SPORT&FITNESS
MIDDLE EAST
SFME ISSUE 31 - 2015
GET MORE IRON IN YOUR WORKOUT
DUMBBELLS ARE THE KEY INGREDIENT SWIMMING
MASTER THE BUTTERFLY
LEARN HOW TO SNACK HEALTHILY
THE BODYWEIGHT BLASTER
FOOTY TIPS FROM THE PROS Official Magazine SFME
A
1
Y
ou’ve all no doubt noticed the temperature gauge shift up a couple of notches in the last few weeks. Things are definitely hotting up in the region which means outdoor pursuits will soon be difficult, so make the most of them
while you can! We’re blessed with a varied landscape and perfect weather conditions in the UAE that make a huge range of outdoor activities possible for nine months of the year – from sailing to football, surfing to hiking and everything in between. It’s all here, right on our doorstep, so we’ve really got no excuse. Of course, the flipside of that is that there are also hundreds of restaurants, cafes and patisseries serving up giant-sized portions of food created by chefs that, while undoubtedly talented, don’t often have the size of your waistline at heart. When I first moved to Dubai I mentioned this issue to a colleague of mine when it became clear that I was going to have order a new wardrobe of work shirts and trousers in larger sizes. His response was simply, “welcome to Dubai mate, get fit or get fat.”
We like to try and cover some niche sports in the magazine that you may not have considered before to potentially offer up new possibilities and hopefully you’ll find our exclusive interview with extreme sailor, Ian Williamson, on pg 22 an interesting read. We also caught up with Englishman Chris Brown, who once played against the likes of Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen but now runs the It’s Just Football Academy in Jebel Ali which trains not only the next generation of football stars, but coaches too. If surfing’s your thing, or you fancy learning more, you could do a lot worse than following the example of Dubai resident Nathan Banks (pg 33) who brought his passion for the sport with him when he moved over from New Zealand. The experts at Fitness First can get you in perfect condition whatever your choice of outdoor pursuit – check out the hiking workout from Ben Press on pg 42 and our cover story on pg 36 which shows why dumbbells are your most versatile ally in the battle of the bulge. The nutritionists, as always, are also on hand on pg 51 and 53 to show us how to eat well without popping out of our shirts! As I said, no excuses!
SFME
7
WARM UP TIME TO LOOSEN UP AND GET THINGS STARTED!
SUPER SCALLIONS CALL THEM SPRING ONIONS, GREEN ONIONS OR SCALLIONS, THESE SUPER COOL VEGETABLES ARE WAY OUT IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN.
A
LRIGHT, so you probably know them better as green onions or spring onions but call it what you wish, there’s no denying that these often underused veggies come with a truckload of health benefits. The high content of vitamin K and C in green onions makes them a great food to eat if you want to fortify your bones. Research tells us that both vitamins K and C are essential for the growth and maintenance of strong bones. Did you know that a stalk of green onions contains 24 micrograms of vitamin A? That’s
IN THIS ISSUE SPORT&FITNESS
MIDDLE EAST
SFME ISSUE 31 - 2015
DUMBBELLS ARE THE KEY INGREDIENT SWIMMING
MASTER THE BUTTERFLY
LEARN HOW TO SNACK HEALTHILY
THE BODYWEIGHT BLASTER
FOOTY TIPS FROM THE PROS Official Magazine SFME
A
9
COVER STORY: DumbBell don
8
SFME
Toughing it up on the open seas Five time world extreme sailing champion Ian Williams talks to SFME about what it takes physically and mentally to succeed in one of the toughest sports on the planet . SFME
IT’S JUST FOOTBALL CHRIS BROWN came through the famous Youth Academy of England’s renowned nursery Club in the North West,Crewe Alexandra, which currently competes in Football League One.
WARM UP Health benefits of green onions for stronger bones and heart. Cold rice found to be lower in calories. Black pepper improves the digestion process and also reduces fat cells. Ditch the marshmellows and make your own healthy granola bars.
B
LACK PEPPER is renowned for improving digestion in the most fascinating of ways. It’s sharp taste stimulates the taste buds, sending a memo to the stomach to increase its hydrochloric acid secretion. Hydrochloric acid is absolutely critical in digesting proteins and other food components in the stomach. Heartburn and indigestion occurs
when the hydrochloric acid in the stomach is insufficient, causing undigested food to sit in the belly for an unhealthy period of time. The outer layer of peppercorns, the berries which ground black peppers are derived from, also promote the collapsing of fat cells. This helps keep you slim while providing you with enough energy to burn.
Call it Quits
HAWAII MAKES A MOVE HAWAII is set to become the first state in the USA to prohibit the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to anybody under age 21. The current minimum legal age to buy tobacco products or e-cigarettes in the US is 18. The historic bill will be formally passed on January 1, 2016 when Hawaii’s governor, David Ige, will sign it off.
16
27
LAUNCHES NATIONAL SCHOOLs
“It’s very important to have leagues like this if we want to grow the game in the region,” said Jawaan Oldham, who serves as the Director of the Basketball Academy of Dubai, which he launched in 2006. “That’s the evolution of the game of basketball. You have to have that initial development and then grow the leagues, grow the players so that all the evolution comes together at the same time.” The National Schools Basketball League got underway on April 18 and will culminate with the finals on June 6.
BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Football scene SFME talks to renowned football coach Chris Brown about his life in the game and the, ‘It’s Just Football Academy.’
PARENTS OBLIVIOUS TO THEIR CHILDS’ OBESITY According to a new study, many parents in the UK might not be aware that their children have problems with weight unless they are very obese. The study was carried out by a team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the UCL Institute of Child Health and published in the British Journal of General Practice. The study also found that nearly a third of parents underestimated their child’s BMI category. The conclusion of the study suggests that parents need to understand the concept of obesity better and work towards ways to combat it. Childhood obesity has been increasing around the world for the past 30 years with numbers particularity high in the US and the UK.
Cold rice?
STADIUM
6
THAT’S HOW MANY MINUTES OF MODERATE INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THE US FEDERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINE RECOMMENDS PER WEEK.
WE know that there is some strange dietary advice out there but here’s one that had us scratching our heads. Scientists in Sri Lanka have advised boiling rice with coconut oil and then
Dubai-based former NBA star Jawann Oldham was there to officially launch the league and treated basketball enthusiasts of all ages to an evening of fun and games. STADIUM is the key sponsor of the six-week basketball league which will involve over 200 U-14 and U-16 basketball players from 24 schools across the UAE. “STADIUM is delighted to be a key sponsor of this year’s National Schools Basketball League and we are very much looking forward to working with the organisers to ensure that it’s a great success for all those involved,” said Samantha Warrayat, Marketing Manager for STADIUM. “As a brand, STADIUM is committed to enabling and encouraging its consumers of all ages and abilities to be active and to enjoy a fit and healthy lifestyle; what better place to start than at grassroots level in UAE schools.” Oldham, whose 15 year NBA career saw him play for teams like the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, said that leagues like the National School Basketball League were
But Brown’s passion lies in developing the next generation of stars. He’s been coaching kids in Dubai for 11 years and is currently the Managing Director and Head Coach at the ‘It’s Just Football Academy,’ supported by Umbro, in Jebel Ali.
150
WHY YOU NEED TO INCLUDE MORE BLACK PEPPER IN YOUR DIET It’s no surprise that these brilliantly black beauties were once presented to the Gods as a sacred offering. Native to India, pepper serves many culinary purposes and possesses numerous health benefits that make it a solid all-round spice.
STADIUM, the sport and active lifestyle brand, welcomed more than 90 young athletes to its Dubai Mall location for the official launch of the National School Basketball Championship on April 23.
SFME talks to renowned football coach CHRIS BROWN about his life in the game and the, ‘It’s Just Football Academy.’
ALREADY a professional, he dreamed of making it all the way to the top and more than held his own in matches against players who would go on to become household names, including the likes of England Internationals Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Joe Cole. But a serious injury forced Chris into premature retirement. Rather than wallow in thoughts of what might have been he set about getting his coaching badges, eventually passing the highest level course. Now he’s a UEFA A licensed coach, which means he is eligible to train teams playing in every top league around the world, and even at international level.
WARM UP
SFME
27
SFME
30
REACH FOR FUTURE STARS Stadium launches the national schools basketball league with the support of NBA star and Dubai resident Jawaan Oldham. WHEELS
refrigerating it for half a day before eating it in order to reduce its calories. The researchers say that cooking rice in this method will reduce its calorie count by up to 60%.
I
T’S not every day that the phone rings in SFME Towers with the PR officer for Bentley offering to lend you one of their cars for a few days so that it can feature in Sport&Fitness magazine. So after mulling it over for about a millisecond I condescended and two minutes later were hot footing it down to the Deira showroom in Dubai to pick up a gleaming, brand spanking new Bentley Flying Spur V 8. The ride of this wonderful machine is as smooth, elegant and downright opulent as you would expect from a Bentley. There’s a captivating blend of sculpted, sleek coachwork, exquisite craftsmanship and hyper-intelligent advanced on-board technology. But what really shocked us was the sheer power and speed the 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 engine produces.
SFME
SAVE THE DATE
Styling
27 May – 7 June
The styling of the new Flying Spur V8 is subtly different from its flagship W12 sibling. The chromed exhaust finishers are styled in the trademark figure of eight to signify the alternative power-train and the famous Bentley winged badge receives the usual red centre to denote the V8 engine. Neil Wilford, Regional Manager, Middle East, India and Africa, Bentley Motors, said: “The arrival of the new Flying Spur V8 broadens the options for those customers who are looking to graduate from the premium to ultra-luxury car segment. This car delivers a combination of superior performance and luxury which is unrivalled in its class. “As one of our most prominent markets, the Middle East will continue to be a key focus for us and as such, we will continue to introduce members of the Bentley family to best serve the desires of our existing and potential customers.” With that unmistakable Bentley style and a powerhouse of a high-performance engine to boot, make no mistake, FS V8 is both the beauty and the beast.
Tennis
ROLAND GARROS THE 2015 FRENCH OPEN Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France The tennis season’s second Grand Slam returns as the best tennis players in the world battle it out at the sport’s premier clay court championship. Can the seemingly unstoppable Rafael Nadal and the everconsistent Maria Sharapova successfully defend their French Open titles?
28-29 May
Performance+ The Flying Spur V8 has 507 PS (500 bhp/373 kW) and 660 Nm on tap, and powers the car from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds) and on to a top speed of 183 mph (295 km/h). This impressive performance comes with a fuel range of 520 miles (840 km).
Darts
DUBAI DUTY FREE DARTS MASTERS 2015 Irish Village, Dubai UAE The top darts maestros in the world converge at the Irish Village for the hotly anticipated Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters. Watch the likes of Phil Taylor, James Wade, Michael Van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis, Raymond Van Barneveld, Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson battle it out for Dubai glory.
56
SFME
57
Bentley's beauty and the beast Refined muscle is probably one of the best ways to describe the Bentley Flying Spur v8 as despite being surrounded by pure luxury the 500hp V8 propels this iconic saloon to 60 mph in 4.9seconds!
Running
DUBAI DESERT ROAD RUN The Sevens Stadium, Dubai UAE Runners of all ages and skill levels can compete in a 10k race as well as 3k fun run with trophies awarded to the first three men and women in all age categories for the 10k run. The Desert Road Run is the perfect chance to unite with fellow runners and beat your own pervious best time.
19 21
SFME
56
6 June
JUNE 2015
June 2009 SSN 1- 46805671 Approval UAE National Media Council: Ref.816 30/5/2007 Trade Licence No. 1/104375/15280
22
SFME
15
ISSUE No. 31 Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd (T ) +44 1663 71992 Published in Dubai by: Prografix, PO Box 24677, Dubai, UAE. (T) +9714 340 3785 (E) rick@wspglobal.com
15
22
MAY 2015
SFME specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information given in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised.
AN Williams is a five time World Champion in extreme sailing. The British GAC Pindar Team skipper has also won five National Championships and three Youth National Championships and is a 13 times winner on Tour with 35 podium finishes. He’s travelled the world and competed in some of the most fierce, dangerous and challenging conditions imaginable and is currently taking part in the Extreme Sailing Series which made a stop in Muscat, Oman, in March, where the GAC Pindar Team finished in sixth place. Here the 37 year old discusses what it takes to succeed in one of the world’s most physically and mentally demanding sports.
PICTURE THIS
Set yourself free in the gym by reacquainting yourself with these versatile beauties. We all had a set in our bedroom as teenagers but many people overlook them in favour of the weight machines as they become regulars at the gym. But Charlie Barkley explains why the humble dumbbell
is so adaptive and effective and why it should be a staple in your workouts.
I
REGULARS
NEWS FEED MAY.JUN
36
Extreme Sailing Making Waves
HOW TO PICK A GOOD ’UN You know a scallion is fresh when it is absolutely dead straight. When they start to dry out, they become curved.
SFME
12 GET MORE IRON IN YOUR WORKOUT
a lot of vitamin A for a small vegetable. Vitamin A is great for your body on a lot of fronts, especially for your eyes. What’s even better is that vitamin C and vitamin A found in foods like green onions both have strong antioxidant properties, which, in turn, is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease So whether you call them scallions, green onions, spring onions or something in between (try scanionns!), these green and white beauties are a delicious and versatile vegetable teeming with health benefits.
21 June – 29 August
59
DUBAI SPORTS WORLD 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai UAE The UAE’s leading summer sports festival is back. While the mercury skyrockets outside, sports enthusiasts in the region can still enjoy playing a wide variety of sports inside what many consider as the UAE’s best indoor sporting facility.
SFME
HEALTH NEWS SPORTS DIARY
21
sri lanka tRAVEL We travel to beautiful Sri Lanka and discover a country that really is the Indian Ocean’s ‘hidden gem’. We’re well and truly smitten and we think you will be too.
63
GEAR Wearing the correct clothing for your exercise of choice should balance aesthetics with performance. We look at the latest ladies yoga range from Reebok plus adidas’s Climachill apparel and Boost footwear.
