pens, post-its, and anything that can hang, including a weird calendar that starts from August.

As a student, back to school is about using new folders, pens, and notebooks to continue my way through to earning my degree. As a fresh employee, it was about feeling so good that school days were over. As a father, it was about affording to my kids all the things that my parents afforded to me during my days. Last but not least, it is about managing a new year again, with new annual and daily goals that start from the moment I wake up, to the exponentially increasing

36 | PowerUp | September 2016

traffic, to productivity at work, and back home for another day.

The question is, where does the active and healthy lifestyle that we want fit in all this?

It fits in a statement we always hear, but choose to

from The Citadel, it is time management. Reality is, they give you 24 hours, and they expect you to do three days of work in it, and still try to get some sleep, if you’re lucky.

And in reality, we basically have two options if we want

Remember this, that if you have academic or career goals to achieve, exercise has been scientifically proven to help you get to your goals. be very passive about: time management. Also during school days, we get a truck load of homework, and when we ask our teachers about how in the world we can do all this and still have time to play, we get the usual answer – time management.

If there is one thing, one thing only that I have learned

to go through a workout per day during this busy routine of back to school season.

The first option is to inject a workout before school or work, the second is – after. I wouldn’t want to dictate your choices, but if I had ample time, I would do both, a short morning workout, like chest or back sessions, and then

a good cardio session after work, finishing just in time for dinner. However, if you’re busy, you can always dedicate no more than half an hour per day before or after work.

Those in the private sector would tend to do a longer session in the morning and those in the government sector – after they come back from work, due to timings.

But, whatever the case may be, please do not think of this new season without including the time to exercise right from the beginning.

Remember this, that if you have academic or career goals to achieve, exercise has been scientifically proven to help you get to your goals.

Keep an eye on PowerUp every month for all the different programmes you can participate in to make you the person you want to be!

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SPORTS & FITNESS

WITHOUT BORDERS The passport swapping controversy

By Agnieszka Piechoska

qualifying time and won the women’s Rio 2016 Olympic 3,000-metre steeplechase event with the second fastest performance of all time, just milliseconds short of the world record that was set in 1978.

With Jebet’s stunning performance, and her compatriot Eunice Kirwa’s second place in the marathon, Bahrain has been granted its first-ever gold and silver Olympic medals this year. The Gulf nation’s celebrations, however, turned bitter-sweet when social media users began their attack accusing the kingdom of “buying” athletes in order to have them represent the country.

UNFAIR?

P

“Bahrain is always committed to being part of the international community, and we try to standardise our regulations as part of the modernisation process. Having open borders to create opportunities for those less fortunate is our obligation to the international community. I see those Bahraini athletes as teachers. They come here, they motivate our kids, they represent us, and hence, they show us how to become a world class citizen. I thank them all, and congratulate Bahrain for their successes.”

-- Anonymous

38 | PowerUp | September 2016

icture a young ambitious athlete who dares to dream big. She knows she has what it takes to get to the top. She’s not afraid of pain, sweat, and sacrifice. But, to succeed, she needs more. She needs support that her country is unable or unwilling to offer.

Now, picture an opportunity coming her way: top-notch facilities, financial security, and training environment where she can only grow. All she needs to do is… swap her passport for that of another country. What should she do?

Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet, an unknown aspiring athlete at the time, found herself choosing her athletic career over unfavourable state of affairs in her native country.

Her decision to join the Bahraini team paid off; at her very first Olympic Games, Jebet secured the best

Many have pointed out that Bahrain’s 35-strong 2016 Olympic team featured several athletes who were born in Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Russia and Nigeria.

Many found it “unfair”. But, is it really?

Instead of focusing on the politics, how about we concentrate on what really matters in sports – the sportsmen and sportswomen themselves.

First, the obvious: the financial benefits these athletes get when they swap one passport for another are absolutely essential for them to be able to compete against the world’s best. For most of the naturalised players, their countries of origin have very little to offer when it comes to their sporting careers.

Nigerian athletes have been known to sponsor themselves at the Olympics, for lack of other options. They would often get stranded at foreign airports with no aid, and even be deprived of basic necessities such as food before the events.

As if that wasn’t enough, there are other challenges these players usually face.

For those born in China and Africa especially, making

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OLYMPIC GAMES

SPORTS & FITNESS

SO, WHO IS REALLY UNFAIR?

Welcome reception of Ruth Jebet with some of the Bahrain Olympic team and Bahrain Olympic Committee

the switch might be the only way to deal with strong competition on their national teams. Countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia or Morocco are home to a great number of strong athletes, and as a result many of them struggle to secure the spot in the competition – it gets even harder for those with serious budgetary constraints. A chance to represent another country may be their only chance to thrive.

Bahrain is fortunate enough to have the resources neededfor nurturing young athletic talent, and Ruth Jebet’s example shows us how big a difference the right support can make in an athlete’s career. And no, this does not mean that Bahrain takes away opportunities from its home-grown talent.

Let’s be honest – building a strong team can’t be done overnight. It will take a long grooming process that starts at the grassroots level before the Bahraini elite players of the future emerge. In the past few years, Bahraini authorities have been focusing on improving their sports policies and initiatives in order to reach out to the youth, educatethe families, improve access to sport for the citizens, and ultimately, to perform better as a nation in international competitions. A great example is the Sports Talent Identification Program, the product of commendable

@powerupmag

collaboration across several ministries and government entities, which is currently fostering 3,000 young players on their way to athletic greatness.

BREAKING THE RULES?

Those who took to social media to comment on the practice of nationality transfers in athletics often called for strict adherence to “sport’s rules” which countries like Bahrain or Qatar were allegedly violating. However, the International Olympic Committee does not prohibit the athletes from changing the country they represent at any time. In fact, this has been done for as long as the Olympic Games exist.

Bahrain is one of many countries who send naturalised players to compete for their teams.

Let’s take a look at this year’s Olympians alone: 47contestants on the American squad in Rio 2016 were not born in the United States; Somali-born Mohamed Farah won the men’s 10,000-metre gold for Great Britain; one in five of the 140 competitors spread across 55 teams in the table tennis event were born in China, but out of that number, only six actually represented China. The European nations seem to increasingly employ similar tactics as well.

Is it the athlete whose only goal is to reach his or her full potential? Is it the country that offers the perfect conditions for this potential to flourish before it’s too late? Or, is it someone who quickly jumps to conclusions without a hint of a second thought, from the comfort of their home – someone who perhaps never had to choose between their passion, their lifetime career, and their home country? Sporting competitions are not about politics, but about pursuit of excellence – both as an individual and as humankind.

They are about breaking down the barriers and not creating them,because true sportsmanshiphas no borders.

What our readers said…

Congratulations to all who participate and represent their countries in 2016 Rio Olympics. We are all winners. Peace, sportsmanship,and unity! Stop the hate, Godbless us all!

Dimson Lozada Catedrilla It doesn't matter... Those two are Kenyans, but are proudly Bahraini and they make Bahrain proud.

Mohamed AbubakarKhatib Yes, the two are Kenyans, and they’re representingBahrain very well. Congrats to the three #stopracism NaimaThabit

September 2016 | PowerUp | 39

SPORTS & FITNESS

OLYMPIC GAMES

FULFILLING ATHLETIC DREAMS Following the footsteps of Mariam Yusuf Jamal, who was Bahrain’s first Olympic medalist, comes Eunice Kirwa leading Bahrain’s delegation in its quest for glory.

1X OLYMPIC GAMES SILVER MEDALIST

1X WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST

1X ASIAN

GAMES WINNER

E

unice is a KenyanBahraini long distance runner who specialises in marathon running.

She was the gold medalist in the marathon at the 2014 Asian Games and was the first Bahraini to win a medal in the recently concluded 2016 Rio Olympics, where she won silver in the marathon.

Eunice, who clocked in at 2:24:13 was nine seconds behind the race winner, Jemima Sumgong of Kenya (2:24:04). Jemimah said that Eunice kept her company throughout the race. Eunice was in the leading pack of runners, including fellow Bahraini Rose Chelimo who eventually finished eighth 40 | PowerUp | September 2016

out of 157 runners. Bahrain’s other representative to the women’s marathon, Shitaye Eshete did not finish.

Eunice’s Olympic medal was a process that started long ago when she won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon for the second year running.

“The hard work starts now,” she told reporters, “I know the Olympics will not be easy so I have to keep pushing in training”.

Eunice’s career started when she represented Kenya at the IAAF World Youth Championship in Athletics over 1,500 metres, finishing fifth. This was at the age of 15 at the inaugural 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics. She returned

to the distance at the 2001 World Youth Champions in Athletics but did not make the finals. She did not compete at major events over the next few years and tried out steeplechase instead. She was runner-up at the 2004 North Riff Championships in the 2,000 metre steeplechase, then came third in the 3,000 metre version at the Kenyan Athletics Championships later that year.

She changed to road running and reached the top level of the sport in 2012 after moving up to the marathon distance, where she began competing in the circuit in North America and established herself among

the world’s best elite runners in her late twenties.

Determined to compete in international competitions, she transferred her eligibility to Bahrain in December 2013 and started running for her adopted country in July 2014.