23
AD Parker Coffn in the Mod-Tech Pro Boardshort Shot by Tom Carey
U.A.E: RAGE - The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Wahda Mall (Abu Dhabi) Sun & Sand Sports - Coming Soon to The Dubai Mall Namshi.com @volcom_me
For distribution enquiries, contact: info@dde-me.com
SFME
9
Trainer TRAINER
TRAINER
By MICHAEL PAYNE Fitness Manager Fitness First, Burjuman Centre
By LISA HANCOX
NUTRITION AND TRAINING IN BODYBUILDING
THE STROKE CYCLE
National Swimming and Training Manager, Fitness First Middle East
From a forward prone position, movement is initiated from the chest pressing downwards and then forwards. The arms move a little bit outwards, then ‘crack’ at the elbows and the forearms and palms are brought into a backwards facing position with the fingertips pointing downwards. The body starts to float and the hands pull backwards and inwards towards the chest lifting the body towards the surface of the water. The hands change directions from below the chest and move back towards the hips – the forward momentum is accelerating at this point. As the body reaches the surface the hands exit the water close to the hips with the palms facing inwards and the recovery of the arms start. They recover forwards, they should be straight with the back of the hands facing forwards. The arms hover above the water surface and return to their initial position. Simultaneously the palms rotate so that at the end of the recovery they are turned downwards again. When the arms are fully extended forward and shoulder width apart, they enter the water.
IN THIS ISSUE
PART 2/2
PULL
he butterfly stroke is the second fastest of the competitive strokes due to the long propulsive arm action and undulating dolphin kick. It has a reputation of being hard to learn and can be quickly exhausting. However, if taught correctly it is neither! Learning proper butterfly swimming technique requires that you first master the wave-like body movements. Once this body undulation has been mastered the stroke will often fall into place quite naturally with the correct drills. When you’ve mastered this stroke, swimming a few lengths of butterfly can be a lot of fun because of its spectacular movements.
48
Let me tell you something about supplements – you should never rely solely on them and expect that they will work miracles for you. They can be a good addition on top of an already good diet, but if your diet is poor, adding the additional supplements will not make any difference. Most supplements are generally useless but here are two that I use and strongly recommend: FISH OIL: This is my favourite and I strongly recommend it to everyone who doesn’t already use it. Omega 3 fats provide tons of benefits, including decreased inflammation, better insulin sensitivity, decreased cortisol levels (which can all lead to improved muscle building), fat loss and overall faster recovery. PROBIOTICS: This is the next best thing after fish oil. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of optimal gut health on optimal performance and general health and well-being. Optimal gut health
SFME
IMPORTANCE OF 5 MOVEMENT QUALITY
It is extremely important for maximum muscle stimulation that you focus on your movement quality. Too many people do their training by just swinging the weights around without any focus during the movement. So what do you need to do?
“THERE IS NO PERFECT PROGRAMME, THERE IS NO PERFECT REP AND SET COMBINATION THAT WILL MAKE YOU BIG OVERNIGHT.”
GIVE SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE ECCENTRIC PART OF THE MOVEMENT Controlled, eccentric contractions are a very powerful stimulus that influence muscle growth. Try to lower your weights with as much control as you can during the whole movement. Fully contract the muscle during the concentric portion of the lift (lifting the weights from the chest on the bench press). This will heavily increase your muscle activation during the movement and give the greatest muscle growth stimulus. At the end of the movement, try to hold and squeeze the muscle in a fully contracted position as much as you can. This will significantly increase activation of the muscle fibres on a much higher level.
Another big mistake people make when they start dieting is that they introduce too many changes too soon. They start with doing cardio five times a week but they cut down to zero carbs – cutting too many calories. When they hit a plateau (which they definitely will), how will they have enough motivation to keep going? If you use all your weapons already at the beginning, making further progress week after week becomes very difficult. Personally, I don’t even introduce cardio for the first four weeks of my diet. I simply don’t need it yet to get my results. Only when I see that things are getting slower, then I gradually start to introduce some changes like more cardio. Another big problem is also cutting too much from your food right from the start. This is rarely sustainable in the long run. When I hit a plateau either I increase my exercise by 10-20% or I cut my food intake by an additional 300-500 kcal. These small changes are often enough to keep me going.
6 ABOUT LIFTING HEAVY
Here’s something that might shock you: You don’t have to lift heavy weights to grow (at least not all the time). Although lifting heavy weights has a lot of benefits, there are a lot of different mechanisms to stimulate muscle growth. The most important thing you need to do in order to make your muscles bigger is to deliver stress to the muscle. That stress can be delivered through a lot of different methods and rep ranges. For me, the most important thing for delivering proper stress is time under tension, maximising the pump and the amount of the metabolically stress you deliver to the muscle. A lot of people are very surprised when they see how light the weights are in my training sessions. It’s all about creating muscle-mind connection, feeling the right muscle through the whole sessions and in
SFME
from ukraine with love
journey to a bikini body
Fitness First’s Nathan Brown reveals the new group training class that will rock your socks off!
Personal Trainer Iryna Kosogor explains her love affair with the world of fitness.
Roberta Darrigo tells us how What could be better than she made the journey to a bikini combining business and cricket body and how you can do the with this great new concept? same.
72
dcl indoor cricket league
By DEAN KETZNER XFit Head Coach Fitness First Knowledge Village
73
Stand with the rope down the middle of your body. From there, take your stronger leg and wrap it around the rope. The rope will then end up on the top of your foot. From there, hold the rope and take your other foot, which is still on the ground, and place it on top of the rope that’s above your opposite foot. While you’re doing this, hoist yourself upwards placing one hand above the other.
TRAINER
transformers Mohammed B has made incredible progress since he started working with his Personal Trainer last year.
By BEN PRESS
3 4 5
Fitness Manager, Fitness First Burjuman
74
When it coms to hiking in steep or uneven terrain, ankle stability and strength is of the utmost importance. Place the BOSU ball blue side up and take a big step back. From this position, step onto the middle of the BOSU by bending both legs to 90 degrees. Remember to alternate for each leg.
TO HELP YOU GO FURTHER
69
69
I
T’S no surprise that hiking is the single most popular outdoor activity in the world. After all, who can say no to the wonderful union of fitness, nature and landscape? But often what happens during a hike is that instead appreciating the great outdoors, we are left in agony over our lack of breath or burning thighs. I’m going to show you five simple exercises that will help you improve your fitness and strength so you can enjoy the hikes again. These exercises are cardio and compound based and will increase your stamina as well as your overall fitness levels.
From the latest version of the immensley popular Freestyle Group Training class to Roberta Darrigo’s journey to a bikini body, we bring you all the latest from the region’s No.1 gym network.
We’ve all experienced that burning sensation in our thighs that makes you just want to do nothing more than sit down and stop moving. Sadly enough, it’s what usually stops us from getting to the top and enjoying that stunning sunset. Find a box that is knee height or higher. Step on it and extend until you are standing, pushing your hips through at the top.
1 2
Our glutes are one of the most important muscles in our body when it comes to movement. Weak glutes can translate to a plethora of problems ranging from lower back pain to joint issues. The hip thrust is a compound movement that is aimed at targeting the glute muscles. Position your upper back on a bench with your feet a little wider than shoulder width. Drop your hips down towards the ground then drive them up, squeezing your bottom at the top.
14
C
Runway Rope Climbs Move your entire bodyweight in one motion – rope climbing is a fun way to tone and get fit.
Good posture is absolutely essential if you want to get the most out of your hiking adventures. Back extensions focus on our lower back strength to help keep our posture correct when on the move. Adjust the back extension so your hips are at the top of the pad, lower yourself slowly, keeping your back straight and abs tight.
Picture your core muscles as a belt that wraps around your waist and lower back, keeping it all tightly wrapped when you exercise. The appropriately named ‘mountain climber’ is a combination of a core strength and cardio output. Start in a press up position with your back straight and abs tight. Bring your knees up to your chest and then alternate the legs as fast as possible.
So give it a go, add these five exercises into your training programmes to help you go further when you’re on the trail. Building strong legs and a strong core will not just help you when you’re hiking, but it’ll go a long way in your day-to-day activities. Remember that your legs and core muscles are the foundations of your body and that they keep you moving forward and standing tall.
M
SFME
45
BACK EXTENSIONS
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
42
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
STEP UPS
THE HIP THRUST
FITNESS FIRST NEWS
The second rope climb is more advanced and you also need to have a little bit more strength to do it. The key difference is that we’re not going to use our legs in this one at all – it’s going to be all arms and shoulders. Concentrate on pulling your elbows towards your hips. You also want to use your legs for momentum, almost as if you’re running up the rope.
LUNGE ONTO BOSU
HIKE IT OUT
SFME
Reps/Time
Sets
Rest
Hip Thrusts
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
Mountain Climbers
30 seconds
3-4
30 seconds
Lunge onto BOSU
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
Step Ups
30 seconds
3-4
30 seconds
Back Extensions
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
SFME
43
HIKE IT OUT Hiking is the most popular outdoor activity in the world. In order to maximise your enjoyment of the great outdoors and not find yourself in agony during and after the trek, follow these simple cardio and compound based exercises.
53
A Munchbox Revelation Variety is the spice of life. Find out why snacking on a munchbox throughout the week is a better alternative to chips, soda and cookies and why nuts and seeds are so good for you.
BODYWEIGHT
BLASTER
T
RAINING with pin-loaded machines, freeweights and various pieces of freestyle equipment can be engaging and exciting, but it is also just as important to test your ability to control and perform against your own bodyweight. After all, if you can bicep curl 20 KG but fail to perform a solid set of push-ups, something is definitely missing!
Two of the greatest benefits of bodyweight exercise are: 1. The ability to develop balanced muscle mass that suits your physical frame. 2. Bodyweight exercises which focus on compound movements that synergistically work many muscles at the same time. This is good news for anyone taking part in sports or martial arts where muscular balance and developing an athletic body is important. However, the truth is that everyone can benefit from injecting a bodyweight routine into their training regime and it’s always good to test yourself against yourself!
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
TIP: If you’re struggling to keep the form while being on the toes, do not straight away go onto your knees as an option! You need to develop your core muscles to support this exercise so it’s far better to just start flat on the ground and only complete the upward pushing phase of the motion.
THE TRICEPS DIP
TECHNIQUE: Dips can be performed on the ground, although, it’s advisable to use a small bench or step for this exercise because it supports the movement and allows for a greater range of motion. Start by placing the hands shoulder-width apart in the bench and extend your legs out in front of you so you are resting on the heels of your feet and your bottom is just in front of the bench. Keep the arms straight to start and then lower your body so that your bottom is moving towards the ground, but not touching, to reach a 90-degree angle bend in the elbows.
THE SQUAT
TRAINER
By STEVEN GILLESPIE Fitness Manager, Fitness First, Motor City
Although dips mainly focus on the triceps, they also work the shoulder, forearms and even the core. If guys are looking to get some mass on the arms or the ladies out there want to tone up and avoid the dreaded ‘bingo wings,’ this is a great exercise to engage in. TIP: If it’s a bit too difficult to start with the legs locked out in front of you, bring the feet in flat and bend the knees to ease some of the tension. You can then build up to the fully locked-out position.
GUORTINHEGR
FIN 3 DIMENSIONS
2
KB Racked Side Lunge to Lateral Shuffle Clean
H
The squat is another classic movement that primarily works the legs. However because it is a full-body compound exercise, it also works the bum, lower back and the core making it a superb all-round exercise! You could always load the squat with weights but performing without it yields fantastic, highly balanced results that can improve your postural alignment and flexibility. TECHNIQUE: Start by standing straight up and placing the feet shoulder width apart with your arms out directly in front of you. Bend the knees and hips (rotating the hips outwards as if sitting on a chair) and lower yourself as far and as comfortably as you possibly can. You may find that you cannot go as low as you like when you start but with repitition, you will develop more flexibility which will allow you to go deeper into the squat and work the muscles better.
TIP: The basic squat should not be that difficult, so aim to progress with variations to change things up. You could try different stances to give a different feel to the exercise. Another option is to use an unstable surface while you perform the squat such as the BOSU ball (try it on both sides to see the difference!). However if you want the ultimate challenge, you could attempt a ‘pistol squat’ which involves keeping one leg off the ground while squatting down with the other leg. Be warned, this one is only for the well conditioned bodies out there!
SFME
9
AS anyone ever noticed that we began life as a child designed to run, catch, jump, climb, twist and generally move in many different ways, yet as we have grown older, most of our physical activites become very linear and one dimensional? To those who are unaware of this paradox, let me first explain the three natural planes of motion that the human body is capable of. Firstly, we have the sagittal plane of motion, which is the most popular of all of the planes and is a mainstay in most standard gymbased exercise programmes. These will involve the squat, bench press, chin up, dip, lunge and curl movements to name but a few, and in general involve the body moving from front-to-back or up-anddown. Secondly, we have the frontal plane, which involves side-to-side movement such as the side-lunge, side-step and the side-bend. Thirdly, we have the transverse plane, which is all about rotational movements, like standing cable rotation or woodchop. Overall, we could rank each movement plane in popularity based on aesthetics and the sagittal plane would come out on top 90% of the time as this is where most bodybuilders’ and shape enthusiasts’ gaze and effort will focus. However, according to Cosgrove (2008), functional movement enthusiasts must also consider the other two planes of motion to have a true grasp of ‘3D’ movement. Cosgrove argues that the world is not a linear place and that we are often faced with tasks involving a combination of sagittal, frontal and transverse movements. Therefore, I beg the question, why are we still doing everything in ‘1D’ and then complaining when we get an injury through a multi-planar loaded movement? I read an interesting blog of late titled ‘Movement not Muscle’ from Barefoot Fitness (2012), which started with the concept ‘…the brain knows only movement, not muscles.’
10
Bodyweight blaster Test yourself against yourself. While bodyweight training might not have the glitz or glamour of setting up a pin-loaded machine or pounding on some freestyle equipment, find out why it’s important to test your ability against your own weight and why it helps develop and build an athletic body.
SFME
This got me questioning my own training history. As a former ‘sagittal-only’ aficionado, my training was based on ‘full-on’ linear/aesthetic training and therefore I wondered, not surprisingly, why my body responded so poorly to frontal or transverse movements in rugby having had a knee impact injury from a lateral angle. Due to having trained extensively in the sagittal plane by flexing and extending my legs under loads and building what I thought looked like robust and strong quads and hamstrings, I had left myself almost completely defenseless due to having next to no load exposure in the sagittal or transverse planes of motion. There is obviously a lesson to be learned for us all who have been guided towards the often easy path of either machine-based or sagittal-focused programmes. So please, in the name of injury prevention and lifelong joint health, consider adopting a full body and functional programme that integrates tri-planar movements, or at least where multi-planes of motion are explored so as to strengthen the body through all planes and prepare it for what life has to offer. Need some inspiration? Here is how I turned the popular kettlbell snatch, clean and swing into tri-planar movements instead of a traditional onedimensional movement. n
By JAMES SIDHU Fitness Manager, Fitness First Platinum DIFC
TECHNIQUE: Start by lying flat, facing the floor and then position your hands shoulder width apart with your palms down. Your legs and feet should be close together, with your toes pressed against the floor. The aim is to push your body away from the floor and then lower it back down to complete a repetition. Aim to keep the elbows in tight to the body and ensure the back and hip alignment is straight throughout the motion.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
1
TRANSVERSE SNATCH
3
KB High Swing Alt Rotations
4
KB Woodchop Switch-Swing
SFME
38
MY
CMY
42
THE PUSH-UP
CM
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
This is the classic and most widely known form of testing yourself against your own bodyweight. The push-up works the arms, chest, shoulders and even the core, so if you’re only going to pick one bodyweight exercise, this is the one.