On her international debut for Bahrain, she came away with the marathon gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games, beating Japan’s Ryoko Kizaki in the final section of the race. This made her Bahrain’s first ever winner in that competition. Her recent win at the Olympics just confirmed that she has a bright future in athletics. Congratulations Eunice!

www.powerup-mag.com

OLYMPIC GAMES

SPORTS & FITNESS

HISTORIC GOLD AND WORLD RECORD

Ruth Jebet dashed for glory and emblazoned her name in Olympic gold at the 2016 games in Rio and breaks a world record.

T

eenager Ruth Jebet is a long distance runner and steeplechase specialist who competes internationally for Bahrain. She won the women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase gold in the second quickest time in history. Posting a time of 8:59.75, she narrowly missed beating the world record holder Russian Gulnara Samitova-Galkina’s time of 08:58.16. Ruth’s performance was recorded “an astonishing piece of front-running,” dominating from the start.

Her performance shook off the reigning world champion Hyin Kiyeng Jepkemoi of Kenya who was relegated to second place with a time of 9:07.12. She took the lead just after the 1k mark and was never challenged en route to the winning place.

Her gold is the first for Bahrain, the second for this

year’s Rio Olympics, and the third in what seems to be an athletic dynasty in the making.

Ruth said, “It’s the first gold medal for Bahrain. They saw how I ran in the Diamond league and how I did there, and they told me that they were sure of me; that I was going to have a medal.”

“I am happy,” she said of her performance, “Maybe if I was in Kenya, I would not get the chance to go to the [Olympics], because there are many athletes in Kenya. I go to Bahrain because I am in school”.

She took the opportunity to run for Bahrain at the age of 16, transferring her eligibility in February 2013. In April, she won the 3,000 metres and the 5,000 metres at the Kenyan high school championships.

She excelled in her debut outing for Bahrain, coming

second in the 3,000 metres at the 2013 Arab Athletics Championships. Her time of 9:52.47 was a Bahraini national record for the event. She improved upon her own mark that July at the 2013 Asian Athletics Championships, where she seized the lead from the start and never relinquished her position. She was ranked as the top Asian steeplechase runner of that year.

In 2014, while she was only 17, she won the World Junior Championship ahead of two other Kenyan girls. That same month at the Weltklasse Zurich with older competition, she set the Asian continental record at 9:20.55; missing the World Junior record by only .13 seconds (ranking her #31 of all time).

Another win, another medal, and

only 19.

Right after the Olympic Games in Rio, she smashes the world record in women’s 3,000 metre steeplechase by running 8:52.78 at the Paris IAAF Diamond League meet breaking the old world record of 8:58.81 set by Gulnara Galkina when she won the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

We’re sure the future holds great things for this girl.

Congratulations Ruth! We are proud of you!

8:52.78

WORLD RECORD 3000m steeplechase

5 7 .

9 5 : 8

est k c i d qui s t o r y n o sec e i n h tim

@powerupmag

September 2016 | PowerUp | 41

SPORTS & FITNESS

OLYMPIC GAMES

BAHRAIN BLAZES A TRAIL IN

INTERNATIONAL ATHLETIC EVENTS Ever since Maryam Yusuf Jamal won that medal for Bahrain, the country has been highlighted as a hub for potential Olympic victors in the same field.

O

rganised athletics can be traced back to the ancient Olympic games, from 778 B.C. It now forms the backbone of the Summer Olympic Games.

Athletic contests in running, walking, jumping, and throwing are among the oldest of all sports and their roots are prehistoric. Athletic events were depicted in the Ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara, with illustrations of running at the Heb Sed festival and high-jumping appearing in tombs from as early as 2250 BC. The word “athletics” is derived from the Ancient Greek (athlētēs, “combatant in public games”) from (athlon, “prize”) or (athlos, “competition”). Throughout recorded sports history, athletics has always been practiced. The first event contested in the Ancient Olympics was the “stadium” race, a sprint of about 192 metres. This later expanded to include throwing and jumping events within the ancient pentathlon.

Similar events were held in ancient Greece at the Isthmian, Nemean and Pythian Games.

Throughout Europe,

42 | PowerUp | September 2016

local fairs and festivals often included running, jumping and throwing events. In Ireland and Scotland, these developed into organised sets of Tailteann and Highland Games, respectively. There was also a tradition of “pedestrian” events – often with heavy betting involved – in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in Great Britain, which were normally walking or running races.

An athletics competition was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and it has been one of the foremost competitions at the quadrennial multisport event ever since.

Originally for men only, the 1928 Olympics saw the introduction of women’s events in the athletics programme. Athletics is part of the Paralympic Games since the inaugural Games in 1960. The foremost international athletics meeting is the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, which incorporates track and field, marathon running, and race walking.

The 1960s saw a boom in

athletics in developing countries, with the success of African runners and sprinters of Caribbean origin.

Americans have for a long time reigned over men’s athletics, although European nations have also dominated.

For the women, the Soviet Union and the GDR (East Germany) dominated the competitions before their dissolution.

Bahrain has had much success with athletic competitions.

Maryam Yusuf Jamal won silver in the London 2012 Olympics.

Now in the Rio Olympics, Eunice Kirwa took silver and Ruth Jebet brought home a gold medal in moves that confirm Bahrain is one to watch in international athletic events.

www.powerup-mag.com

DARTS

SPORTS & FITNESS

Darts is the ultimate pub game which allows its hero to become more or less acquainted with the crowd. Here are some tips to enable you to improve your game. the time to master a few basic skills. Darts is just like any other sport requiring dedication and practice in order to achieve a high level of competency.

HOW DOES A DART FLY?

Darts travel on a parabolic curve, the same curve that a thrown stone or a rifle bullet uses.

MECHANICS OF THE THROWING ARM

Throwing Stance Diagram No.1

This is the aiming position when throwing darts. Remember, only the throwing arm moves.

WRIST

PARABOLIC FLYING CURVE

Oche/Throw Line

T

hrowing darts is a matter of consistency and practice; you will definitely see a noticeable improvement once you take

Dartboard

HAND

Oche/Throw Line

FOREARM BOARD

UPPER ARM

DART ELBOW

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

Pick a dart that’s right for you. Make sure all three darts are of the same weight and

design. It’s always a good idea to buy your own high-quality darts. Check that the tips are not bent and that the shafts are screwed into the barrel.

Stand on the oche (toe line) with the foot corresponding to which hand you intend to

throw with perpendicular to the line. Many oches will be ruled so you know where to stand.

Draw an imaginary line from where your toe touches the line perpendicular to the oche. Spread your feet apart so you don’t wobble.

Stand up straight, shoulders back but comfortable and in line with the center of the board.

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Grip the dart lightly in your throwing hand. You want the dart stable on your hand and parallel to the floor. Try to keep as little of your fingers touching the darts as possible to ensure a clean release.

When you throw, move only your throwing arm. You want the dart to release at the same point in your throw every time and extra movement will make that nearly impossible.

Snap your wrist. A nice, smooth, clean throw coupled with snapping your wrist like a whip when you release will combine to make a superb throwing action!

Follow through. Never let the throw finish before your arm has completed its job.

A good rule of thumb is that your fingers are pointing down once the action is complete.

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CAR NEWS

REV UP THE 2017 NISSAN ALTIMA, AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIGHT YOUR OWN WAY

The 2017 Altima has arrived dressed with a fresh new look that includes the “Energetic Flow” exterior styling theme and “Gliding Wing” interior layout, “Class Leading Fuel Economy” and “Improved Driving Dynamics and Safety Technology”.

Dramatic changes to the front end of the 2017 Altima are the focal point of the entire car. The energetic flow design incorporates a redesigned V-Motion grille and boomerang shaped headlights, similar to its close relative, the Maxima. This has created a more emotive and striking façade than its predecessor with a wide, deeply sculpted lower bumper, integrated fog lights and prominent chrome-trimmed grille. The reshaped headlights feature LED Daytime Running Lights that sweep into the wide raised hood, creating the perfect harmony between form and function.

Get the latest deals, happenings, and car updates every month on this page.

NEW PORSCHE 718 BOXSTER ARRIVES IN BAHRAIN

Merging tradition and visionary technology, the new Porsche 718 Boxster has arrived in Bahrain, following a comprehensive redevelopment of the mid-engine roadster for more power,

BORN TO CHALLENGE. THE INFINITI Q30 UNVEILED IN BAHRAIN

FIRST MOTORS OPENS NEW USED-CARS AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES SHOWROOM IN SITRA

First Motors, the exclusive distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has recently expanded its investments in the Kingdom by opening a new showroom in Sitra, Eker.

The new showroom is aimed at

44 | PowerUp | September 2016

increased torque, a higher top speed and a stylish redesign. Twenty years after the first Boxster made its debut, Porsche is introducing a new model designation with the generation change. The models are now known as the 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S.

Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, sole dealers for Infiniti vehicles in Bahrain held an exclusive launch of the all-new Infiniti Q30.

The Infiniti Q30 active compact is a new type of premium vehicle for a new type of consumer. The Q30 takes Infiniti’s signature design cues and evolves them into new dynamic shapes. The doublearch grille with 3D mesh, for example, has grown from the Q50, with a more fluid movement into the headlamps.

The dramatic curves and turbulent lines flow up the bonnet, over the fenders and across the bodyline into the strong shoulder of the car.

supporting a sustained growth in marketing and sales activities as well as to cater to a wider outreach of customers from all parts of the country. With the opening of another showroom, First Motors has further increased their presence in Bahrain and their reach in catering to customers who are only looking to buy used cars, also to industries in need of Hyundai’s commercial vehicles.

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SPORTS & FITNESS

KARTING

Every motorsport driver in Formula 1 has started his ascent to world fame through the karting circuit tracks. The PowerUp girls try karting at Gulf Speed One to see if they have what it takes to be champion drivers.

Y

ou might be familiar with the Bahrain International Circuit, since it hosts quite a variety of motorsports in its huge venue. A nice addition to the karting circuit is Gulf Speed One’s seaside track in Al Najma Club. It boasts of a twin engine kart, the first of its kind in the Middle East! It has only opened after Ramadan, but the number of people who go here, especially on a breezy afternoon is astounding. Many people come here in groups or corporations to have fun contests.

46 | PowerUp | September 2016

The karts are awesome fun and remind one of the bumper cars that we played with in childhood. This must be its more adrenaline-filled cousin! Each car has two pedals: one for braking and one for acceleration. You can control how fast you want to go, though in the karting circuit it’s often fast, fast, fast.

What I liked about this experience is the way it tested my reflexes, at times I drive along straight roads, then after a while I’m navigating tight twists and turns.

Behind the wheel, you can whizz away through the track like a boss. (For those people

who have never tried this before, never fear: you do not need prior experience to go-kart.) I have to admit I bumped on the tires at first, the ones put there to designate the circuit tracks, but once I got the hang of it, I was karting away to my heart’s content. Of course later on, Bench said that I looked very stiff on the kart and Redia did twice the karting Karting is widely considered to be the most economic form of motorsport available. If people want to see whether they have what it takes to be racecar drivers, they can easily gain entry to

a karting circuit. Even kids were whizzing away at the tracks. And the parents let them simply because it is one of the safest activities that kids can engage in. The Gulf Speed One tracks are unbeatable in the price they offer, especially to groups and repeat customers. People keep coming back because it’s an experience the whole family can enjoy.

PowerUp Rating: We will definitely go back to the tracks. 5/5 stars! Thank you Gulf Speed One! For more information: Gulf Speed One +973 1759 3737

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Check out some cool places to go this summer and keep updated on our PowerUp website.

www.powerup-mag.com/travelandevents

PARTNERSHIPS

SPORTS & FITNESS

BRINGING PEOPLE

TOGETHER

@Bahrain and PowerUp Magazine have identified sports as one of the key attractions in the Kingdom of Bahrain through which both aim to bring people together.

‘‘P

owerUp and @Bahrain’s focus is on bringing people to the kingdom, and we have identified sports as one of the key attractions. These are mainly sports events that are brought to the country by partners of PowerUp,” so says Benjo Vanlaarhoven, the General Manager of @Bahrain.

PowerUp will launch the Travel and Events section on our website mid of this month. It is a comprehensive listing of all sports, health and fitness events happening in the island. A one-stopshop for events listings and aims to bring together from events organizers, participants, sponsors and spectators to collaborate in one platform. The website will have a facility for online registration for participants, events sponsorship and cost-effective travel packages complete with accommodation, flight tickets and transportation arrangement which will be managed by @Bahrain.

@powerupmag

@Bahrain is focused on developing, managing and marketing Bahrain as a travel and tourism destination. They connect the dots within the travel and hospitality industry from events organizers, airlines, hotels and ground transportation creating products and services for people outside Bahrain to make it easier and more cost-effective for tourists to come here. Benjo says, “We are extremely delighted to finalise this deal with PowerUp Magazine, because I think we are really targeting the same people. Those who are sports-minded, fun-loving, and adventurous.”

“We’re looking at entrepreneurs and associations who are organising awesome events. We envisage @Bahrain to help the ones who are developing ideas and let these great ideas materialise. We also plan on creating a unified sports calendar that can help direct all sports inquiries, bookings, and events in one place. I can see a huge opportunity for the

Bahrain’s travel industry to organise sports exhibitions and conferences, particularly when we look at Bahrain building a core competence in mixed martial arts. In basketball also, there is a great opportunity for the Kingdom to advance, as it is the only sport that has not been claimed by any of the countries in the region. Further to this, we’ve had conversations with the NBA and we look forward to further developments along that line. Another key sports tourism strategy on the island is to get the under-19 Asian Football Confederation tournament. I definitely see an opportunity for Bahrain to become a regional hub for certain sports.”

What does @Bahrain hope to achieve in the next few years? Bencho says, “We want to increase the number of visitors to the events taking place on the island by offering the right deals to potential visitors and making it easier to get access to the events here”.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 49

SPORTS & FITNESS

DESTINATIONS

SUMMER

SPORTS DESTINATIONS

Summer is the time to try some new sports. Check out all the things you can do here and in the GCC.

THE RITZ-CARLTON BAHRAIN The Ritz-Carlton is the ultimate luxurious getaway for the health and fitness buff. Dine healthily in style at the array of restaurants. Get a serendipitous treatment at the spa, which caters to both men and women. Enjoy the various sports activities on offer at the Royal beach club like watersports, fitness bootcamp, TRX, and many more.

For more information: The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain +973 1758 0000

CAMPING WITH TRIBAL FITNESS Youth holiday camps with Tribal Fitness provide a natural immersion into natural movement, food, and living. It is designed to initiate life-long changes with children. Every attendee is expected to work hard, display great manners, and have lots of fun! Using nature as a guide, the camps enable juniors to move closer to their true health.

For more information: Tribal Fitness Bahrain +973 1730 0859

PEARL FISHING AT AL DAR ISLANDS Head on over to Al Dar islands to try your hand at pearl fishing.

You’ll be taken out on a boat, given a rundown on the intricacies of pearl diving and told what oysters to look for. Plus, you’ll be supplied with basket, gloves, and snorkeling gear. Be proud of Bahrain’s pearldiving tradition.

For more information: Al Dar Islands +973 1770 4600

50 | PowerUp | September 2016

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DESTINATIONS

SPORTS & FITNESS

MOTORSPORTS AT DUBAI AUTODROME This is the epicenter of Dubai motorsports, where you can drive karts, F1-style single seaters, and many more. If you feel a need for speed, this is one place that can satisfy you. Warning: it is noise-filled and adrenaline fuelled. Aside from karts, you can try various race-tuned, high-performance vehicles from the Audi to the Subaru STI Impreza. The 5.39 kilometre track features everything you’d want to test your mettle on including high speed straights and technically demanding corners.

For more information: Dubai Autodrome +973 4 367 8700

GOLFING AT THE ADDRESS MONTGOMERIE DUBAI Designed by Colin Montgomerie and Colin Muirhead, The Address Montgomerie Dubai is unique in that the par 3 thirteenth, a hole designed in the shape of the UAE, boasts a 360 degree teeing area around an island fairway and green, allowing for a completely different golf hole to be played every time.

There’s also a teaching academy, a floodlit par 3 course and a swing studio.

For more information: Montgomerie Golf Club Tel: +9714 390 5600 Fax: +9714 360 8981 info@themontgomerie.ae

HIKING AT ABHA, SAUDI ARABIA Abha is the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia, a picturesque place and quite popular among tourists. Part of its charm lies in the mild climate, a relief in these parts. Take the Al Souda cable car ride down to Rija Al Ma’a mud brick village.

Visit the museum and library and the traditional food restaurant or just take a stroll in the beautiful valley.

SWIM IN THE YELLOW LAKE, SAUDI ARABIA Located on the outskirts of Al Ahsa city, one arrives at a sudden large hill overlooking a majestic natural lake. Go with locals who know the route as the path takes you through some intense dirt and sand tracks. @powerupmag

September 2016 | PowerUp | 51

HEALTH& WELLNESS

HEALTHY OPTIONS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

NOTHING, BUT FLAVOR From freshly baked bread and indulgent fillings to fresh veggies and mouthwatering sauces, every sandwich in Subway is handcrafted just the way you like it.

Serving Size (g)

Calories

Total Fat (g)

Carbs (g)

Protien (g)

*The nutrition information of the 6-inch sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less, including wheat bread or white bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers.

Chicken Tikka

253

340

4.8

47.6

27.0

Oven Roasted Chicken

232

320

4.1

48.5

23.3

Roast Beef

217

310

4.4

47.4

20.5

Subway Club TM

241

335

4.7

49.7

24.0

Chicken Teriyaki

253

347

4.4

54.3

23.6

Smoked Turkey

217

315

4.7

49.0

19.5

Turkey Breast

217

297

3.1

49.6

17.9

Turkey Breast & Smoked Turkey

217

306

3.9

49.3

18.7

Veggie Delite TM

161

237

2.5

45.6

8.4

For more information: Subway +973 1771 1711 @subwayarabia

@powerupmag

September 2016 | PowerUp | 53

HEALTH & WELLNESS

DINING

SPOTLIGHT: KALE SALAD Kale salad with nuts and dates procures large amounts of vitamins, fibres and proteins.

A VOYAGE OF

DISCOVERY CHOCOLATE, FOOD OF THE GODS

Though many people recognise chocolate as a sinful food, it’s actually full of antioxidants and chemicals that are good for you. But, there are a lot of myths about chocolate that are completely wrong. When you read the statistics of the World Organization of Chocolatiers, chocolate is unhealthy because it has a lot of sugar and very little cocoa. However, even the components of chocolate are good. Yes, there is a lot of fat, but cocoa butter is actually good fat. As the chef says,

54 | PowerUp | September 2016

“Dairy is not necessarily bad, but sugar certainly is.”

AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH

“When I created Plaisir Du Chocolat 20 years ago, the idea was one of voyage, traveling across continents and unknown lands to get ingredients and flavours.

I never went to a cookery school, my only teacher was my mother. My approach is totally unconventional.’’

“You see, the production of chocolate is an extraordinary and geographical journey.

10,000 years ago, from

Chocolate is the quintessence of healthy food. We sat down with Chef Bertrand of Plaisir du Chocolat to discover a voyage that has taken him through time and space and enabled him to come up with healthy and tempting concoctions. the Amazon forest, it slowly spread throughout Mesoamerica. When the Spaniards came and discovered this continent, a lot of things started to move to Europe which changed the food scenery there. So, there was an introduction of tomatoes, potatoes, corn, and vanilla.”

Exploring the world was always something that I wanted to do. My mother used to give me books about Africa, and from there I just wanted to discover new countries and new places. I have discovered 60 different forms of chocolates from different origins.”

FOOD AS A SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY

“What makes food interesting is the social opportunity it presents as family and friends gather together, and that is what the heart of Plaisir Du Chocolat is,” says the Chef.

It baffles him though how, despite channels like the Food Network and social media discussions, people continue to eat unhealthily even though they are more informed and socially aware.

For more information: Plaisir Du Chocolat +973 7751 0000

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

NUTRITION TIPS

FOR MMA ATHLETES So you think you have what it takes to be a cage fighter? Workouts are only half the battle.

Nutrition is another way for you to get your game on. Below are some tips that will keep you in tip-top shape (hello taper!) and get you ready for your weigh-in.

N

utrition for fighters is different than nutrition for an everyday person.

If you participate in intense sports like Muay Thai, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and of course, MMA, you need to be smart about what types of foods, drinks, and supplements you put in your body. Fueling your body properly will help you push through tough training sessions and get the best results.

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The truth about MMA is that one of the toughest opponents you will ever face is yourself and what you will eat. Without a structured meal plan, your chances of training at a high enough level to take your game to another phase are very slim. Most amateurs will never reach pro status due to nutritional limitations.

This is a sad but true fact.

Every athlete has to learn to eat for function, not flavour.

Sacrifice equals success!

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MMA-NUTRITION

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Stop eating two to three hours prior to bed. This will force your body to use fat as a fuel when you sleep MEAL 1

MEAL 2 (pre-workout meal)

MEAL 3 (post-workout meal)

MEAL 4

MEAL 5

MEAL 6

Protein

Egg whites

Protein Drink

Chicken

Protein Drink

Lean Red Meat

Protein Drink

Carbs

Rye Toast

Energy Bar

Rice Cakes

Fruit

Baked Potato

Fats

Cashew Butter

A varied, well-balanced healthy diet makes it easier for athletes to optimise training and increase their success in tournaments. The goal here is to maximise fighting potential as much as possible.

REAL FOOD

Eat real food and minimise the amount of supplementation whenever possible.

EAT SMALLER BUT MORE FREQUENT MEALS

It’s better to eat five or six small meals a day than three big ones. See above table. When you eat every three hours, instead of every five to seven hours several things happen. First, every time you eat, you cause your metabolism to speed up and get active to digest that food. As a result, you’ve got an active metabolism that works all day, and your body will have a much easier time digesting smaller amounts of food every few hours than if you eat a full meal and your body feels sleepy and heavy.

WATER AND PROTEIN

A maximum of two gallons of water per day is usually sufficient to flush out the protein in any size athlete.

The amount of water you take in is necessary to maintain a high metabolic flush of the protein as you are consuming.

The lack of water in your diet @powerupmag

will result in excess gas and improper digestion of the protein you are consuming.

REMEMBER

Egg protein and whey protein are absorbed best by your body. Fish, chicken, and lean beef are some of the next best proteins. It is important to eat an equal portion of protein in each meal that is approximately the size of your fist.

CARBS

Athletes should not be afraid of taking carbohydrates.

It takes carbohydrates to burn fat. However, too many carbohydrates will be converted back into fat and stored in your body. Take your carbs at strategic times of the day, like breakfast, or pre or post workout. If you take your carbs postworkout, this allows your muscles to recover faster.

Oatmeal is a good choice for a post-workout, slow-acting carbohydrate.

CARBS IN FRUITS

Most of the carbohydrates associated in fruits and vegetables are offset by the amount of fiber ingested.

AVOID CARBS

During the last meal of the day so you don’t inhibit growth hormones. Also try not to drink your carbs in the form of beer or sodas unless it’s a high quality post-workout drink. This also extends to processed carbs such as pizza, doughnuts, biscuits,

Cashews

Peanuts

and so on. Similar food that should be avoided are French fries, bagels, potato chips, etc. Many processed carbohydrates have been stripped of their natural minerals and specifically their natural fiber.

HEALTHY FATS

Some good examples of unsaturated fats are nuts, nut butters, olive oil, olives, avocados, and fish oils.

INSTANT MEALS

High quality protein drinks or protein bars make nutrition a breeze, plus they’re packed with nutrients. You can carry one for when you’re at work or don’t have time to cook.

PRE-WORKOUT/ ENERGY

Pre-workout meals, supplements, or drinks are very important because they fuel your workout. Learn what healthy foods give you energy and bring these to your gym.

MULTIVITAMINS.

Taking multivitamins/ minerals will allow for proper absorption and usage of carbohydrates and proteins. These products should be taken with your meals.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 57

HEALTH & WELLNESS

WEIGHT LOSS

3 STEPS TO GETTING LEAN FAST Getting lean is never easy and it’s always something most of us desire. I have some good news-I have put together three doable steps to give you fast fat loss results.

58 | PowerUp | September 2016

ADJUST YOUR FOOD

GET SOME SLEEP!

Begin by eliminating high carb foods and drinks and replace them with high quality protein, dietary fat and healthy low sugar carbs.

It’s also very important to eat your vegetables as these provide antioxidants and fibre. And, the best thing about these low carb vegetables such as kale, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, bok choy, asparagus, cucumbers, celery and arugula, is that you can just about eat as much as you want to fill up and feel satisfied. Ideally, every meal should contain a low carb vegetable and you can eat as little as one cup and up to three cups if you need per meal. Hold the butter and dressings of course! You can also include a serving of lower carb fruits such as berries. Starchy carbs and higher carb fruit should generally be avoided or consumed occasionally or at specific times, for example at pre and post training, depending on your body composition, genetics and specific goals.

And, don’t be scared of fat. Every meal should contain some fat. Most high quality protein sources will automatically contain some fat, but you can easily get enough good fat by cooking your meat and veggies with coconut or olive oil (I mostly use coconut oil), or adding avocado to salads.

This sounds inconsequential but having regular adequate sleep times helps optimise your hormone patterns, making it easier to reduce body fat fast.

So many people fail with their fat loss journeys because they don’t fix this factor that affects hunger and your food cravings. Instead they just try to work out and eat as little as possible and all this will do is just raise your cortisol levels which trigger your cravings for high carb/high fat comfort foods. Try eating six smallish meals a day, every two to three hours to balance hormones like insulin and cortisol.

The other important factor about sleep is that when we get enough sleep our hormones are better balanced. Sleep deprivation is the enemy of fat loss. Why? As already mentioned, it raises cortisol, lowers blood sugar balance and compromises insulin sensitivity. And, when we are sleep deprived (parents, we all know that feeling!) our cravings for naughty high fat, high carb junk food increases and we blow the diet.

HIIT THE GYM Your workouts should consist of high intensity interval style training (HIIT) and resistance training.

We all know we need to exercise for effective fat loss, and if you follow step one and two above, you will lose fat

either way, but doing some form of interval training such as weight training and HIIT or sprints will accelerate your results and help keep the weight off as it lets you retain your beautiful muscle. This is critical because the more muscle you have, the stronger you are and the higher your metabolism is so that you can handle more calories in your diet.

HIIT burns a large amount of energy quickly and increases post-exercise calorie burn (the glorious ‘afterburn’) to a greater extent. It also tends to be less boring than aerobic steady state cardio such as walking on the treadmill!

Ideally, you should be doing at least four 60 minute long weight training workouts a week that target the whole body. Try two lower body and two upper body workouts.

And, if you have the time and motivation for even faster results, do two additional short sprint interval workouts, or HIIT workouts. Do these separately from your weight training sessions.

So there you have it, three very easy steps to get you on the road to getting lean.

If you need any advice on finding a trainer or getting started, drop me a direct message. If you need help with your weight training, follow my daily workouts.

For more information: Hayley Fit Australian in Bahrain @fitaussie_in_bahrain

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Have a Cup Coffee may be one of the most iconic drinks around. But is it actually healthy? We sift through the facts and figures to find out.

COFFEE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

PREVENTS TYPE-2 DIABETES

In a study of more than 193,000 people, those who said they drank more than six or seven cups of coffee daily were 35% less likely to have Type 2 diabetes than people who drank fewer than two cups daily. There was a 28% lower risk for people who drank less than four to six cups a day.

IMPROVES ENERGY LEVELS AND MAKES YOU SMARTER

Coffee can help people feel less tired and increase energy levels. This is because of caffeine, a psychoactive substance that blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine.