Y
CY Exercises
TRAINER
10
47
OPE climbing is a fantastic and fun way to get fit. The beauty of this exercise is that it requires you to move your entire bodyweight in one motion. It also forces you to work your grip harder than you typically would. I’m going to show you two different varieties of the rope climb, one is more basic while the other is slightly more advanced.
DISCOVER THE JOYS OF FGT 2
40
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
R
NEWS
SFME
a lot of trial and error and to experience a lot of different things on your body to actually know what works for you. This is what is really important. Follow what works for you and not for me, or some other professional bodybuilders you may have seen or read in a fitness magazine like Sport&Fitness. What’s important is what works for you and your body. Too many people are making the same mistake by blindly following the programmes from the internet made by people who never actually got big or put on size by themselves. There is no perfect programe, there is no perfect rep and set combination that will make you big overnight. Everything can work, depending on the circumstances, but it all depends on your training experience and the amount of effort you put into your work-outs.
TRAINER
FITNESS FIRST
8
TO YOUR BODY 8AtLISTEN the end of the day you need to go through
SFME
master the butterfly Lisa Hancox gives us some invauable tips to help us master the swimming stroke regarded by many as the hardest of the lot - the butterfly.
71
THE IMPORTANCE OF 7 PROGRESSION
49
SFME
48
70
every rep, and then doing an adequate number of repetitions to create enough amount of stress to the muscle. The amount of weight I lift is least important.
Bodybuilding Michael Payne, Fitness Manager at Fitness First Burjuman Centre delivers part 2 of his guide to bodybuilding.
RECOVERY
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
enables better absorption of certain minerals and amino acids. The better the gut environment is, the better it will be able to assimilate the nutrients from the food. Maximal absorption of the nutrients from food is a very important thing for getting the optimal body composition.
46
PUSH
It may have been noted that the leg action has not been mentioned. The leg kick in butterfly is an action – reaction from the rest of the body. If a swimmer attempts the kick at a specific time the stroke is often affected and detrimental to the stroke as the kick at the back end of the body counters the undulation at the front end. When the body undulation that started in your upper body travels down through the torso and hips arrives at your legs, a simultaneous whipping movement with both legs will occur – this is the kick and should occur twice per stroke cycle.
T
4 SUPPLEMENTS
46
ACTION - REACTION
MASTER THE BUTTERFLY STROKE
A
S I explained in Part 1 of my article on how to get the most out of bodybuilding in the last issue – the key thing to remember is that there is no quick fix. If you want to develop a good body that will last you have to go about things the right way. I’ve been involved in bodybuilding for many years and through a lot of hard work, trial and error, I’ve developed some methods that should enable you to get the most out of this wonderful sport. I shared with you the first four of my eight top tips in the previous issue so here’s a rundown of the final four.
Going Further in 3 Dimensions Are you bored of one-dimensional, linear exercises that move you either up and down, left and right or straight and back? Steven Gillespie, Fitness Manager at Fitness First Motor City shows that some transverse plane movement based exercises can add a little spice to your routine and take you back to your childhood, when movement and motion had no restrictions.
SFME
11
K
TRAINER
HEALTHY SNACKING
IT’S A MUNCHBOX REVELATION
By Mahmoud Adham, Business Development Director, Munchbox
I
ts 11:0 am on a Wednesday morning. Some are at work. Some are home. A few are in a class…and the health conscious ones are about to leave for their Fitness First session. They’re all hungry. They just want to munch on something that’s not as heavy as breakfast, or as time-consuming to eat, while going about their day. It’s too early for lunch and they don’t want to add bad calories with chips and sodas and cookies. Let’s face it, EVERYONE needs to snack. So what should we snack on? That muffin in that coffee store sure looks tasty….but naughty! Some of the best snacks to graze on are nuts and seeds. 1 They watch your sugar spike: Nuts control the sugar release in the blood. As a result, they control your carbs converting into fats; they don’t make you feel drowsy like other carb-containing snacks do. Basically, they don’t make you fat. 2 Repeat, THEY DO NOT MAKE YOU FAT: Nuts contain fats in the most natural form – Omega 3 and Omega 6. The amounts vary, but the fat they provide is good fat that is needed for the brain development of kids, healthy shiny lustrous
16
SFME
skin and they keep heart attacks at bay. My favourite is the brain-nut – the walnut! They have an excellent balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3. This balance is very important for a healthy heart. A healthy heart is what you need in your Zumba class – it will make you pant less! After cod liver, nuts are the best source of healthy fats and the best fact of all is that they’re vegan. 3 Yes, VEGAN: Nuts are an excellent source of protein for vegans. Studies have shown that consuming nuts and some seeds helps in muscle recovery after any form of work-out. Chances of injuries are less. Nuts provide easily digestible proteins. I call them playful proteins that you can just pop before or after your workout. Just one handful of nuts and seeds can provide you with up to 6gms of proteins at a time which is equal to the protein from one egg. 4 Paleo Friendly: Nuts and many seeds are low carb snacks. If you are counting your carbs, look for our paleo friendly snack options. They are just what our ancestors, the cavemen, ate! 5 Not enough Reasons? They are easy to carry, not messy, and you can boast of eating healthily to your friends!
One challenge we all struggle with is that we don’t have the time or effort to prepare our own snacks. The good news is that MUNCHBOX.AE has already done it for you and is now available in all Fitness First Branches in Dubai or online on www.munchbox.ae. To learn more about how you can incorporate MunchBoxes into your everyday routine, and not just snack on them, talk to our Nutritionist – Nancy Bhatia. She is only an email away at nancysshah@gmail.com. Follow her on Facebook Fan Page – My Plate, Dubai.
AD SFME
11
PictureTHis
12
SFME
Real life ‘Spiderman’ Frenchman Alain Robert climbs up the world’s tallest ‘twisted’ building, the 307-metre high Cayan Tower in Dubai Marina.
SFME
13
REEBOK Z PUMPS FLYING HIGH KAY, so you want to do something suitably spectacular to O mark the launch of one of the most innovative running shoes to hit the stores in years, but what do you do? You jump out of a plane high above the iconic Dubai skyline and make an epic 45 second video of the aforementioned shoes (attached to skydivers of course) descending back onto dry land at Skydive Dubai of course! Reebok’s new Z Pumps use unique self-pumped ‘air fit’ technology to create an insanely safe and steady ‘locked in’ feeling. They’re incredibly light and make it feel as though you’re walking on clouds so what better way to launch them in the region by taking to the skies? Mark Greiner, General Manager of Reebok Middle East, said: “The Z Pump shoe is a defining and unique product,
therefore we had to think of ways in which to launch and market it that would reflect and showcase its exclusive, cutting-edge technology. Building upon the existing relationship between Reebok Middle East and Skydive Dubai, a pertinent and prominent action sports expert, seemed an appropriate way forward. It gave us the opportunity to develop a campaign that would really push the boundaries in terms of not just logistics and planning but also would be ground-breaking in its daring and exhilarating representation of the Z Pump franchise. “Furthermore we’ve found from past experience that campaigns with a strong local angle have had extremely positive results from consumers who welcome the emotional and physical connection with their community and the lives they lead there.”
ADVERT
THE SHOE! The Zpump fusion with an evolved kind of air-fit technology built into a seamless fit sleeve that holds the foot, “locked in,” to the bio-enhancing sole beneath. The result is a shoe, unique to each of us with: • 100% Custom fit. • No rigid parts. • Zpump is softer, lighter and follows shape of foot. • Zpump Fusion instructions: 1 slip on 2 pump. Simple!
Scan to view the exclusive Reebok/Skydive Dubai video www.bit.ly/ReebokSkydive
14
SFME SFME
WARM UP TIME TO LOOSEN UP AND GET THINGS STARTED!
SUPER SCALLIONS CALL THEM SPRING ONIONS, GREEN ONIONS OR SCALLIONS, THESE SUPER COOL VEGETABLES ARE WAY OUT IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN.
A
LRIGHT, so you probably know them better as green onions or spring onions but call it what you wish, there’s no denying that these often underused veggies come with a truckload of health benefits. The high content of vitamin K and C in green onions makes them a great food to eat if you want to fortify your bones. Research tells us that both vitamins K and C are essential for the growth and maintenance of strong bones. Did you know that a stalk of green onions contains 24 micrograms of vitamin A? That’s
a lot of vitamin A for a small vegetable. Vitamin A is great for your body on a lot of fronts, especially for your eyes. What’s even better is that vitamin C and vitamin A found in foods like green onions both have strong antioxidant properties, which, in turn, is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease So whether you call them scallions, green onions, spring onions or something in between (try scanionns!), these green and white beauties are a delicious and versatile vegetable teeming with health benefits.
HOW TO PICK A GOOD ’UN You know a scallion is fresh when it is absolutely dead straight. When they start to dry out, they become curved.
SFME
15
WARM UP
NEWS FEED MAY.JUN
WHY YOU NEED TO INCLUDE MORE BLACK PEPPER IN YOUR DIET It’s no surprise that these brilliantly black beauties were once presented to the Gods as a sacred offering. Native to India, pepper serves many culinary purposes and possesses numerous health benefits that make it a solid all-round spice.
B
LACK PEPPER is renowned for improving digestion in the most fascinating ways. It’s sharp taste stimulates the taste buds, sending a memo to the stomach to increase its hydrochloric acid secretion. Hydrochloric acid is absolutely critical in digesting proteins and other food components in the stomach. Heartburn and indigestion occurs
when the hydrochloric acid in the stomach is insufficient, causing undigested food to sit in the belly for an unhealthy period of time. The outer layer of peppercorns, the berries which ground black peppers are derived from, also promote the collapsing of fat cells. This helps keep you slim while providing you with enough energy to burn.
Call it Quits
HAWAII MAKES A MOVE HAWAII is set to become the first state in the USA to prohibit the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to anybody under age 21. The current minimum legal age to buy tobacco products or e-cigarettes in the US is 18. The historic bill will be formally passed on January 1, 2016 when Hawaii’s governor, David Ige, will sign it off.
16
SFME
150
THAT’S HOW MANY MINUTES OF MODERATE INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THE US FEDERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINE RECOMMENDS PER WEEK.
PARENTS OBLIVIOUS TO THEIR CHILDS’ OBESITY According to a new study, many parents in the UK might not be aware that their children have problems with weight unless they are very obese. The study was carried out by a team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the UCL Institute of Child Health and published in the British Journal of General Practice. The study also found that nearly a third of parents underestimated their child’s BMI category. The conclusion of the study suggests that parents need to understand the concept of obesity better and work towards ways to combat it. Childhood obesity has been increasing around the world for the past 30 years with numbers particularity high in the US and the UK.
Cold rice?
WE know that there is some strange dietary advice out there but here’s one that had us scratching our heads. Scientists in Sri Lanka have advised boiling rice with coconut oil and then
refrigerating it for half a day before eating it in order to reduce its calories. The researchers say that cooking rice in this method will reduce its calorie count by up to 60%.
SPEEDO SWIMMING TIPS
#GETSPEEDOFIT
““
Sometimes we focus too much on preparing our body for competition, but it’s important to prepare your mind, too.” Training with a friend can help you stay motivated. If there’s a guy next to you training like hell, that’s your motivation right there.” Thiago Pereira, Elite swimmer
EXERCISE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
S
cience has already told us that married individuals are more likely to have a healthy diet if their spouse does. Now a new study is suggesting that the same can be said about physical activity. Researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore found that if one partner makes an effort to increase the amount they exercise, the other will likely follow suit. The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific Sessions in Baltimore.
WATCHING TV & DIABETES
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have concluded that each hour spent watching TV daily increases the risk of developing diabetes by 3.4 percent. The study, which was published in the Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes), further demonstrates the numerous health effects of a sedentary lifestyle and the benefits of remaining active.
““
Always perform your core exercises before your swim – you’ll be more aware of engaging your muscles in the water.” Your spine, back and neck should be as flat as possible. The more curves you have the greater resistance you create.” Fred Vergnoux, Elite swim coach
PEEK -A- BOO! A new study out of John Hopkins University found that when something surprises a baby, it focuses on it more and ends up learning more about it. The cognitive psychologists showed that babies learn by leveraging the basic information they are born with.
47
That’s how many medals Greece won at the inaugural Olympic Summer Games in 1896. They were also the host nation that year.
SFME
17
WARM UP
GRANULAR GRANOLA BARS So good you won’t want to stop at just one. If you’re looking for a snack that is healthy and tasty at the same time, we’ve got just the right thing for you. Granola bars are always a good snack option but they often lose their nutritional edge when chocolate, marshmallows and other sugary ingredients are unnecessarily added. These granola bars, however, are great for you whichever way you spin it. Original recipe makes 24 granola bars
INGREDIENTS: 2 cups rolled oats 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup crushed almonds 1/4 cup muesli 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup honey 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract SIMPLY begin by greasing a baking pan and preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl all together using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the pan and bake for 3035 minutes in the preheated oven. You’ll know they’re ready when they begin to turn a really nice shade of gold. Once they’re done, let them cool down for five minutes before cutting them into 24 bars.
18
SFME
BERRYLICIOUS
Juicy, round and brightly coloured. There’s something about berries that makes them just so irresistible and whether they’re sweet or sour, we just can’t get seem to get enough of them. What’s even better is that they are absolutely teeming with health benefits. Here are three famous berries and why they’re so good for you.
BLUEBERRIES: The high amounts of phosphorous, manganese, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin K in these dark blue balls of joy all make them great in maintaining bone structure and strength. Its richness in potassium and low sodium count also make them great for lowering blood pressure. There are also exciting new studies which suggest that blueberries are good for your memory.
RASPBERRIES: Raspberries possess a plethora of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. These nutrients are great for the body because they keep our cells safe from inflammation, which is the source of most diseases in the human body like cancer, obesity, and heart disease. Two relatively new and exciting areas of raspberry research revolve around how this fruit can help the fight against obesity and type 2 diabetes.