REDUCES PAIN

Being in pain in the course of a typical workday is not unusual. What’s interesting is how many people feel rejuvenated following a coffee break.

IMPROVES PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat, which is then released to the blood as free fatty acids, making them available as fuel.

BURNS FAT

A SINGLE CUP OF COFFEE CONTAINS: RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2) 11% OF THE RDA PANTHOTENIC ACID (VITAMIN B5) 6% OF THE RDA MANGANESE AND POTASSIUM: 3% OF THE RDA MAGNESIUM AND NIACIN (B3). 2% OF THE RDA

Did you know that caffeine is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement?

That’s because caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning. It can boost the metabolic rate by three to 11% and it can specifically increase the burning of fat by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people.

For more information: Camardo Coffee +973 1331 1566

CONS CHANGES SLEEP PATTERNS STAINS TEETH MAY CAUSE STOMACH UPSET

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September 2016 | PowerUp | 59

HEALTH & WELLNESS

EXPERT TIPS

TIPS FROM THE

EXPERTS

This monthly feature answers reader’s questions from top medical and fitness experts Our expert dermatologist Dr Chippi Vijayan from the Royal Bahrain Hospital shares her smartest tips and tricks for solving your hot- weather skin problems.

SUMMER GLOW SKIN CARE TIPS WHAT SKIN CARE ROUTINE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND UNDER MIDDLE EASTERN CONDITIONS? We have an extreme climate here most of the time. During summer, it’s hot outside and cool indoors, because of the air conditioners; in winter – it’s cool outside and warm indoors, because of the heaters. This causes the skin to be dehydrated most of the time, which manifests as dryness and itchy, flaky skin.

To reduce this, it is essential to drink lots of water and eat food with high water content, such as fruits. Use moisturising lotion during summer and creams during winter.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMMEDIATE REMEDY FOR SUNBURN? WHAT TYPES OF SKIN DISEASES ARE MOST COMMON IN THE MIDDLE EAST? We see a lot of patients with eczema, especially atopic

DR CHIPPI VIJAYAN is a Dermatologist at Royal Bahrain Hospital

dermatitis. Among infectious diseases, viral infections are rather frequent, such as viral wart and Molloscum Contagiosum. Acne is also common.

For an immediate relief, you can apply cold water over the affected area for a few minutes, which will soothe the inflamed skin.

ARE PEOPLE MORE OR LESS PRONE TO SKIN CANCER AND/OR

MELANOMA IN THE MIDDLE EAST? Skin cancer, including melanomas, is not that common in the Middle Eastern countries among the locals. However, they are more common among the expat population.

WHAT ARE THE SAFEGUARDS FOR SKIN CANCER (ASIDE FROM SUNBLOCK?) A beginner should get a PThe simplest way is to avoid tanning of skin and to prevent sunburn. You can use self-tanning lotions instead, and wear protective clothing when going out into the sun. I strongly recommend a yearly check-up of skin by a dermatologist for suspicious moles or other skin lesions.

HOW CAN PEOPLE WITH OILY SKIN MANAGE THIS CONDITION UNDER THE VERY HOT WEATHER? In addition to drinking plenty of water, use cleansers meant specifically for oily skin, together with noncomedogenic sunscreens.

Exfoliating face wash should be used once or twice a week; clay based face mask to control oil once a week, and finally – oil free moisturising lotion at night.

Send your questions to editorial@powerup-mag.com 60 | PowerUp | September 2016

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FIRST TIME IN BAHRAIN THE CUBAN SPORTS MEDICINE EXPERIENCE Clinic of DR. FRANCISCO AUGUSTO CHAPMAN BENNETT In the National Sports Medicine Centre – Bahrain Olympic Committee

Now Open

A distinctive medical leap Using sports medicine expertise from the Republic of Cuba

A sports-medicine specialized consultant, a seniors specialist in the field of sports injuries since 1992, he has served in various military, medical, and sports sectors in the Republics of Cuba as well as in Ethiopia, India, Algeria, Mexico, Venezuela, Portugal, and the Kingdom of Bahrain for more than 20 years.

National Sports Medicine Centre / Khalifa Sports City Opening Hours: Monday- Wednesday (17:00- 20:00) For Reservations: +973 1717 6804/ 1768 0693 For more information: www.boc.bh

HEALTH & WELLNESS

MIND AND BODY

ANTI-BULLYING TIPS Bullying is a serious issue that has beset many youngsters for ages. It’s time to put a stop to such a potentially damaging incident.

IF YOU ARE BEING BULLIED • Tell an adult. They have more experience and can help you deal with bullying.

• Understand that you are not the problem. Speak up.

You’re helping more than one person.

• Ask your friends to help you, there is safety in numbers.

• Practice what to say next time you’re bullied with your parents, teachers, or friends.

• Be cool and try not to retaliate. You are not a bully.

• Stay calm and just walk away.

• Or try to laugh it off. This will catch the bully off guard.

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• Stay away from places where bullying happens.

• Only spend time with people who make you feel good about yourself. Life’s too short to be with people who constantly put you down.

• Do things that make you feel good, relaxed, and make new friends. These activities will increase your confidence and energy.

• Respect other people. Treat them the way you want to be treated.

• If you think you have bullied someone in the past, apologize. Everyone feels better.

CYBERBULLYING • Write down what happened, when it

happened, and who was involved. If the bullying is online, keep the evidence— save or copy any photos, videos, or texts, emails or posts.

• Always think about what you post. Do not share anything that could hurt or embarrass anyone.

• Keep your password secret from people.

• Control your privacy settings so total strangers don’t see what you post.

• Talk to an adult about any messages that make you sad or scared.

IF YOU WITNESS BULLYING • Stand next to, or speak up for, the person being

bullied.

• Ask the bully to stop.

• Comfort the person being bullied and offer friendship.

• Walk away and get help.

Find an adult who can intervene.

IF YOU ARE THE BULLY • Make a commitment to change. Talk to an adult about how to get along well with others.

• Ask a friend to help you stop your bully behavior.

• Think about what it feels like to be bullied—would you want to be treated that way?

• Before you speak, think about whether your words will hurt or help.

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YOGA

YOGA

The buildup of stress over time is something that becomes toxic to the body if not taken care of. Here, Banu from Pure Yoga demonstrates some effective moves that will take you to temporary bliss.

SPORTS & FITNESS

PADMASANA (LOTUS POSE) The Padmasana or Lotus Position is a cross-legged sitting Asana in which the feet are placed on the opposing thighs.

The asana is said to resemble the flower Lotus to encourage proper breathing, to associate meditative practice, and to foster physical stability. If you don’t know the proper technique or if you rush the process you could risk injury and discomfort. When working on Padmasana, the key is to learn how to open and rotate the hip joints.It is a hip opener and works well on the root chakra(mooladhara chakra)

UTHITHA HASTA PADANGHUSHTASANA (STANDING BIG TOE LIFT) Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose is an intermediate yoga posture that stretches the backs of your legs while challenging your balance. It is a great preparatory pose for deeper hamstring stretches, such as standing split (urdhva prasarita ekapadasana)and Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana).

BAKASANA (CROW POSE)

NATARAJASANA (DANCERS POSE) This is a balance asana that strengthens the legs. It also is a full body stretch which engages the shoulders, chest and abdomen, strengthens the thigh and calf muscles, knees and ankles, hips and spine, and develops concentration and grace. An intermediate or advanced-level asana, natarajasana helps cultivate strength, openness, an elegance of form and action amid the powerful energy required to balance on one leg while in a deep backbend.

For more information:

This pose is great for confidence building, as well as developing arm and core strength.

While arm balances can seem daunting, practising this pose will help you conquer the challenging attributes to arm balancing poses.

It’s a good idea to understand the basics of Crow Pose first. Though it may seem tricky, Crow can be a fun pose when you get the hang of it.

EKA PADA RAJAKAPOTASANA ( PIGEON POSE) Yoga handles stiff hips in a variety of ways, but most directly through a family of poses that are known loosely as “hip openers.”

Some hip openers lengthen the Psoas muscle, a primary Hip Flexor connecting the torso and legs that gets chronically shortened in our chair-bound society.

Pigeon Pose is an extremely effective hip opener that addresses both areas, with the front leg working in external rotation and the back leg in position to stretch the psoas.

Pure Yoga Hamala, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel. +973 1700 7111

@powerupmag

September 2016 | PowerUp | 63

HEALTH & WELLNESS

MIND & BODY

5 TIPS TO A HEALTHY HEART

NICKY HOLLAND Fitness First Instructor

It’s not for nothing that the main muscular organ in our body is the heart.

T

he heart is responsible for pumping blood around the body and the brain, all of which keeps us alive.

Instead of abusing it with smoking, drinking and sedentary lifestyles; it’s time we realise the importance of a healthy heart and its care as, cardiovascular diseases become one of the leading causes of death amongst women. From Nicky Holland, Fitness Manager at Fitness First, know how to reduce your risks and nurture a healthy heart.

1

Reap benefits from exercise

If you have a problem keeping up with a disciplined exercise regime then start with activities you love doing.

Right from swimming, running and cycling to playing squash and volleyball; they all are great at improving your heart’s functioning and strength. In time, push yourself further and make these routines intense so that your heart works harder to stay fit. Studies show that by staying active and healthy through exercise, improves the health of your heart and reduces the risk of any heart condition. Exercise burns fats and calories, improves fitness, changes your body shape and releases endorphins to make you feel good afterwards.

64 | PowerUp | September 2016

In case you can’t figure out where to start, reach out to any Fitness First club and let a qualified Personal Trainer help you.

2

De-stress

It’s no secret that stress plays a vital role in your heart’s health. Calming activities like meditation help unwind but to optimize benefits, combine it with slow-moving exercises like Yoga, Pilates or Tai-Chi. The relaxing movements in these forms of exercise are known to improve your body-mind connection and hence allow you de-stress at ease.

Pumping up the endorphin levels in the body, these sure elevate the feel-good factor in you to maintain a happy heart. It is absolutely essential to keep the body moving around as sitting still for too long can cause the veins to clot. This is known as deep vein thrombosis which occurs when the body is kept still for too long or in a certain position. With an active lifestyle your heart needs to stress less to keep itself beating, so keep moving and keep your heart happy.

3

Commit to a heart-healthy diet

Pave your way through nutrition for a healthy heart.

Low-fat and low-sodium

are keys to managing heart diseases. Load up on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fibre and poultry.

Fatty foods which are high in calories and fats can cause you to put on weight.

This in turn puts stress on the heart as it will have to work harder to pump blood around your body. If you do eat fats then trans-fats should be avoided such as baked foods and fast foods as they raise cholesterol. Along with exercise, keeping a check on food consumption goes a long way in controlling weight, blood pressure and cholesterol; and work wonders for your heart’s health.

4

Know your health indicators

Blood Pressure, Glucose levels and Cholesterol are key indicators of heart’s health.

Depending on the number of risks you are exposed to, the digits vary individually. For eg- If you have a family history of diabetes and hypertension, then you are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and hence your health indicators will vary accordingly. Take up regular check-ups to keep a tab on these and don’t miss out on any fluctuations in readings that will indicate you to alter your lifestyle habits accordingly.

5

Quit smoking and drink less alcohol

Smoking is a big NO when it comes to a healthy heart and one must avoid even passive smoke. Giving up is the best thing you’ll do to your heart as your risk to coronary heart diseases comes down to half as that of smokers. Cutting out the intake of tobacco will free up the veins and arteries around the heart and lungs, resulting in positive effects and will allow blood-pumping around the body more easily.

It’s good to remember that alcohol contains calories and drinking regularly will make a noticeable impact on the scale. Try and maintain a cap to your drinking habit so that it does not become a major risk towards your heart’s health.

It’s not about a day or two, couple of months or a year; maintaining and taking care of your heart’s health is a lifelong commitment. Making heart healthy changes to your lifestyle and routine is the only effective way that will help your heart beat to its fullest.

After all, we just have one heart, take care of it!

For more information: www.fitnessfirstme.com Bahrain Trade Centre- 17131499 Oasis Mall, East Riffa-17620005 Juffair Mall- 17467044

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Bahrain Tel: +973 17 820 920

KSA Tel: +966 50 397 9627

www.alethmad.com | www.ladhair.com

SPORTS & FITNESS

BOXING

PUNCH UP YOUR

WORKOUT

Quality in is coaching ing n r the disce ween factor bet and success failure

One-on-one with Tariq Abdulrahman, founder and head boxing trainer at Lift Strength and Conditioning

WHAT IS LIFT?

Our sports scientists and the strength and conditioning coaches provide the very best in Results Based Training (RBT). Our members utilise the latest in conventional, unconventional, and functional training methods.

The gym also hosts Bahrain’s first fully dedicated boxing club that is affiliated with former World Welterweight Champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton’s Academy in Manchester, England. All our boxing coaches have had a number of amateur and professional fights, and all have undergone the British Boxing Board of Control’s rigorous coaching qualifications.

WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT ON BAHRAIN’S SPORTING SCENE?

Our niche lies within the quality of the boxing coaching and training. I have trained and fought in gyms across the UK and North America and have seen that quality in coaching is the discerning factor between success and failure. Many

66 | PowerUp | September 2016

local gyms might “offer” boxing and maybe even have the latest boxing equipment, but they never focus on the sport itself, which is why there is lack of growth among the gym goers and fighters. We make quality and safety our primary goal. Whether you want to have fun and learn a new sport that helps with stress busting or fat loss, or wish to hone your skills as a pugilist – we take the same approach: quality first!

ASIDE FROM BOXING, WHAT OTHER PROGRAMMES DO YOU OFFER?

Our strength and conditioning coaches are all either sports science graduates from the UK and/or are Register of Exercise Professionals qualified. Our functional training centre offers the latest in conventional and unconventional strength and conditioning training, plus we have a dedicated Olympic Weightlifting programme.

WHO ARE THE PROS

THAT RUN YOUR GYM?

Our current pro is Jake “The One” Spring. With 12 years’ experience – ten of which were at an amateur level with a record that stands at 24 bouts, winning 20 – Jake holds nine titles, and has reached the semis of the ABA. As a Hatton Academy affiliate, we also have other boxers visiting from Europe and North America to run their training camp for their upcoming fights.

WHO IS YOUR MULAKEM YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME FOR, AND HOW WILL YOU SELECT THE PARTICIPANTS?

We aim to boost boxing on a grassroots level in Bahrain by providing the local youth – both girls and boys – with a new athletic outlet. We offer five annual Mulakem scholarships to Bahraini youngsters aged between ten and 15. These grants include an annual full access

pass to the gym and one-onone boxing sessions with our trainers. We want our young boxers to grow an amateur career or as an Olympic representative that hopefully flourishes into a professional career. We will be hosting our trials next year.

SHOULD WE EXPECT ANY MAJOR BOXING EVENTS COMING TO BAHRAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

Yes! We will be hosting our first event in the coming months. This will be a “White Collar” event, featuring complete novices of any background and fitness level, who will train with us and fight under the banner of charity.

We will also hold an event for more seasoned fighters who are early in their amateur careers in Europe and the UK and wish to test themselves against one another. We hope to train more Bahrainis, and we’re planning four annual events starting next year!

For more information: LIFT Strength & Conditioning +973 3640 2139

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TRAVEL FITNESS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

2 SWIMMING

Many hotels have swimming pools or if you are at the beach, enjoy the water to keep yourself fit. Exercise in the water is cooler and more comfortable than it is on land.

BENEFITS

Releases stress Improves flexibility and strength Builds up endurance Increases muscular flexibility & balance Heart muscles become stronger Develops social network

TRAVEL

FITNESS

BY SHILPA DHUME

Travel satisfies the need for human adventure. Here are some tips to keep fit while traveling.

T

ravel is often a glorious experience of exploration and transformation that resets our perspective of life in a wonderful and inspiring manner. For business, pleasure or visiting our loved ones, at some point in our lives we all depart from the comfort of our home to visit another location. While travelling, our normal routine gets completely disturbed.

When we travel, we need to adjust ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally to a new environment. To make our adjustments peaceful and positive, the body, mind and soul needs to be aligned in one direction. The best @powerupmag

strategy is to keep things simple and to include some exercise everyday.

According to a myth, exercises are only done in the gym with tread mills, cycle, weights and other equipments. However, if we are constantly committed to remaining fit we can exercise without the gym.

If Barrack Obama, the President of the United States, arguably one of the busiest men on the planet, can find one hour a day for exercise, I don’t see why we can’t do the same. There are many ways to fit in fitness without the gym.

Here are three easy ways to get moving while traveling, as well as their corresponding benefits.

When we travel, we need to adjust ourselves mentally, physically & emotionally to a new environment.

1BRISK WALK OR RUN

Is free, convenient and easy.

All we need is a good pair of athletic shoes.

Walking or running on the beach or in the park, or along the road side is fun in favourable weather conditions:

BENEFITS

Get acclimated to new surroundings Exposure to sunlight and fresh air Uplift your mood and boost your fitness profile Increase your energy and stamina Improve your balance and coordination Walking barefoot on the sand or in the grass offers a unique subset of benefits, so, get out and get moving.

3 YOGA

Yoga is “a scientific system” that helps us remain centered and balanced which is most essential when we are outside of our rooted everyday lives.

Yoga postures generate greater clarity and harmony in life.

BENEFITS

Breathing exercises help control anxiety and refresh our mind Yoga postures improve blood circulation in the body Lowers blood pressure Combats fatigue and boosts feelings of vitality Gently strengthens the back and the abdominal muscles Meditation cleanses the mind and boosts cognitive functioning, focus and concentration Increases the quality and quantity of sleep Vacation is a great time to enjoy as well as to keep fit and healthy. Once you realise there are many options available that will make exercises enjoyable. Keeping fit is a way of life and cannot be limited to place or time.

When there is a will there is a way.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 67

HEALTH & WELLNESS

GROWING STRONG

WORKOUT What’s keeping you from working out? Too little time, low on energy, or just dreading the exercise? Get ready to get motivated with the City Walkers fitness programme!

W

e know what it’s like to have no time or no will to work out.

But, we also know that no excuse is good enough not to keep fit. There are too many great reasons to exercise – it gives us energy boost, puts us in a good mood, and improves our physical and mental health.

Pretty much everyone can find a physical activity they enjoy; you just need to find the one that’s right for you.