BLACKBERRIES: What if I told you there was a sumptuous snack that was low in calories, practically fatfree, teeming with nutrients and high in fibre? That’s what you’re looking at when it comes to blackberries. Blackberries are a fantastic source of ellagic acid, which is an antioxidant that has been scientifically proven to protect the skin from the damage caused by ultraviolet light. Living in a part of the world that has no shortage of sunshine, we need all the help we can get to beat the heat and an increase in our blackberry consumption might just be what we need!
SFME
19
HEALTH NEWS Broccoli ingredient could treat osteoarthritis
A
SIMPLE ingredient found in broccoli could hold the key to effective treatment of osteoarthritis. The compound, sulforophane, is already known to block the inflammation and damage to cartilages, which is associated with osteoarthritis but it would require eating in massive quantities in order to work and is too unstable to turn into medicine. Instead, scientists have come up with a pill that contains an artificial version of the compound. Trials on mice found those given the artificial version significantly improved bone architecture, gait, balance and movement. A simple dose of the new drug, known as Sulforadex or SFX-01, is equivalent to eating around 5.5lbs of broccoli in one sitting. Sulforaphane is released as you eat cruciferous vegetables such as sprouts and cabbage but mostly broccoli.
Mindfulness ‘as good as anti-depressants for tackling depression’
A
MAJOR study has found that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) stops roughly the same number of people from slipping back into depression as strong, specialist medication. The study, compiled by researchers at Oxford University, in England, focused on 492 severely depressed adults over a two-year period. Half of them underwent mindfulness training while the other half stayed on their course of anti-depressant drugs. Only 44 per cent of those who practiced the MBCT slid back into depression, compared to 47 per cent of the drug takers.
Dr. Willem Kuyken, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Oxford University who led the study, said: “Depression is a recurrent disorder and without ongoing treatment as many as four out of five people with depression relapse at some point. “Whilst this study doesn’t show that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy works any better than maintenance anti-depressant medication in reducing the rate of relapse in depression, we believe these results suggest a new choice for the millions of people who suffer recurrent depression on repeat prescriptions.”
Can hunger be controlled from the brain?
Quick study highlights junk food dangers
R
A
ESEARCHERS from Harvard Medical School in the United Sates and Edinburgh University, Scotland, have pinpointed the set of cells in the brain which controls the desire to eat. By switching off the cells, known as MelanonCortin 4 Receptorregulated (MC4R), in mice, the scientists increased the levels of hunger while turning them on, quelled the hunger. “Our results show that the artificial activation of this particular brain circuit is pleasurable and can reduce feeding in mice, essentially resulting in the same outcome as dieting but without the chronic feeling of hunger,” explained the study’s co-senior author Bradford Low, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an investigator at the Medical Center for Nutrition and Metabolism.
20
SFME
QUICK two-week experiment which saw 20 random volunteers from the United States and from rural Africa effectively swap diets produced ‘visible’ results in the gut. The US volunteers were steered towards a low-fat, high-fibre diet while the Africans were asked to eat more ‘junk’ food from a western-style diet. After the 14 days the Americans had suffered less bowel inflamation while the African’s bowel heath deteriorated. While firm conclusions cannot be made from such a small experiment, the findings do show that diets high in fat and sugar and low in dietary fibre are bad for the human digestive system. The dietary swaps appeared to cause significant changes to the cells lining the gut as well as the bacteria that live in the bowel – with the US volunteers faring better. Past research has shown that a good daily intake of fibres such as whole grains, reduces bowel cancer risk, while eating red and processed meat increases the risk.
SAVE THE DATE
MAY 2015
27 May – 7 June
Tennis
ROLAND GARROS THE 2015 FRENCH OPEN Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France The tennis season’s second Grand Slam returns as the best tennis players in the world battle it out at the sport’s premier clay court championship. Can the seemingly unstoppable Rafael Nadal and the everconsistent Maria Sharapova successfully defend their French Open titles?
28-29 May Darts
DUBAI DUTY FREE DARTS MASTERS 2015 Irish Village, Dubai UAE The top darts maestros in the world converge at the Irish Village for the hotly anticipated Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters. Watch the likes of Phil Taylor, James Wade, Michael Van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis, Raymond Van Barneveld, Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson battle it out for Dubai glory.
6 June Running
DUBAI DESERT ROAD RUN
JUNE 2015
The Sevens Stadium, Dubai UAE Runners of all ages and skill levels can compete in a 10k race as well as 3k fun run with trophies awarded to the first three men and women in all age categories for the 10k run. The Desert Road Run is the perfect chance to unite with fellow runners and beat your own pervious best time.
21 June – 29 August DUBAI SPORTS WORLD 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai UAE The UAE’s leading summer sports festival is back. While the mercury skyrockets outside, sports enthusiasts in the region can still enjoy playing a wide variety of sports inside what many consider as the UAE’s best indoor sporting facility.
SFME
21
22
SFME
Extreme Sailing Making Waves I
AN Williams is a five time World Champion in extreme sailing. The British GAC Pindar Team skipper has also won five National Championships and three Youth National Championships and is a 13 times winner on Tour with 35 podium finishes. He’s travelled the world and competed in some of the most fierce, dangerous and challenging conditions imaginable and is currently taking part in the Extreme Sailing Series which made a stop in Muscat, Oman, in March, where the GAC Pindar Team finished in sixth place. Here the 37 year old discusses what it takes to succeed in one of the world’s most physically and mentally demanding sports.
SFME
23
PICTURE CAPTION
SFME: You recently won your fifth World Match Racing Tour title to become the most successful skipper in history – how determined does that make you ahead of the 2015 season? Ian Williams: I think we’ll see some new faces on the WMRT this season which will bring a fresh challenge. For me, I enjoy the process of constant improvement and we will definitely be looking to come back stronger again in 2015. SFME: With this success, do your goals suddenly shift? The next Americas Cup is in 2017 – is that something you’ve got an eye on? IW: The America’s Cup has always been a goal of mine but there are a lot of factors in getting involved that are out of one’s control. All I can do is continue to perform well in the sailing that I do and hope an opportunity comes along. SFME: Take us back to the very beginning of your career – what created your interest in competitive sailing and when did it turn from a hobby to a profession? IW: I’ve always enjoyed competitive sport and growing up sailing was just one of the sports I enjoyed. My trips to New Zealand (aged 17-19) for the International Youth Match Racing regatta there really opened my eyes to the professional side of the sport but the opportunities didn’t really open up for me to sail full time until I was 28 – and that was 10 years ago.
SFME: When it comes to team sailing – are there any positions on the boat that require a higher level of fitness or stamina than others? IW: I think one of the great things about the sport is that it caters for all types of physical prowess. There are roles that are almost entirely cerebral, like tactician or helmsman, there are roles that have a mix, like trimmer or bowman, and there are roles that are very physical, like mastman or grinder. Within the variety of physical roles, some require greater fitness and some are more about power. This also varies for different styles of racing and boats.
SFME: What advice would you give to anyone who is looking to get into sailing but wouldn’t quite know where to begin? IW: There are thousands of sailing clubs around the world. Although some are quite intimidating, most are keen to attract new members and have programmes for non-members. My advice would be to start at the local sailing club and see what they can offer.
SFME: As Skipper, what is your main role and what kind of fitness work do you work on in order to be at your best? IW: On the World Match Racing Tour my job is not very physical, so general fitness is sufficient to keep me thinking clearly. But I do other roles on other boats so my fitness regime is a mix of weight training, high intensity CV work, and longer endurance training.
24
SFME
“I THINK THE MIDDLE EAST ALREADY IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN SAILING, WITH THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE, EXTREME SAILING SERIES AND OLYMPIC CLASSES.” – IAN WILLIAMS
SFME: You must have a mix of both mental and physical stamina to succeed at top-level sailing, can you pinpoint anything you do that keeps you one step ahead of the competition? IW: I don’t think I do anything special, but what I would say is that all the training I do is at a very high intensity level and I think that unless you are really pushing yourself in the gym then you are not getting the most out of it. SFME: Heading into a multiple-day race as part of the season, how do you prepare yourself for being out on the water each day – mentally and physically? IW: I have a number of techniques to get myself into the right frame of mind for racing. In sailing it’s hard to have a fixed routine because the preparation time and situation is very varied, so the techniques I use vary depending on the situation and how I’m feeling. Physically, I think nutrition is a very important part of my race preparation. I suffer from sugar lows which really affect my ability to think straight so I always have an emergency supply of energy bars available – I like the banana bars from Get Buzzing. SFME: What is a typical race day like and what do you do in the recovery period and during down-time when you might have a week or two off on your schedule? IW: There is no such thing as a typical race day in sailing, they are all so varied, depending on the conditions, the type of regatta and the state of the regatta. When I have time off, it’s really an opportunity to get on top of my admin work, hit the gym and spend time with my family. SFME: What are the essential things that you eat and drink before a race? IW: Lots of calories for eating as you do burn up a lot on a long day on the water. You can also end up very dehydrated so we always add rehydration powder or tablets to our drinking water to help us absorb fluids. SFME: What’s the most bizarre thing that has happened to you during your competitive career and just how dangerous can the sport be? IW: Match racing does lead to some strange situations because you are often pushing the margins and taking a lot of risks. We have had people fall overboard, we have run aground, we have hooked marks and the starting boat, but I think the funniest one was in a final at the Portugal Match Cup where both boats ran aground and the race had to be abandoned because neither boat was able to free themselves. SFME: You’ve been to the Middle East to compete in the Extreme Sailing Series and have visited the Dubai Marina Yacht Club – how important is it that sailing popularity is increasing across the globe and this area in particular? IW: As somebody who has got a lot of enjoyment out of sailing,
I am very happy to see it grow and for more people to be able to share the experience. The Middle East has some of the best sailing conditions in the world and a great sailing heritage so it seems natural that the sport will continue to grow in the region. SFME: From your experience, what are the sailing facilities and conditions like in Dubai and across the Middle East? IW: As I’ve mentioned, the conditions are great and the facilities are improving all the time. SFME: The area has become a bit of a sporting hub in recent years with events like Formula 1, Golf and Tennis flourishing there, do you feel the Middle East has the potential to become a major player in Sailing? IW: The Middle East already is a major player in sailing, with the Volvo Ocean Race, Extreme Sailing Series and Olympic classes already visiting the region. But there is certainly room for more and I know there are many people trying to bring the World Match Racing Tour to the region as well.
MAJOR VICTORIES
2015 2014
Winner of 2 World Match Racing Tour events (Match Race Germany and Sopot Match Race).
2012
World Match Racing Tour Champion and winner of 2 World Match Racing Tour events and 1 Grade 1 Match Racing event.
2010
Tactician on board “Pace” IRC TP52, winners of class in Warsash Spring Series and Vice Admirals Cup and on board “Pugwash”, winners of class at US IRC East Coast Championships.
2008
World Match Racing Tour Champion and winner of the Danish Open World Match Racing Tour Event. Winner of SB3 class at Skandia Cowes Week and tactician aboard “Tiburon”, winners Club Swan 42 US National Championships.
2006
2014/15 ISAF World Match Racing Tour Champion and winner of the Monsoon Cup.
2013
Winner of Match Race Germany.
2011
World Match Racing Tour Champion and winner of 3 World Match Racing Tour events and 2 Grade 1 Match Racing events.Tactician on board “Pace” IRC TP52, winners of class at Palma Vela.
2009
Skipper of China Team for the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, beating Greek Challenge, Shosholoza and Areva overall.
2007
World Match Racing Tour Champion and winner of 2 World Match Racing Tour Events. Tactician on board Farr 40 “Warpath” winners of Acura Miami Grand Prix.
Tactician on board “Piper”, winners of Swan 45 Class at Voiles de St. Tropez. Winner of Bermuda Gold Cup, World Match Racing Tour event.
SFME
25
IT’S JUST FOOTBALL CHRIS BROWN came through the famous Youth Academy of England’s renowned nursery Club in the North West,Crewe Alexandra, which currently competes in Football League One.
SFME talks to renowned football coach CHRIS BROWN about his life in the game and the, ‘It’s Just Football Academy.’
ALREADY a professional, he dreamed of making it all the way to the top and more than held his own in matches against players who would go on to become household names, including the likes of England Internationals Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Joe Cole. But a serious injury forced Chris into premature retirement. Rather than wallow in thoughts of what might have been he set about getting his coaching badges, eventually passing the highest level course. Now he’s a UEFA A licensed coach, which means he is eligible to train teams playing in every top league around the world, and even at international level. But Brown’s passion lies in developing the next generation of stars. He’s been coaching kids in Dubai for 11 years and is currently the Managing Director and Head Coach at the ‘It’s Just Football Academy,’ supported by Umbro, in Jebel Ali.
SFME
27
SFME: Tell us what ‘It’s Just Football’ is all about. Chris Brown: We educate players on how to play the game from the ages of 4-18. We have a range of different squads with varying abilities. The ‘It’s Just Football Academy’ has been running for two years but the actual academy itself, which has been supported by UMBRO, has been running since 2006. SFME: What is the end goal at your academy? CB: Our ultimate goal here at the academy is, ideally, for some of our players to become professional footballers. Realistically, we want to improve the level of football in the region, especially from an ex-pat point of view. We would like to give players a pathway for them to play at the highest level, whether that be professional football or taking a scholarship in the States or even playing high level non-league football in whichever country they’re from. SFME: What kind of training do the kids receive? CB: We have an advanced squad who will train twice a week, play futsal once a week and on Saturday they’ll play in the Dubai Premium Youth League. They’ll also play matches against local professional opposition. During the summer we take the teams away to play football overseas. We’ve been to Sweden, Helsinki, Madrid and England twice. This summer we’ll be taking the team to London where we’ve lined up games against Spurs, Chelsea, Brentford and Watford. SFME: How have you seen the game of football develop here in the Middle East since you’ve been here? CB: I’ve been here since 2004 and have been involved in youth football since that time. I’ve seen a gradual increase in players participating and also in the standard of play. It’s a slow process but we’re still trying to break down doors where we, hopefully, can get to a stage in a few years’ time where there is a difference between grassroots football, academy football and school football. At the moment it’s still fairly mixed but that’s the next step that needs to be taken. SFME: We understand that ‘It’s Just Football’ is also about ‘coaching the coaches.’ Could you tell us a little more about that? CB: From 2006 the Jebel Ali Centre of Excellence, which is an approved centre form the English Football Association, started the FA Coach Education Courses which were originally Level 1 and Level 2 standard. Three years ago they
28
SFME
changed it to International and Foundation Intermediate levels. So if you were an aspiring coach wanting to improve your child’s local team or dream of coaching at the top level, then you could take steps to become the next José Mourinho or Arsene Wenger! (pictured above). SFME: Tell us a little bit about your own footballing background. CB: As a young player I played for Chelsea and Luton before I eventually went on to play for Crewe Alexandra who were a small club who were famous for their academy system of producing a series of young players who would go to become superstars at bigger clubs. I worked under some top-class coaches at Crewe, including Steve Holland, who is now the Assistant Coach of Chelsea. Unfortunately, my career was brought to an just
before the age of 19 due to a long term injury I sustained. I got an insurance payout from the Professional Footballers Association which lead me into coaching and that was the second best thing I could possibly do after playing professional football. SFME: Did you play with or against any big names during your playing days? CB: In my younger days Michael Owen (pictured below) was a standout player. I played against him but we were on a different level, to be honest. By the time he was 14 people knew that he would go on to play at the highest level and, obviously, he did, becoming one of the most dangerous strikers in the game. We played against Liverpool one Saturday and they had an incredibly strong team – Owen was on the brink of playing in the first team. We didn’t have our strongest side out, but we ended up losing 7-1 with Owen scoring six! I played against the Liverpool and England star, Steven Gerrard,
SKILLS CORNER
MAKE THE DIAMOND WORK One of the cornerstones of Chris Brown’s philosophy is to encourage players to become more comfortable in possession of the ball by working on their receiving skills and movement off the ball. Here’s a drill that he commonly uses.
STAGE 1
Chris Brown (centre) lines up with some of his most promising students from the Advanced Squad during a training session at the It’s Just Football Academy in Jebel Ali.
a few times and had a few good battles with him when I was younger. The Aston Villa midfielder Joe Cole is another player who springs to mind along with former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King and quite a few others who I played against when I was in my teens. It’s always nice to reflect and say that I’ve been able to play against them. All these experiences have helped me in my career as a coach and it helps when you’ve played in games and worked under some really good coaches. I try to bring in some of our philosophies into ‘It’s Just Football.’ Not only do we want players to become professionals but it’s also important that we get grounded individuals who, aside from being good footballers, are good people as well. www.itsjustfootball.com.
The centre-back triggers the movement off the number four, who will play it forward for the deeplying midfield players’ run. As he looks to take the touch from his feet, the number four should come off at an angle and try and receive the ball on his back foot.
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
The movement in this stage of the drill is from the wide player in the diamond formation in midfield. As the number four receives the ball on his back foot, he should be looking to peel off his marker and get himself wide on the turn.
Once he’s been able to find the space by peeling off, he’s looking for an angled driven pass from the number four into the open space. The receiver should then be able to control it and play it up either to the centreforward or the number ten.
Stage
Stage
3
2
Stage
SFME
1
29
STADIUM, the sport and active lifestyle brand, welcomed more than 90 young athletes to its Dubai Mall location for the official launch of the National School Basketball Championship on April 23. Dubai-based former NBA star Jawann Oldham was there to officially launch the league and treated basketball enthusiasts of all ages to an evening of fun and games. STADIUM is the key sponsor of the six-week basketball league which will involve over 200 U-14 and U-16 basketball players from 24 schools across the UAE. “STADIUM is delighted to be a key sponsor of this year’s National Schools Basketball League and we are very much looking forward to working with the organisers to ensure that it’s a great success for all those involved,” said Samantha Warrayat, Marketing Manager for STADIUM. “As a brand, STADIUM is committed to enabling and encouraging its consumers of all ages and abilities to be active and to enjoy a fit and healthy lifestyle; what better place to start than at grassroots level in UAE schools.” Oldham, whose 15 year NBA career saw him play for teams like the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, said that leagues like the National School Basketball League were essesntial for the growth of the sport.
NATIONAL
“It’s very important to have leagues like this if we want to grow the game in the region,” said Oldham, who serves as the Director of the Basketball Academy of Dubai, which he launched in 2006. “That’s the evolution of the game of basketball. You have to have that initial development and then grow the leagues, grow the players so that all the evolution comes together at the same time.”
SCHOOLs
The National Schools Basketball League got underway on April 18 and will culminate with the finals on June 6.
STADIUM LAUNCHES
BASKETBALL LEAGUE
30
SFME
STADIUM
Inside THE RETAIL ROPES AT STADIUM ASHOK AITHAL is the driving force behind the STADIUM brand and with more than 12 years’ experience in the world of sports retail, he has all the right credentials to excel in a rapidly evolving industry. SFME spoke with Ashok about his role at STADIUM and the direction the multibrand sports retailer heading. SFME: What is your role as the Head of Sports Retail for RSH, the parent company of STADIUM? Ashok Aithal: As the Head of Sports Retail, I manage a team of 15-20 brand managers. We look after the day-to-day operations and the business aspects of all the sports brands and stores within the RSH portfolio. We have around 40-50 stores which my team look after on a daily basis and I would say that I micromanage all the brands.
SFME: How would you rate the business of sports merchandise in the UAE ? AA: It’s a fantastic market to be in. We’ve been through a couple of recessions already and we’ve seen that sporting goods, like fashion, never die. Irrespective of the slump in the market, I think there is always a great need for sporting goods. SFME: Is STADIUM looking to get involved in sponsorship opportunities? AA: Over the past few years we have been affiliated to minor events and sponsorships but nothing of great significance. However, in the last year or two, we have taken the STADIUM name to the next level. Sponsorship is a low-hanging fruit and so we have taken a few aggressive steps in that direction. This year and next year we are looking to get involved in many different initiatives. We have joined hands with Sport360 to sponsor the National Schools Basketball Championship and we recently held the official launch of the event here at our Dubai Mall location. It was a fantastic event which featured former NBA star Jawann Oldham, who officially launched the league and gave the youngsters who were there a few tips. We actually turned a section of the store into a small basketball court so it was great. (see opposite page) This is the first big sponsorship deal that STADIUM have done and there will be many to follow for sure. SFME: What are STADIUM’s expansion plans looking like? AA: We have braced ourselves for a very aggressive expansion plan. We have been very cautious over the last few years and we’ve just been trying to establish ourselves in the UAE. However, since last year we have been making waves outside the UAE. This year we were very happy to open our first STADIUM store in Saudi Arabia. Very soon we will be having at least another 3-4 stores in that region. The engine is running, and there are many stores in the pipeline.
SFME: What are some of the ways you keep up with the varying tastes and demands of your customers? AA: Customer sentiments do keep changing on a regular basis and keeping up with that change is a challenge on its own. It’s all about how well you cater for their needs and how well you respond to their changing trends. We are backed by the top brands in the global market like Reebok, Nike and Adidas, who are always one step ahead in designing and delivering what the customer needs and what their next need would be.
SFME
31
surfing Nathan Banks Volcom Brand Ambassador
“VOLCOM GEAR IS GOOD QUALITY, CUTTING EDGE DESIGN, SURF PRODUCT. IT HAS A GREAT HISTORY AND SUCCESS STORY FROM ITS GRASS ROOTS BEGINNINGS AS A BACK YARD GARAGE LABEL TO BECOMING A GLOBAL BRAND, WITHOUT LOSING ITS EDGE.” Nathan Banks
I
THE SURFING LAWYER
n his day job Nathan Banks is a lawyer but when he’s not got his head buried in piles of legal paperwork you’ll find him out on the waves in Dubai and around the world indulging in his passion for surfing. He grew up in the town of Raglan in New Zealand which is famous of its cranking left hand point breaks so like many of its inhabitants, he has surfing in his blood. A pro-surfer in his younger days, Banks’ talent for the sport was spotted by Volcom when he was competing in one their wave pool competitions and he was recruited as one of their local ambassadors, which fortuitously for him, means he gets kitted out in Volcom gear and accessories free of charge! SFME: Tell us about your surfing – when and how did you become involved in the sport? Nathan Banks: I grew up in Raglan which has surf about 366 days of the year! There’s a high standard of surfing in the area and it’s a healthy, well rounded sport that attracts all walks of life which makes up for an interesting dynamic. It brings into play a wide range of physical and mental skills and disciplines and now you’ve got the likes of Kelly Slater and a relatively older generation still at the top of their game competing on the international circuit giving us older guys plenty of motivation to continue to get out there and bog rails.
SFME: Do you still compete? NB: Not really. I take part in the odd club contest back home and I’ve done the Volcom wave pool competition, which is a good day, but more of a social thing. Really I just surf for self satisfaction and enjoyment with my mates - chasing perfect reef break waves, particularly nearby in the Indian Ocean. SFME: What do you make of Dubai as a surfing destination? NB: It has good days, meaning you are out in three foot waves of warm water and with your mates. When I first came out here 10 years ago, there was much more coastline you could surf and only a handful of guys were surfing. We’ve seen a double whammy with reduced surf spots from coastal developments and reclamation of land along with more guys in the water. The surf landscape has changed and seems to be continually changing. It’s still fun though. It’s great that everyone is getting into the sport and enjoying it, however, a lot of people are learning in an area that has no history of surfing and is severely lacking in water etiquette so people oblivious to the unwritten rules. It can make things dangerous as the line-up on the breaks is congested with all types of water craft and tourists swimming. I think it would be worthwhile to have some education in this area to try and bring back a bit more order and safety. The surf-shops, brands and parents can take a leading role here.
SFME: Tell us about the best surfing experience you’ve had? NB: That’s a hard one as there’s been a few I’d rank right up there. Before coming out to the Middle East most of my surfing was around NZ and the South Pacific. I’ve had a few trips to Tahiti – Morea, Hapiti, Huihine. One season we did a sail boat trip on a 50ft Beneteau around the few of the islands and scored some epic waves. I’ve done Fiji a number of times and had cloud break solid 8 – 10 foot which has been a definite highlight. After I qualified in law I spent 3 months in Cabo San Lucas on the Baja Peninsula which was a blast and I surfed all up and down the sea of Cortez and the Pacific sides of the Baja. More recently I’ve been hitting the Maldives each season, surfing cokes, sultans, jails and staying at Lohis Fushi. Cokes is a favourite wave of mine and at 6 – 8 ft it’s world class. I also recently did a mission into P Pass which is a heavy right hand reef up in the northern Micronesian chain of islands. It’s a mission to get there from Dubai, island hopping through Manila, Choot and onto Ponpei but well worth it – we scored a solid 10 ft swell on that trip and there were a few waves that definitely etched in the memory bank. SFME: What do you like about Volcom gear? NB: It’s good quality, cutting edge design, surf product. It has a great history and success story from its grass roots beginnings as a back yard garage label to becoming a global brand, without losing its edge.
SFME
33
Trainer
DUMBBELL DON by Charlie Barkley and Roberta Darrigo
RUNWAY ROPE CLIMBS by Dean Ketzner
36
45
GOING FURTHER IN 3D by Steven Gillespie
NUTRITION AND TRAINING IN BODYBUILDING PT 2 by Michael Payne
38
46
BODYWEIGHT BLASTER by James Sidhu
MASTER THE BUTTERFLY STROKE by Lisa Hancox
40
48
HIKE IT OUT TO GO FURTHER by Ben Press
42
MAXIMISE YOUR HEALTH by Banin Shahine
51 SFME
35
WORDS BY CHARLIE BARCLAY Personal Trainer, Fitness First, Dalma Mall
IN PICTURES: FITNESS FIRST’S ROBERTA DARRIGO SHOWS HOW IT’S DONE!
W
ITH the rise in popularity of more exciting and new functional training equipment like kettlebells, TRX suspension training and ViPRs, one classic and time-tested training tool has been left to rust in the corner or the gym. To this day, the dumbbell is still one of the most effective and adaptive pieces of training equipment in the gym. The best thing about training with dumbbells is how versatile they are. Heavy bells can be used for strength training while light dumbbells can be used in a circuit for conditioning work. You can even use them to build muscle or torch fat. You can work in multiple planes of motion, perform weighted carries, plyometric movements and add rotation to movements that would usually be static. The list is almost endless. We all know crowded gyms are a lifter’s worst nightmare. When everyone else is standing in line for the squat rack or the barbell bench press, grab a pair of dumbbells, find a quiet corner and tear it up. Dumbbells use up very little space on the gym floor and one set can
be used to perform multiple exercises, back-to-back, to really get the heart racing and give you a killer workout such as the one below. A welldesigned dumbbell training programme can easily match the intensity of a heavy barbell training session. If mobility or poor range of motion is a problem, dumbbells can be a great alternative that allow you to work through a more comfortable movement pattern while targeting the same muscle groups. Dumbbells also allow you to train unilaterally, or on one side of your body at a time, meaning you can stimulate your core as an added bonus to what would usually be an ordinary exercise. In a similar way they also allow for more complex movements to be made easy. A single arm dumbbell snatch is a great way to perform a complex, explosive exercise when you may not have the technique or mobility to perform a full barbell, Olympic snatch. Give this simple circuit a try with a single pair of dumbbells and remind yourself why they are still the best thing in the gym after all! Perform 3 - 5 rounds of the circuit below, resting as little as possible.
ROBERTA DARRIGO
TOP TIP Keep your chest up and make sure all your weight is on your heels
A
36
SFME
Group Exercise Manager Al Barsha Fitness First
SQUAT 1 DB 20 REPS B
Standing up, hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides. Sit your hips down and back with the weight on your heels. Push into the floor and squeeze your glutes, end by returning to a standing position.
TRAINER
CLEAN 3 DB AND PRESS
10 REPS
Use your legs and hips to bring the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Push toward the ceiling until your arms are locked out overhead. Return the dumbbells with control, lower them back to your hips. That’s one rep!
A
B
LUNGE 2 DB 20 REPS Step forward with one leg and sink down until your back knee taps the floor, or as deep as you feel comfortable. Drive up and return to a standing position with both feet together. Swap legs and repeat. Keep your head up and your abs tight.
TOP TIP Once again keep your chest up and try to make a slow, steady movement.
A TOP TIP Use your legs to help you drive upwards. Bend your knees on the way down.
A
B
RENEGADE ROW 4 DB 20 REPS With the dumbbells on the floor, assume a push-up position. Hold your abs and hips tight. Squeeze your glutes and row one dumbbell up to your side. There should be as little rotation as possible from your torso. Repeat on the other arm for 20 reps.
TOP TIP Remember to ensure that your glutes and abs feel super-tight for this one.
B WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
37
By STEVEN GILLESPIE Fitness Manager, Fitness First, Motor City
G N I GORTHER
FINU3 DIMENSIONS H
AS anyone ever noticed that we began life as a child designed to run, catch, jump, climb, twist and generally move in many different ways, yet as we have grown older, most of our physical activites become very linear and one dimensional? To those who are unaware of this paradox, let me first explain the three natural planes of motion that the human body is capable of. Firstly, we have the sagittal plane of motion, which is the most popular of all of the planes and is a mainstay in most standard gymbased exercise programmes. These will involve the squat, bench press, chin up, dip, lunge and curl movements to name but a few, and in general involve the body moving from front-to-back or up-anddown. Secondly, we have the frontal plane, which involves side-to-side movement such as the side-lunge, side-step and the side-bend. Thirdly, we have the transverse plane, which is all about rotational movements, like standing cable rotation or woodchop. Overall, we could rank each movement plane in popularity based on aesthetics and the sagittal plane would come out on top 90% of the time as this is where most bodybuilders’ and shape enthusiasts’ gaze and effort will focus. However, according to Cosgrove (2008), functional movement enthusiasts must also consider the other two planes of motion to have a true grasp of ‘3D’ movement. Cosgrove argues that the world is not a linear place and that we are often faced with tasks involving a combination of sagittal, frontal and transverse movements. Therefore, I beg the question, why are we still doing everything in ‘1D’ and then complaining when we get an injury through a multi-planar loaded movement? I read an interesting blog of late titled ‘Movement not Muscle’ from Barefoot Fitness (2012), which started with the concept ‘…the brain knows only movement, not muscles.’
38
SFME
1
T RA NSVE RS E S NA T CH
TRAINER
This got me questioning my own training history. As a former ‘sagittal-only’ aficionado, my training was based on ‘full-on’ linear/aesthetic training and therefore I wondered, not surprisingly, why my body responded so poorly to frontal or transverse movements in rugby having had a knee impact injury from a lateral angle. Due to having trained extensively in the sagittal plane by flexing and extending my legs under loads and building what I thought looked like robust and strong quads and hamstrings, I had left myself almost completely defenseless due to having next to no load exposure in the sagittal or transverse planes of motion. There is obviously a lesson to be learned for us all who have been guided towards the often easy path of either machine-based or sagittal-focused programmes. So please, in the name of injury prevention and lifelong joint health, consider adopting a full body and functional programme that integrates tri-planar movements, or at least where multi-planes of motion are explored so as to strengthen the body through all planes and prepare it for what life has to offer. Need some inspiration? Here is how I turned the popular kettlbell snatch, clean and swing into tri-planar movements instead of a traditional onedimensional movement. ■
2
KB Racke d S i de L ung e t o L at e ra l S huffl e Cl e a n
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
3
K B High Swin g Alt Rotations
4
KB W o o dcho p S w i t ch- S win g SFME
39
BODYWEIGHT
BLASTER
T
RAINING with pin-loaded machines, freeweights and various pieces of freestyle equipment can be engaging and exciting, but it is also just as important to test your ability to control and perform against your own bodyweight. After all, if you can bicep curl 20 KG but fail to perform a solid set of push-ups, something is definitely missing!
Two of the greatest benefits of bodyweight exercise are: 1. The ability to develop balanced muscle mass that suits your physical frame. 2. Bodyweight exercises which focus on compound movements that synergistically work many muscles at the same time. This is good news for anyone taking part in sports or martial arts where muscular balance and developing an athletic body is important. However, the truth is that everyone can benefit from injecting a bodyweight routine into their training regime and it’s always good to test yourself against yourself!
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
40
SFME
TRAINER
THE PUSH-UP
This is the classic and most widely known form of testing yourself against your own bodyweight. The push-up works the arms, chest, shoulders and even the core, so if you’re only going to pick one bodyweight exercise, this is the one.
By JAMES SIDHU Fitness Manager, Fitness First Platinum DIFC
TECHNIQUE: Start by lying flat, facing the floor and then position your hands shoulder width apart with your palms down. Your legs and feet should be close together, with your toes pressed against the floor. The aim is to push your body away from the floor and then lower it back down to complete a repetition. Aim to keep the elbows in tight to the body and ensure the back and hip alignment is straight throughout the motion.
TIP: If you’re struggling to keep the form while being on the toes, do not straight away go onto your knees as an option! You need to develop your core muscles to support this exercise so it’s far better to just start flat on the ground and only complete the upward pushing phase of the motion.
THE TRICEPS DIP TECHNIQUE: Dips can be performed on the ground, although, it’s advisable to use a small bench or step for this exercise because it supports the movement and allows for a greater range of motion. Start by placing the hands shoulder-width apart in the bench and extend your legs out in front of you so you are resting on the heels of your feet and your bottom is just in front of the bench. Keep the arms straight to start and then lower your body so that your bottom is moving towards the ground, but not touching, to reach a 90-degree angle bend in the elbows.
THE SQUAT
Although dips mainly focus on the triceps, they also work the shoulder, forearms and even the core. If guys are looking to get some mass on the arms or the ladies out there want to tone up and avoid the dreaded ‘bingo wings,’ this is a great exercise to engage in. TIP: If it’s a bit too difficult to start with the legs locked out in front of you, bring the feet in flat and bend the knees to ease some of the tension. You can then build up to the fully locked-out position.
The squat is another classic movement that primarily works the legs. However because it is a full-body compound exercise, it also works the glutes, lower back and the core making it a superb all-round exercise! You could always load the squat with weights but performing without it yields fantastic, highly balanced results that can improve your postural alignment and flexibility. TECHNIQUE: Start by standing straight up and placing the feet shoulder width apart with your arms out directly in front of you. Bend the knees and hips (rotating the hips outwards as if sitting on a chair) and lower yourself as far and as comfortably as you possibly can. You may find that you cannot go as low as you like when you start but with repitition, you will develop more flexibility which will allow you to go deeper into the squat and work the muscles better.
TIP: The basic squat should not be that difficult, so aim to progress with variations to change things up. You could try different stances to give a different feel to the exercise. Another option is to use an unstable surface while you perform the squat such as the BOSU ball (try it on both sides to see the difference!). However if you want the ultimate challenge, you could attempt a ‘pistol squat’ which involves keeping one leg off the ground while squatting down with the other leg. Be warned, this one is only for the well conditioned bodies out there!
SFME
41
By BEN PRESS Fitness Manager, Fitness First Burjuman
HIKE IT OUT
TO HELP YOU GO FURTHER
I
T’S no surprise that hiking is the single most popular outdoor activity in the world. After all, who can say no to the wonderful union of fitness, nature and landscape? But often what happens during a hike is that instead appreciating the great outdoors, we are left in agony over our lack of breath or burning thighs. I’m going to show you five simple exercises that will help you improve your fitness and strength so you can enjoy the hikes again. These exercises are cardio and compound based and will increase your stamina as well as your overall fitness levels.
1 2
THE HIP THRUST
Our glutes are one of the most important muscles in our body when it comes to movement. Weak glutes can translate to a plethora of problems ranging from lower back pain to joint issues. The hip thrust is a compound movement that is aimed at targeting the glute muscles. Position your upper back on a bench with your feet a little wider than shoulder width. Drop your hips down towards the ground then drive them up, squeezing your bottom at the top.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
Picture your core muscles as a belt that wraps around your waist and lower back, keeping it all tightly wrapped when you exercise. The appropriately named ‘mountain climber’ is a combination of a core strength and cardio output. Start in a press up position with your back straight and abs tight. Bring your knees up to your chest and then alternate the legs as fast as possible.
42
SFME
TRAINER
3 4 5
LUNGE ONTO BOSU When it coms to hiking in steep or uneven terrain, ankle stability and strength is of the utmost importance. Place the BOSU ball blue side up and take a big step back. From this position, step onto the middle of the BOSU by bending both legs to 90 degrees. Remember to alternate for each leg.
STEP UPS We’ve all experienced that burning sensation in our thighs that makes you just want to do nothing more than sit down and stop moving. Sadly enough, it’s what usually stops us from getting to the top and enjoying that stunning sunset. Find a box that is knee height or higher. Step on it and extend until you are standing, pushing your hips through at the top.
BACK EXTENSIONS
Good posture is absolutely essential if you want to get the most out of your hiking adventures. Back extensions focus on our lower back strength to help keep our posture correct when on the move. Adjust the back extension so your hips are at the top of the pad, lower yourself slowly, keeping your back straight and abs tight.
So give it a go, add these five exercises into your training programmes to help you go further when you’re on the trail. Building strong legs and a strong core will not just help you when you’re hiking, but it’ll go a long way in your day-to-day activities. Remember that your legs and core muscles are the foundations of your body and that they keep you moving forward and standing tall.
Exercises
Reps/Time
Sets
Rest
Hip Thrusts
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
Mountain Climbers
30 seconds
3-4
30 seconds
Lunge onto BOSU
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
Step Ups
30 seconds
3-4
30 seconds
Back Extensions
10-12
3-4
60 seconds
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
43
advert
44
SFME
TRAINER
By DEAN KETZNER XFit Head Coach Fitness First Knowledge Village
R
OPE climbing is a fantastic and fun way to get fit. The beauty of this exercise is that it requires you to move your entire bodyweight in one motion. It also forces you to work your grip harder than you typically would. I’m going to show you two different varieties of the rope climb, one is more basic while the other is slightly more advanced.
Stand with the rope down the middle of your body. From there, take your stronger leg and wrap it around the rope. The rope will then end up on the top of your foot. From there, hold the rope and take your other foot, which is still on the ground, and place it on top of the rope that’s above your opposite foot. While you’re doing this, hoist yourself upwards placing one hand above the other.
The second rope climb is more advanced and you also need to have a little bit more strength to do it. The key difference is that we’re not going to use our legs in this one at all – it’s going to be all arms and shoulders. Concentrate on pulling your elbows towards your hips. You also want to use your legs for momentum, almost as if you’re running up the rope.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
45
By MICHAEL PAYNE Fitness Manager Fitness First, Burjuman Centre
NUTRITION AND TRAINING IN BODYBUILDING PART 2/2
A
S I explained in Part 1 of my article on how to get the most out of bodybuilding in the last issue – the key thing to remember is that there is no quick fix. If you want to develop a good body that will last you have to go about things the right way. I’ve been involved in bodybuilding for many years and through a lot of hard work, trial and error, I’ve developed some methods that should enable you to get the most out of this wonderful sport. I shared with you the first four of my eight top tips in the previous issue so here’s a rundown of the final four.
4 SUPPLEMENTS
Let me tell you something about supplements – you should never rely solely on them and expect that they will work miracles for you. They can be a good addition on top of an already good diet, but if your diet is poor, adding the additional supplements will not make any difference. Most supplements are generally useless but here are two that I use and strongly recommend: FISH OIL: This is my favourite and I strongly recommend it to everyone who doesn’t already use it. Omega 3 fats provide tons of benefits, including decreased inflammation, better insulin sensitivity, decreased cortisol levels (which can all lead to improved muscle building), fat loss and overall faster recovery. PROBIOTICS: This is the next best thing after fish oil. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of optimal gut health on optimal performance and general health and well-being. Optimal gut health
46
SFME
enables better absorption of certain minerals and amino acids. The better the gut environment is, the better it will be able to assimilate the nutrients from the food. Maximal absorption of the nutrients from food is a very important thing for getting the optimal body composition.
OF 5 IMPORTANCE MOVEMENT QUALITY
It is extremely important for maximum muscle stimulation that you focus on your movement quality. Too many people do their training by just swinging the weights around without any focus during the movement. So what do you need to do?
“THERE IS NO PERFECT PROGRAMME, THERE IS NO PERFECT REP AND SET COMBINATION THAT WILL MAKE YOU BIG OVERNIGHT.”
GIVE SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE ECCENTRIC PART OF THE MOVEMENT Controlled, eccentric contractions are a very powerful stimulus that influence muscle growth. Try to lower your weights with as much control as you can during the whole movement. Fully contract the muscle during the concentric portion of the lift (lifting the weights from the chest on the bench press). This will heavily increase your muscle activation during the movement and give the greatest muscle growth stimulus. At the end of the movement, try to hold and squeeze the muscle in a fully contracted position as much as you can. This will significantly increase activation of the muscle fibres on a much higher level.
ABOUT LIFTING HEAVY 6Here’s something that might shock you: You don’t
have to lift heavy weights to grow (at least not all the time). Although lifting heavy weights has a lot of benefits, there are a lot of different mechanisms to stimulate muscle growth. The most important thing you need to do in order to make your muscles bigger is to deliver stress to the muscle. That stress can be delivered through a lot of different methods and rep ranges. For me, the most important thing for delivering proper stress is time under tension, maximising the pump and the amount of the metabolically stress you deliver to the muscle. A lot of people are very surprised when they see how light the weights are in my training sessions. It’s all about creating muscle-mind connection, feeling the right muscle through the whole sessions and in
TRAINER
every rep, and then doing an adequate number of repetitions to create enough amount of stress to the muscle. The amount of weight I lift is least important.
IMPORTANCE OF 7 THE PROGRESSION
Another big mistake people make when they start dieting is that they introduce too many changes too soon. They start with doing cardio five times a week but they cut down to zero carbs – cutting too many calories. When they hit a plateau (which they definitely will), how will they have enough motivation to keep going? If you use all your weapons already at the beginning, making further progress week after week becomes very difficult. Personally, I don’t even introduce cardio for the first four weeks of my diet. I simply don’t need it yet to get my results. Only when I see that things are getting slower, then I gradually start to introduce some changes like more cardio. Another big problem is also cutting too much from your food right from the start. This is rarely sustainable in the long run. When I hit a plateau either I increase my exercise by 10-20% or I cut my food intake by an additional 300-500 kcal. These small changes are often enough to keep me going.
TO YOUR BODY 8AtLISTEN the end of the day you need to go through a lot of trial and error and to experience a lot of different things on your body to actually know what works for you. This is what is really important. Follow what works for you and not for me, or some other professional bodybuilders you may have seen or read in a fitness magazine like Sport&Fitness. What’s important is what works for you and your body. Too many people are making the same mistake by blindly following the programmes from the internet made by people who never actually got big or put on size by themselves. There is no perfect programe, there is no perfect rep and set combination that will make you big overnight. Everything can work, depending on the circumstances, but it all depends on your training experience and the amount of effort you put into your work-outs.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
47
By LISA HANCOX National Swimming and Training Manager, Fitness First Middle East
MASTER THE BUTTERFLY STROKE T
he butterfly stroke is the second fastest of the competitive strokes due to the long propulsive arm action and undulating dolphin kick. It has a reputation of being hard to learn and can be quickly exhausting. However, if taught correctly it is neither! Learning proper butterfly swimming technique requires that you first master the wave-like body movements. Once this body undulation has been mastered the stroke will often fall into place quite naturally with the correct drills. When you’ve mastered this stroke, swimming a few lengths of butterfly can be a lot of fun because of its spectacular movements.