MAKE IT SOCIAL Making exercise a habit can be much easier when done in a group. Working out with friends isn’t exactly a new idea — but it’s a tried and true way to stay on track. Knowing that someone is expecting you

68 | PowerUp | September 2016

to show up for a class keeps you accountable — and that alone may be enough to get you out the door. Plus, many people simply have more fun when exercising with their pals!

That’s why joining a group exercise programme may be the perfect thing to get started or even to break your usual workout routine. For that, we just love the concept of City Centre Bahrain’s City Walkers! It is a supervised energetic mini-exercises programme that combines a fun atmosphere with a calorie-blasting and fatburning exercise plan. It is suitable for anyone, whatever the age or fitness level. The classes are run by a certified fitness personal trainer, who will motivate, train and educate the participants with useful health tips, to take your training to the next level.

BENEFITS OF GROUP FITNESS CLASSES Group exercise can provide support as well as structure to an activity programme.

The social exercisers enjoy the activity more and remain more active in general.

Being in a structured and social exercise environment has an added advantage: an instructor keeps track of how intensely you’re exercising.

You don’t need to count minutes or repetitions, you simply follow directions! Use the instructor’s expertise to keep you challenged and performing the exercises properly to avoid an injury, and see if you can make new friends as you go!

The City Walkers programme has been growing strong since its launch in April 2010. Today, they have over 2,000 registered members, with more than 200 regulars who meet three times a week working up a good sweat.

The meetups take place three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, from 9 am to 10 am. To join the programme, you can register at City Centre Bahrain, Ground Floor Customer Service Desk.

All participants also receive an exclusive City Walkers T-shirt after joining three sessions.

There is no age limit or restrictions on joining the City Walkers programme, and it is completely free of charge for residents.

CITY WALKERS WORKOUT The group works in superset format, 2 exercises in pair, 15 reps each (some exercises will be time based), in 3 sets with 30 second breaks before moving to another superset.

EXERCISE DURATION 60 minutes including warm up/stretching and cool down period Warm up – 5 min Core workout – 50 min (superset/30 sec break) Lunges – 15 reps Push ups – 15 reps High jumps – 15 reps Plank – 30 sec Pulsating/partial squats – 15 reps Mountain climbers – 2 x 15 reps Side lunges – 2 x 15 reps Star jumps – 15 reps Get ups – 15 reps Crucifix push/wide push ups – 15 reps Lateral/skater move – 2x15 reps Sprint on the spot – 30 sec Cool down – 3 to 5 min

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WORKOUT

PUSH UP

The push up is a classic body weight exercise which targets your chest, triceps and core.

First, get front down on the floor, hands placed on the floor in line with the chest, shoulder width apart. Make sure your back is straight be careful not to arch.

FITNESS WORKOUT City Centre Bahrain’s fitness instructors Carl Guthrie-Evans and Julie Costello shows some of the fitness exercises done during their session.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS A controlled core exercise targeting the deeper muscles within the core to help tone your stomach.

In a plank position, weight through the arms, core kept tight, head looking forward swing knees towards the chest with momentum hopping from one foot to the other.

@powerupmag

1

EXPLOSIVE JUMPING JACKS

Perfect for raising your pulse and targeting the lower body muscles.

You start in an upright position, drop down to a squat with your arms, spread across in front of your shins. With energy, explode upwards stretching your arms out to the sides and up overhead with your legs out to the sides then land in a squat position and repeat.

1

2

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE GET UP This is fantastic full body exercise that targets the core and the legs mainly lying down, back flat on the floor, knees bent, arms overhead.

Bring arms forward with explosive energy, drive up from the floor through your feet into an upright position. Once upright jump upward to complete the movement.

1 2

2

3

September 2016 | PowerUp | 69

FASHION &

2 3 4 @powerupmag

1

TRAINERS

FASHION & GEARS

TRAINERS

Because there’s more to life than plain white sneakers

SPEED 3 GO MEB WOMENS

1 2

GO RUN FORZA

3

GO RUN RIDE 5 MEN’S

4

The next generation of Meb’s signature racing shoe is better than ever. Sleek synthetic and mesh upper with high impact shock absorbing midsole.

Superior stability comes with the signature Skechers GOrun comfort in the GOrun Forza stabilising running shoe. Seamless minimal upper combines with a two part Resalyte® stabilised midsole for a true stability running experience. Winner of Competitor Magazine’s ‘Best Debut’ Spring 2016 award.

The next generation of Skechers GOrun Ride™ has increased Resalyte® cushioning for additional impact protection and response. Synthetic and mesh fabric upper with 3D printed overlays.

For more information: City Centre Bahrain • Seef Mall • Ramli Mall • Bahrain Mall • Galleria Mall • Seef Mall, Muharraq • Saar Mall

September 2016 | PowerUp | 71

FASHION & GEARS

CYCLING

Your hunting for the coolest r is cycling gea over!

BONTRAGER PARADIGM XXX CARBON SADDLE

BRING

THE HEAT

BONTRAGER BALLISTA ROAD HELMET

inForm Biodynamics for optimal skeletal support without putting unnecessary pressure on soft tissue.

Minimalist construction, carbon fiberreinforced shell, and oversized carbon rails keep the ride light.

With a wind tunnel-proven design and superior venting via the unique internal channeling, Ballista launches you to the front of peloton breakaways and sprintline finishes.

BONTRAGER RL ROAD SHOES

BONTRAGER RXL HILO SHOES

Achieve more powerful pedal strokes and a more secure fit with this wellventilated, durable RL Road Visibility cycling shoes.

72 | PowerUp | September 2016

The easy-to-grab heel loop with the proven heritage of Bontrager performance footwear for the quickest, stiffest, most comfortable triathlon shoe ever.

BONTRAGER BALLISTA HELMET

The Ballista MIPS road helmet now features Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS) technology.

Developed by brain surgeons and scientists, MIPS helps reduce rotational forces on the brain caused by angled impacts to the head.

BONTRAGER R TAIL LIGHT

Flare R’s balanced optics set off with a powerful CREE LED can be seen from over two kilometres day or night. 65 Lumens and 270 degrees of visibility help make you the biggest distraction on the road.

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E K I B E C A R E T THE ULTIMA

TREK MADONE 9.2 Madone is the ultimate fusion of power, aerodynamics, ride quality, and integration. There are no two ways about it: the first true superbike is a marvel of road bike engineering.

KEY FEATURES IsoSpeed offers the best vertical compliance & aerodynamics | Every detail is designed for ultimate integration and speed

SKATE SHACK BUDAIYA HIGHWAY, KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN TEL. NO. +973 17 697 176 INFO@SKATE-SHACK.COM WWW.SKATE-SHACK.COM

FASHION & GEARS

Up your game with high-tech activewear from Panache’s new collection.

74 | PowerUp | September 2016

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LINGERIE

FASHION & GEARS

Non-Wired The Panache Sports Bra continues to banish 83% of breast bounce through its innovative technology even without the underwire.

This season, along with the core colours of black and latte. The new blue marl with breathable outer performance fabric helps to keep you dry and comfortable when exercising. The cushioned hook and eye also adds comfort, especially when doing floor exercises. Can be worn in a racer back option for even more support.

SIZE: 28 DD-H, 30 D-H, 32 C-H, 34-38 B-H, 40 D-GG

BHD 31.000

Underwired To coincide with the Rio 2016 Games, Panache launched the Wired Sports bra in a rich teal shade and teamed with an ‘Odyssey print’ – an ode to the vivid colours of Brazil and the vibrant nature of the hillside Favelas. The super smooth shape with flat seams looks great under any sportswear. The wide padded straps and silicone wrapped wires add that extra level of comfort as well as support. Available from B to J cup and can be worn in a racer back option for even more support. Co-ordinating sports brief with seam free edge for added comfort while exercising. It also available in other colours, Black, White and Grey.

SIZE: 28 DD-H, 30 D-H, 32 C-J, 34 B-J, 36 B-HH, 38 B-H, 40 D-GG

Odyssey Print BHD 31.000 Odyssey Brief BHD 10.000 For more information: TKD Lingerie Bahrain Al Aali Shopping Complex, Seef District, Bahrain Tel: +973 1754 0136 Email: enquiriesbah@tkdlingerie.com Facebook: TKD Lingerie Instagram: tkd_lingerie

@powerupmag

Non-Wired With co-ordinating briefs to give a sporty look.

SIZE: 28 DD-H, 30 D-H, 32 C-H, 34-38 B-H, 40 D-GG

Blue Marl Bra BHD 29.500 Blue Marl Brief BHD 9.500

September 2016 | PowerUp | 75

FASHION & GEARS

HOW TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR TRAINING Gareth from Trilife teaches us how to train in your zones with power metres and heart rate monitors.

76 | PowerUp | September 2016

A

s cyclists, we want it all. We want to climb hills like a mountain goat, sprint like thunder and TT like the wind. On top of all that, we also want to train more than we work and eat more than we train. But, choices have to be made.

Training isn’t about bragging how high you can push your heart rate or how much power you can exert. It’s about identifying your zones and using them to focus your efforts for a specific type of cycling. Power metres and heart rate monitors have their own place in training and should be used as effective training tools and not just eye candy to show off with.

When it comes to effective training, you need to work out your training zones. For this, you need points of reference.

POWER METER POWER TRAINING

For power training, you can use your FTP (functional Threshold Power) which tells you how much of your power you are exerting. You will need a power metre on your bike for this. Some great examples are the Rotor

InPower cranks, Quarq Power Cranks and Garmin Vector pedals. With heart rate zones, you can use your maximum and resting HR (heart rate).

For this purpose, Garmin makes world class heart rate monitors.

For power, the most

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CYCLING

accurate way to identify your FTP is to get onto your bike and do a one hour TT. Make sure you have a clear run (no downhills and no traffic lights or traffic). Pace yourself well and go as hard as you can for one hour. Your average power from that session will be your FTP. You can then use your FTP to calculate your training zones, represented as percentages.

HEART RATE

For HR, we need to determine your max and resting HR. To get your resting HR, put your strap on when you wake up in the morning and record your HR for a few minutes while you lie in bed.

Take the lowest reading, and do this for a few days. Then work out the average to get your accurate resting HR. To get your maximum HR, forget the calculations and formulas.

Get on your bike, warm up for 15 minutes, and then increase your pace every minute. After five increases, give it your maximum effort for as long as you can. Afterwards, look back at your readings and the highest reading will be your maximum one. Now you can work out your zones.

We normally make use of six evenly split zones between minimum and maximum effort.

The key idea is to use these zones to guide and optimise your training to ensure that you are training the right way for the type of cyclist you want to be.

FOUR MAIN TYPES OF TRAINING

The four main types of training include: Slower Is Faster, Fat Burner, Endurance, and Easy Does It

@powerupmag

FASHION & GEARS

Riding slower to get faster might not seem to follow much logic, however it has been proven time and time again. Although long Zone 1 and Zone 2 rides can be slow and boring, they train your body’s muscles to become more efficient. And in a race, efficiency equals speed.

1

Make no mistake, burning fat does not take six hours of zone 2 riding. All it takes is a one hour HIIT (high intensity interval training). This will incinerate fat and build muscle endurance like you won’t believe. Warming up is crucial (low power or low HR - Zone 1). A good place to start is with five max effort sprints of 30 seconds with five minutes of easy pedalling in between. During these max efforts, you should reach Zone 5, just shy of your peak effort.

Always remember that you are what you eat. So control your diet too. HIIT workouts aren’t a free pass to the drive-through. Train smart, eat smart.

2

We all want more endurance. By doing one session of three to four hours in Zone 2 and another session of two hours in Zone 3 every week, your endurance will increase significantly. Add a few long intervals once your base is more established and you’ll develop both endurance and speed.

3

Take it easy and know when to back off. We figure that if some hard training is good, more hard training is better. This can lead to all our training days being mediocre as we fatigue. Rather have

4

HEART RATE MONITOR

three good quality sessions a week on fresh legs, than seven average sessions because you are too tired.

Train smart, not hard.

So, here is the big question.

Do I use heart rate or power zones to coach my training?

It is important to remember that a power meter doesn’t replace a heart rate monitor – in fact, they are actually telling you different things.

Both zones are measures of effort, but heart rate zones are relative to inputs like age, cholesterol and illnesses, whereas power is

independent and is a direct output reading. For example, in an endless sprint, your heart rate will continue to climb until you ‘blow’. But your power will reach a peak until it begins to fade off.

During this fade, your heart rate will keep increasing. So they are not proportionate or parallel. Therefore it is up to you to decide which form you prefer and which one you see to be more effective.

For more information: Trilife +973 7733 3777 info@gotrilife.com

September 2016 | PowerUp | 77

FASHION & GEARS

WORKOUT

TRAIN LIKE USAIN ENERGISE YOUR WORKOUT WITH PIECES INSPIRED BY THE FASTEST MAN ON EARTH.

UB EVOSTRIPE FZ HOODIE & SHORTS Soft warmCELL material that offers the ultimate thermoregulation completes the technical wearability of these pieces. PUMA x Usain Bolt branding and reflective tape turns side pockets into a feature ensuring that no matter how lightning-fast you go you stay visible.

UB LOGO TEE Innovative dryCELL material helps you stay dry and comfortable, making the transition from training to chilling out that much easier.

For more information PUMA Store City Centre Bahrain Tel. +973 1717 8046 www.puma.com

78 | PowerUp | September 2016

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FASHION & GEARS

GROOMING

GROOMING ON THE RUN To support your #fitnessgoals, we found products that multi-task and will save you time; perfect for those days when you go from the gym straight to the office.

LISTERINE MOUTHWASH (USED WITH A TONGUE SCRAPER)

TOM FORD OUD WOOD BODY SPRAY You can use the Tom Ford Oud Wood Body Spray all the time (and we really can’t blame you!); but this is especially handy when you’ve been showering at the gym (after your strenuous workout), and need to feel fresh but don’t want to bring your fancy cologne from home in your gym bag.

80 | PowerUp | September 2016

No doubt you’re already good looking and talented.

One other way to up your game is to have clean, fresh breath. Bad breath, or halitosis is nothing more than bacteria in your mouth feeding on various proteins.

It often accompanies certain foods, alcohol, or long periods of dryness such as nightly sleep. Aside from brushing, which of course you always do, it’s always good to keep a bottle of mouthwash such as Listerine handy. It’s antiseptic, which means it keeps bacteria at bay.

BIC FLEX FIVE DISPOSABLE RAZOR

This is one beast of a lightweight disposable razor.

It has five blades for a close cut and a flexball for expert contouring around your jawline and nose. It boasts of a balancing sphere for better shave control.

CLINIQUE FOR MEN AGE DEFENSE HYDRATOR SPF15

It’s always good to cover all your bases and this moisturizer with sunscreen is your 1-2 step. Even better, it has antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E to help with antiaging. This is hydrating without being greasy, leaving skin silky smooth. www.powerup-mag.com

TECH

FASHION & GEARS

UP YOUR TECH GAME In this increasingly fast paced world, mastering technology is one way for people to keep up with the times. Garmin has a new set of offerings for the tech person in you.

VÍVOKÍ™

This all day activity tracker records steps, distance, calories, and intensity and provides a personalised daily goal. It clips to the torso or waist, or slips into the pocket.

It transmits wirelss automatic uploads to the analysis site and is water resistant up to ten metres.

We’re all seeking ways to improve employee wellness and inspire those individuals to make healthy habits stick.

Vivoki is a reliable, easyto-use activity tracker that fits into corporate wellness programmes to provide motivation and accountability for participants.

@powerupmag

GARMIN INDEX™ SMART SCALE

This smart scale is connected to WiFi, measuring weight, body mass index, body fat, skeletal muscle mass and more. It recognises up to 16 users and has up to nine months of battery life.

METRICS THAT MATTER Whether you’re an athlete in training or just trying to maintain a healthy weight, Garmin Index Smart Scale provides the metrics you need to track progress and see results. It measures weight (lbs, kg, st), body mass index (BMI), body fat/ water percentage, bone mass, and skeletal muscle mass.

VÍVOMOVE™

This classic watch with activity tracking features a 1-year battery life, a stylish, timeless design, with a red move bar and steps displayed on the watch face. It counts and monitors sleep and automatically syncs to Garmin Connect to save, plan, and share progress.

Whether you take your steps in three inch heels, or three-piece suits, vivomove gives you the luxury of all day activity tracking without losing style. The elegant timepiece tracks steps, monitors sleep, and syncs with Garmin Connect Mobile to view your stats in more detail.

TACTIX® BRAVO

With this watch, true performance meets tactical functionality. Its 1.2 inch high resolution, sunlight-readable Garmin Chroma Display with high strength domed sapphire lens, is capable of switching between two modes: day use and night vision goggle compatibility.

Its Omni-directional stainless steel EXO-antenna, with GPS/ Glonass satellite reception, has the abiliy to track in more challenging environments.

September 2016 | PowerUp | 81

FASHION & GEARS

APPS

GYM BUDDIES Though you may not be as strong, fit, or tough as them; you can still aspire to your own dreams of glory. And to help you with that, we have the following apps to help you become fitter, leaner, and stronger.

30 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGES Starting and maintaining a fitness habit requires motivation, and for some, 30-day challengesare exactly the sort of thing that can keep your workouts interesting.

The 30 Day FitnessChallenges app includes more than 25 challenges that focus on squats, burpees, ab definition,and more. You can challenge specific body parts or use specific workout moves. Each one getsprogressively harder over the month, pushing you to get fitter and stronger with each passingday.

82 | PowerUp | September 2016

BODYSPACE If you spend any amount of time surfing the web for bodybuilding information, you’re likelyfamiliar with Bodybuilding.com.

BodySpace is an app developed by the same folks. It functionsas a social media network for fitness fans. Upload a photo, set your goals, and track yourworkouts. You’ll also get access to dozens of training programmes and even more workouts. Whatdifferentiates this app from others is the ability to find friends with common fitness goals andinterests

NIKE+ TRAINING CLUB The new and improved N+TC app not only lets you download different workouts from proathletes and trainers, but now you can tune in to live events in different areas, or join a local event, such as a free run club or training class.

You can customise intensity and the types ofworkouts you like; the intuitive app asks how hard a session was, and adjusts the next workoutaccordingly

8FIT When you set up 8fit, you estimate your current body fat percentage, and give yourself a goal (iteven has images of what abs look like at different percentage ranges). Based on your height, weight, age, gender, and fitness goals, the app creates a customisedprogramme for you, which includes meal plans and coaching if you want to pay extra.

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