48
SFME
TRAINER
THE STROKE CYCLE ■ From a forward prone position, movement is initiated from the chest pressing downwards and then forwards. ■ The arms move a little bit outwards, then ‘crack’ at the elbows and the forearms and palms are brought into a backwards facing position with the fingertips pointing downwards. ■ The body starts to float and the hands pull backwards and inwards towards the chest lifting the body towards the surface of the water. The hands change directions from below the chest and move back towards the hips – the forward momentum is accelerating at this point. As the body reaches the surface the hands exit the water close to the hips with the palms facing inwards and the recovery of the arms start. They recover forwards, they should be straight with the back of the hands facing forwards. The arms hover above the water surface and return to their initial position. Simultaneously the palms rotate so that at the end of the recovery they are turned downwards again. When the arms are fully extended forward and shoulder width apart, they enter the water.
ACTION - REACTION It may have been noted that the leg action has not been mentioned. The leg kick in butterfly is an action – reaction from the rest of the body. If a swimmer attempts the kick at a specific time the stroke is often affected and detrimental to the stroke as the kick at the back end of the body counters the undulation at the front end. When the body undulation that started in your upper body travels down through the torso and hips arrives at your legs, a simultaneous whipping movement with both legs will occur – this is the kick and should occur twice per stroke cycle.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel www.bit.ly/sf_me
ENTRY PULL RECOVERY SFME
49
advert
50
SFME
Maximise your health this summer
SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE AND IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT WE NEED TO KEEP OURSELVES ACTIVE AND HEALTHY – AND THAT STARTS WITH LOOKING AFTER OUR BODY WITH SOME SIMPLE, EASY TO FOLLOW STEPS…
By BANIN SHAHINE Nutrition Fitness Manager, Fitness First Middle East
The importance of Hydration With the temperatures steadily increasing it is essential that we drink enough water in order to keep our bodily functions working to their optimum level. Water makes up over half of the body’s mass so drinking and replenishing your cells is the first step to maintaining your wellbeing in hot temperatures. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.
Staying Hydrated is essential to beat the heat
■ Do not wait to feel thirsty – make sure you drink at least two litres of water throughout the day.
■ Add a slice of lemon, lime and/or some mint
■Keep a water bottle with you so it reminds you to drink water through the day.
■ Make sure you are drinking more water before, during, and after any exercise sessions.
sprigs to your water to make more refreshing and add some flavour.
Eat Healthily Healthy eating does not suggest any form of special diet. All it requires are a few changes you can live with and enjoy for the rest of your life. Diets are temporary. Because you give up so much when you diet, you may be hungry and think about food all the time. After you stop dieting, you may overeat to make up for what you missed. Instead of following any set diet, aim for balance. Most days, try and eat some produce from each of the following groups – grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits and dairy. Listen to your body. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you feel satisfied. Look for variety in your diet and don’t be afraid of being adventurous. Choose different foods in each food group. Don’t reach for an apple every time you choose a fruit. Eating a variety of foods each day will help you get all the nutrients you need.
Sleep Well Lack of sleep has been shown to have a direct link to hunger, overeating and weight gain. Two hormones in your body regulate normal feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin sends signals to the brain when you are full. However, when you’re short on sleep, your ghrelin levels go up, stimulating your appetite so you want more food than normal, and your leptin levels
go down, which means you don’t feel satisfied and want to keep eating. All this may seem like a vicious circle that you don’t want to follow. So in order to keep your body on the right path, try to get around eight hours of quality sleep per night.
Enjoy your summer To get the most out of Summer some exercise is required to stay fully energised. Add more fun to your work-outs by involving your friends and family and try a new sport for the first time such as basketball, tennis or volleyball, instead of toiling away on the gym machines or running around the block. Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is far more satisfying. If you can match that with more physical activity, you are more likely to get to a healthy weight – and stay there – than if you just diet. SFME
51
advert
52
SFME
HEALTHY SNACKING
IT’S A MUNCHBOX REVELATION
By Mahmoud Adham, Business Development Director, Munchbox
I
ts 11:0 am on a Wednesday morning. Some are at work. Some are home. A few are in a class…and the health conscious ones are about to leave for their Fitness First session. They’re all hungry. They just want to munch on something that’s not as heavy as breakfast, or as time-consuming to eat, while going about their day. It’s too early for lunch and they don’t want to add bad calories with chips and sodas and cookies. Let’s face it, EVERYONE needs to snack. So what should we snack on? That muffin in that coffee store sure looks tasty….but naughty! Some of the best snacks to graze on are nuts and seeds. 1 They watch your sugar spike: Nuts control the sugar release in the blood. As a result, they control your carbs converting into fats; they don’t make you feel drowsy like other carb-containing snacks do. Basically, they don’t make you fat. 2 Repeat, THEY DO NOT MAKE YOU FAT: Nuts contain fats in the most natural form – Omega 3 and Omega 6. The amounts vary, but the fat they provide is good fat that is needed for the brain development of kids, healthy shiny lustrous
skin and they keep heart attacks at bay. My favourite is the brain-nut – the walnut! They have an excellent balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3. This balance is very important for a healthy heart. A healthy heart is what you need in your Zumba class – it will make you pant less! After cod liver, nuts are the best source of healthy fats and the best fact of all is that they’re vegan. 3 Yes, VEGAN: Nuts are an excellent source of protein for vegans. Studies have shown that consuming nuts and some seeds helps in muscle recovery after any form of work-out. Chances of injuries are less. Nuts provide easily digestible proteins. I call them playful proteins that you can just pop before or after your workout. Just one handful of nuts and seeds can provide you with up to 6gms of proteins at a time which is equal to the protein from one egg. 4 Paleo Friendly: Nuts and many seeds are low carb snacks. If you are counting your carbs, look for our paleo friendly snack options. They are just what our ancestors, the cavemen, ate! 5 Not enough Reasons? They are easy to carry, not messy, and you can boast of eating healthily to your friends!
One challenge we all struggle with is that we don’t have the time or effort to prepare our own snacks. The good news is that MUNCHBOX.AE has already done it for you and is now available in all Fitness First Branches in Dubai or online on www.munchbox.ae. To learn more about how you can incorporate MunchBoxes into your everyday routine, and not just snack on them, enquire at your local Fitness First’s reception or email: info@fitnessfirst-me.com.
SFME
53
LIFE IN
STYLE BENTLEY FS V8
SRI LANKA TRAVEL
local scene
SFME discovers a car that is both beauty and the beast.
Falling in love with the Indian Ocean’s hidden gem!
The Raw Bar in Dubai’s Oberoi hotel is serving up tasty delights for the health conscious.
56 YOGA STYLE The beautiful Tara Stiles showcases Reebok’s Yoga Studio range.
63
59
62
adidas gear focus
celebrity workout
We put the new Climachill and Boost range under the spotlight.
Get yourself a Catwoman body by training like Anne Hathaway
64
67
SFME
55
I
T’S not every day that the phone rings in SFME Towers with the PR officer for Bentley offering to lend you one of their cars for a few days so that it can feature in your estemeed magazine. So after mulling it over for about a millisecond we agreed and two minutes later we were hot footing it down to the Deira showroom in Dubai to pick up a gleaming, brand spanking new Bentley Flying Spur V 8. The ride of this wonderful machine is as smooth, elegant and downright opulent as you would expect from a Bentley. There’s a captivating blend of sculpted, sleek coachwork, exquisite craftsmanship and hyper-intelligent advanced on-board technology. But what really shocked us was the sheer power and speed the 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 engine produces.
Styling
The styling of the new Flying Spur V8 is subtly different from its flagship W12 sibling. The chromed exhaust finishers are styled in the trademark figure of eight to signify the alternative power-train and the famous Bentley winged badge receives the usual red centre to denote the V8 engine. Neil Wilford, Regional Manager, Middle East, India and Africa, Bentley Motors, said: “The arrival of the new Flying Spur V8 broadens the options for those customers who are looking to graduate from the premium to ultra-luxury car segment. This car delivers a combination of superior performance and luxury which is unrivalled in its class. “As one of our most prominent markets, the Middle East will continue to be a key focus for us and as such, we will continue to introduce members of the Bentley family to best serve the desires of our existing and potential customers.” With that unmistakable Bentley style and a powerhouse of a high-performance engine to boot, make no mistake, FS V8 is both the beauty and the beast.
56
SFME
WHEELS
Performance+ The Flying Spur V8 has 507 PS (500 bhp/373 kW) and 660 Nm on tap, and powers the car from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds) and on to a top speed of 183 mph (295 km/h). This impressive performance comes with a fuel range of 520 miles (840 km).
SFME
57
advert
58
SFME
travel
Sri Lanka
THE INDIAN OCEAN’S HIDDEN GEM
J
UST a four and a half hour flight from Dubai and with the kind of unspoilt beaches, stunning scenery and tantalizing cuisine most travellers dream of, the phrase ‘hidden gem’ might have been invented for Sri Lanka. There are very few places left in the world that still offer the kind of unblemished natural beauty and the opportunity for true adventure that Sri Lanka does but if you want to experience it in its purest form you better be quick because the times they are a changing! The civil war that ripped the country apart for more than 25 years only ended in 2009 meaning tourism, in the modern sense of the word, is still very new, and while there are a few fairly built up resort areas, it’s still possible to find vast swathes of undeveloped coastline to explore and enjoy in peace. But visitor numbers are increasing at a rate of knots as this tropical island paradise, situated off the southern tip of India, starts to spread its wings. From the ancient sights of the Cultural Triangle to the pristine beaches and thriving National Parks, Sri Lanka has enough variety to keep visitors coming back and making new discoveries year after year. We knew we were never going
to be able to cover the whole country in this first trip so we got our teeth into a few key areas before agreeing a unanimous mandate to return at the earliest opportunity.
Colombo
The bustling capital city Colombo is most people’s first port of call in Sri Lanka, home as it is to the country’s main Bandaranaike International Airport. Many visitors overlook the former ‘garden city of the East’, viewing it merely as a stop off point on their way to the delights of the beach resorts or the inland Cultural Triangle, but Colombo has a lot to offer. The Fort area is currently undergoing a huge restoration of its stunning colonial architecture while legacies of Dutch, Portuguese and British occupation are visible at every turn. Galle Face Green – Colombo’s ‘front porch’ – is a large grassed area on the sea front, popular for catching the sunset or picking up some delightful street food from one of the many vendors there. It rained during our visit but the views were still stunning. Exploring this cosmopolitan city, with its burgeoning array of stylish eateries, galleries and museums is a must during any visit to Sri Lanka. AMANWELLA BEACH
SEA PLANE
THE ONLY WAY TO TRAVEL www.cinnamonair.com
O
ur next stop was the stunning Amanwella Resort in the southern coastal region of Tangalle and with time of the essence we opted to fly there rather than waste half a day with a four and a half hour drive. It proved to be the best decision we could have made. Cinnamon Air (aptly named after the country’s leading export) is a small domestic airline offering an ‘air taxi’ service to Sri Lanka’s main tourist hot spots as an alternative to the still fairly rustic road network that can make travel by car or bus an arduous undertaking. From the moment
we were picked up at Bandaranaike airport in the Cinnamon Air minibus and transported to their bespoke terminal the service was first class. We travelled in a tiny eight-seater sea plane and what a thrill it was. If you want to get the best view of this stunning country, with its ever-changing landscape, this is the way to do it. It was truly breathtaking to see the lakes, mountains, National Parks and winding coastline from such a privileged vantage point and touching down on water at Mawella Lagoon in Dikwella was one of the highlights of our trip.
CINNAMON AIR SEA PLANE
SFME
59
Amanwella www.amanresorts.com
I
f you’re looking for luxury in one of the most beautiful beach spots imaginable, this is the place for you. Situated on a mature coconut grove, Amanwella is a super-cool ‘boutique’ style resort with only 27 suites, linked by a series of pathways, each with its own private plunge pool and stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Like many Aman resorts, Amanwella succeeds in creating a real zen-like vibe of true relaxation and even when occupancy is high, there’s a real feeling of privacy about the place. General Manager Henry Scott, with his adorable black Labrador ‘Nero’ (the unofficial hotel mascot), perpetuates this atmosphere – seemingly always on hand and exceedingly helpful when you need him, yet never smothering with his presence. The suites, mainly built sympathetically into
60
SFME
the hillside, are huge, with all the mod-cons you would expect from a 5-star beachfront retreat, while if the private plunge pool isn’t enough to meet your swimming needs, the main restaurant and reception area features a magnificent 47 metre infinity pool. The real star of show is the Robinson Crusoeesque beach with its multitude of palm trees hanging lazily in the sun and creating plentiful natural shade in which to relax while watching the ever-roaring tide. The food quality at the resort is of an extremely high standard, with both the main and beach restaurants serving a tasty blend of international and local Sri Lankan dishes. We were treated to a cooking class on the beach
during our stay and were fascinated to learn about local ingredients and preparation techniques that fo in to making a delicious authentic Sri Lankan meal. The hotel offers a whole range of activities and trips including whale watching and nature tours but in order to keep the SFME flag flying, we opted for a high-octane surfing lesson at a nearby beach. Our instructor, one of the Amanwella lifeguards, made it look so easy. He told us that Chris Martin of the band Coldplay and his then-wife, movie star Gwyneth Paltrow, had once stayed at Amanwella and that Martin had taken to surfing like the proverbial ‘duck to water’. This only served to make us feel even worse as we were falling face first into the water for the 15th time in a row. Great fun though.
travel
Jetwing Yala
www.jetwinghotels.com
O
ur final destination was Jetwing Yala, which is located about a 2 hour drive further along the coast from Tangalle. Yala is famous for its National Park where hordes of visitors come to partake in daily safaris and this Jetwing eco-property is in a perfect location – close to the entrance of the park, yet in a tranquil spot right on the edge of the Indian Ocean. This is a truly unique property. It’s common to see all manner of wildlife wandering carefree around the grounds and while we were there we saw monkeys, buffalo and a family of wild boar. But the highlight was definitely a cocky young elk, who wandered into the pool bar, bold as brass to help himself to a banana! You can stay in a superior or deluxe room in the main hotel building with views of the ocean and the surrounding vegetation but to get the true Jetwing Yala experience you should opt, as we did, for a ‘Tented Villa’. This is the ultimate in rustic luxury. Set apart from the rest of the resort, the Tented Villas provide a true ‘glamping’ experience in the wilderness with king size bed, luxury bathroom, and all the usual modern amenities housed in a large marquee style tent. During our stay we took in an early morning safari in Yala National Park where we spotted peacocks, buffalo, monkeys, a black bear and even the holy grail of Yala safaris – a leopard (albeit 100m away in a tree!). After bouncing around in the back of a 4 x 4 for half a day we were eternally grateful to the skilled therapists in the Jetwing Yala spa for their rejuvenating massage skills! Like all the best shows, Sri Lanka left us wanting more and before we’d even touched back down in Dubai we were already planning our next adventure in this wonderful island paradise.
SFME
61
FOOD
LOCAL SCENE
HEALTHY EATS WITH A VIEW AT THE RAW BAR I
f you’re looking for somewhere to go for a healthy meal in Dubai, with spectacular views to boot, you could do a lot worse than the Raw Bar in Iris at The Oberoi. Situated on the 27th floor of the hotel with stunning views of the towering Burj Khalifa and the iconic Dubai skyline the Raw Bar menu is packed with superb traditional healthy sushi dished concocted with a modern flair courtesy of Executive Chef, and L’Institut Paul Bocuse alumni, Imad Saadeh.
IRIS DUBAI:
You can choose to dine in the glass-walled main seating area, or saddle up to the wooden sushi bar surrounding the exposed kitchen, where you can watch the masters whip up rolls like the Iris Maki with shrimp, crab topped with Hamachi salmon, tuna and avocado served Gomadare sesame sauce. This place is a favourite with the after-work crowd from the DIFC and can get really busy on the weekend so it’s advisable to book early to avoid disappointment.
Located at The Oberoi, Dubai (27th floor) For reservations: +971569511442 reservations@irisdubai.com
62
SFME
yoga
HANG LOOSE WITH REEBOK STUDIO FITNESS Yoga is becoming more and more popular around the world as people are becoming switched onto the wonderful benefits the ancient activity brings for keeping fit, supple and healthy both in body and spirit. The surge in popularity has prompted many leading sports brands to begin designing and manufacturing speciality yoga clothing, such as this great range Reebok Studio Fitness range developed in collaboration with American model turned yoga instructor Tara Stiles.
SFME
63
football
CLIMACHILL IS BACK IN BLACK Adidas have launched their ‘Uncontrol Yourself’ campaign for the new Spring/Summer 2015 Climachill product range. Featuring football star Gareth Bale and tennis ace Simona Halep, the new Climachill product range ensures that athletes can perform at their best regardless of heat through new age design and material selection for maximum cooling. The new collection is not only sleek in its design but features active-cooling technical innovations, which are at the forefront of the sporting goods industry. Thanks to its cutting edge instant cool sensation, advanced breathability and supreme heat and moisture transfer capabilities, the shirt keeps body temperatures under control even in the hottest conditions. The adidas Climachill line has 3D aluminumcooling spheres, which are strategically located on the back and neck to correspond with the warmest area of the body, and provide instant cooling sensation on contact. A micro fiber fabric allows the garment to act like mesh and transports excess moisture away from your skin. The revolutionary SubZero flat yarn contains titanium and maximizes surface contact with skin, transferring more heat away from the body. Real Madrid FC star Gareth Bale commented on the new member of the Climachill range: “I keep my performance at a high level by working hard every day and push myself to the limits. By having athletes’ needs always in mind, adidas leads in innovating sports technologies: its cooling technology helps me by regulating my body temperature and releases excess moisture from my body, which enables me perform. For me it’s massively important to have both style and performance in one product.’
64
SFME
running
RUN AWAY WITH ADIDAS ULTRA BOOST™ ULTIMATE ENERGY RETURN Ultra BOOST contains 20 percent more BOOST, which performs consistently in any conditions, for countless kilometers, season after season. Using thousands of unique energy capsules, BOOST technology returns energy conventional EVA midsoles lose. BOOST provides support and guidance through a runner’s gait without compromising the energy needed to experience your greatest run ever.
Through years of research and testing used by the world’s top engineering institutions, adidas has developed a collection of innovations built to harness the awesome power of BOOST to reach new heights of its Energy Return potential. Ultra BOOST answers every runners needs by offering the very best in Energy Return, support, stability, comfort and style.
ADAPTABLE COMFORT Through cutting edge research, the adidas Innovation Team (aIT) has learned that a runner’s foot can expand up to 10 mm or more in width during running. When this expansion is restrained it can cause severe discomfort, friction and injuries like blisters. Unlike other fit technologies that don’t allow the foot to stretch naturally, Ultra BOOST uses adidas Primeknit to allow the natural expansion of any foot shape. adidas Primeknit is forgiving, yet snug and easily adjusts to the foot as it moves. This leads to improved comfort and support while minimizing the risk of chafing and blistering.
Whichever way you look at it, the adidas Ultra BOOST is the only thing you would want on your feet when you are about
SFME
65
SUMMER SURF.
LOOK THE PART. W
hether you’re a seasoned surfer, or just looking for something comfortable to bum around the beach in, Volcom Mod-Tech Boardshorts are your choice. Volcom’s Mod-Tech Pro Boardshorts are the apex of our technical performance offering. Constructed with pinnacle 4-way ultra stretch fabric featuring a DWR treatment, unsuring minimal water-retantion and maximum flexibility. Precision engineered laser-cut holes to promote water flow-thru and increased breathability. Stitchless stretch hems and inseam prevent rashes and chafing while Volcom’s patented cinch-fly technology keeps it simple, comfortable and painless. It also features a laser-cut pocket with a waterproof zipper for worry-free packing. Perfect that cutback or just look and feel great, just in time for the hot season.
Volcom MOD-TECH Boardshorts are exclusively available at: RAGE - The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Wahda Mall (Abu Dhabi) Sun & Sand Sports - The Dubai Mall Namshi.com Distributed by DDE For distribution enquiries, contact info@dde-me.com
66
SFME
The 20” Scowl Up Boardshort dominates the lineup with tenacious stretch, power and resiliency. Made with Volcom’s exclusive recycled blend of 4-way stretch fabric that’s been treated to DWR technology for a lightweight feel and rapid dry time. Stretch hems prevent hang-ups and chaffing for an always smooth ride. And our very own Cinch Fly Technology offers a sure fit without he bulk of Velcro or a zipper. Hand wash in cold water, do not put in dryer.
advert AED 335 - Rage
CELEBRITY WORKOUT
Catwoman Workout Anne Hathaway reportedly uses a variety of techniques and routines to get in shape for her films, including her role as Amelia Brand in last year’s Interstellar. But it’s for her role as Catwoman in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises that Hathaway’s svelte physique most regularly draws praise. One of her favourites is the 3-2-1 workout and here’s how it’s done: 3 = the number of cardio sessions in each workout 2 = the number of weight training circuits 1 = the number of abs routines Example: (Cardio 1) • Jog 2 min / Run 6 min / Jog 2 min (Strength 1) • Dumbbell Bench Press (20 reps) • Dumbbell Flys (20 reps) • Bar Dips (30 reps) (Repeat Strength Training Circuit, 2 more times) (Cardio 2 HIIT Training) • Sprint (30 sec) then Jog (30 sec) / Repeat for 10 mins total (Strength 2) • Dumbbell Bench Press (20 reps) • Dumbbell Incline Bench Press (20 reps) • Tricep Extensions (20 reps) (Repeat Strength Training Circuit, 2 more times) (Cardio 3) • Jog 2 min / Run 6 min / Jump Rope 2 min • (Core/Abs Circuit) • V-Ups (20 reps) • Bicycle Crunches (20 reps) • Twisting Plank (20 reps) (Repeat Core/Abs Circuit 2 more times)
SFME
67
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS DISCOVER THE JOYS OF FGT 2
from ukraine with love
journey to a bikini body
Fitness First’s Nathan Brown reveals the new group training class that will rock your socks off!
Personal Trainer Iryna Kosogor explains her love affair with the world of fitness.
Roberta Darrigo tells us how What could be better than she made the journey to a bikini combining business and cricket body and how you can do the with this great new concept? same.
70
71
72
dcl indoor cricket league
73
transformers Mohammed B has made incredible progress since he started working with his Personal Trainer last year.
74
SFME
69
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS
FGT RETURNS BETTER THAN EVER WITH VERSION 2
A
fter a successful launch of Version 1 late last year, Freestyle Group Training (FGT) is back with a bang at Fitness First. Nathan Brown, Master Trainer for Fitness First MENA, launched FGT Version 2 at Fitness First Oasis Center as he took the best Fitness First trainers from across the UAE through a day-long FGT workshop. Here Nathan tells us all about FGT and why Version 2 is going to be bigger and better than ever. “Freestyle Group Training (FGT) was officially launched in Fitness First across the MENA region over seven months ago. With over 250 staff now certified and trained in three different regions (UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain), Qatar and KSA began their training in April and will continue to train throughout May. “Every club launched Version 1, which created a real vibe from the staff to the members and the three streams of HIIT, Power and Strength generated much interest. “Although each FGT stream has a different outcome and different time frame of work to rest ratio, they are all 30 minute class workouts and are structured exactly the same. What this does is allows anyone who partakes in the class to familiarise a certain move such as a box jump, or use a piece of equipment such as a kettlebell or Vipr and work from a regression to a progression level in every class. “We all know that over time, once you start to increase your fitness levels you build muscle
70
SFME
memory on certain exercises – that’s why the challenge that once was is no longer. “This is where Version 2 creates the excitement as the streams have a shelf life of 6 - 8 weeks before plateau starts to set in. Although the FGT functions are based upon three-dimensional patterns and dynamic movement training, the release versions of 1 versus 2 differs as the exercise selection and the equipment used in training different muscle groups challenges different motor patterns from Version 1. “The real bonus in Version 2 is the music, which creates more energy and generally sets the mood for the class. “FGT Version 2 is set to launch in the month of May and prior to the launch, we selected three Club Champions from every club throughout the UAE to partake in a day-long learning workshop of FGT Version 2. “Everyone who participated was physically and mentally challenged on the day. In addition, the workshop feedback from the Club Champions was phenomenal and it’s safe to say that Version 2 is a real game changer.” ■ This version is going to rock the socks off our members!
Nathan Brown Master Trainer, Fitness First MENA
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS Talk to us on
facebook.com/fitnessfirstme
In June I will be competing in Dubai in the INBA World Championship Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Expo Dubai.
FROM UKRAINE WITH LOVE Iryna Kosogor,
Personal Trainer, Fitness First Knowledge Village
B
etween you and success, there is only discipline. Every journey starts with a single step. For me, my single step was the step to my closest gym. And I’ll be honest say that it was really frightening. I felt like I didn’t belong with all the huge guys walking around and jangling the dumbbells. It was a really small and dark gym, which, with time, became my second home and the place I could clear my head and de-stress myself. Back then I had been working as a manager at a Ukrainian company and I simply hated my job. With time, I understood that I love to spend time in the gym (much more than at the office!). At that point, I decided to become a trainer and make people feel the way I do about fitness and training. A few years later, I had achieved my dream. Now I adore my job and I love every single one of my clients. In June I will be competing in Dubai in the INBA World Championship Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Expo Dubai. It all started a couple of months ago when a close friend of mine, who is a past champion
at the event, called me and asked me to compete in the championship. At first I had some doubts, but because I love challenges I decided to accept the invitation and compete. At first nothing changed in my routine – I had the same diet and my exercise routine was the same. Now I have made some changes in my regimen that often make me very tired. Sometimes at the end of the day, I only have enough energy to crawl into my bed and pass out. So far, I am enjoy every moment of it. At the moment I carry out two workouts per day. The first is a cardio session in the morning and the second is resistance training which I do later on in the day. My diet has been pretty much the same with the exception that I have reduced my calorie intake for carbs and increased my protein intake. My approximate daily food intake is ten egg whites, 200 grams of chicken, 200 grams of beef, lots of green veggies, 200 grams of cooked brown rice and a protein shake. I cannot say that it’s been easy, but if you set a goal you’ve just got to keep on moving no matter what.
Your
TWEETS
twitter.com/fitnessfirstme
SFME
71
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS
Roberta Darrigo, Group Exercise Manager, Al Barsha Fitness First
MY JOURNEY TO A BIKINI BODY
I
decided to improve my qualification as a Personal Trainer in January 2014. At that time, I met my professor and coach, Eder Lima from Brazil. He told me that I had great genetics and asked if I wanted to be a competitive bodybuilding athlete. I thought to myself – ‘why not?’ So we started by designing all of my training based on the needs of the bodybuilding competition. We focused on overall shape but we gave special attention to my glutes and shoulders. He also gave the right directions to his nutritionist, Rogeria Groppo, who put me on a low calorie diet in order to speed up my fat loss. My workouts were split into a six day per week schedule in which I worked one or two muscles groups at every training session with a very low rest time between sets. My cardio was done two times a day, early in the morning and at night. Over the 16 weeks, I could see how fast my whole body was changing. This was truly motivating and gave me confidence that I would be in good shape come competition day.
First bikini competition
My very first competition as a bikini athlete was also my first ever INBA (International Natural It’s a bit of a cliché Bodybuilder Association) tournament. It took place but something I in Dubai and much to my like to say to our surprise, I won the BIKINI DIVA category and was named the members is “No Best Body of the Night. pain, No gain.” Well, here I am now continuing to improve my physique ahead of my next challenge at a new league: the 2015 WBFF (World Beauty Fitness & Fashion) Competition which will take place in London on May 31st. I currently teach Bodypump, Cxworx, Bodybalance, G.A.Q. Attack, and I am in the process of doing the module training for RPM. I am also a personal trainer specialising in resistance training and bodybuilding techniques. It’s a bit of a cliché but something I like to say to our members is “No pain, No gain.” If it’s easy, it’s not working. At the end of the day, it’s the pain that will change you and make you stronger. If you come to the gym to take it easy, you’re just wasting your time. So go out there and challenge yourself to go further each time so you can reach your goals.
72
SFME
My very first competition as a bikini athlete was also my first ever INBA (International Natural Bodybuilder Association) tournament. It took place in Dubai and much to my surprise, I won the BIKINI DIVA category and was named the Best Body of the Night.
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS
Dubai Islamic Bank take Inaugural Dubai Corporate League
S
PORTZONE, Dubai’s premier indoor sports venue and one of Fitness First’s many innovations, recently joined hands with Event Brokers JLT to launch the inaugural Dubai Corporate League (DCL) Indoor Cricket League. The DCL concept was the brainchild of Sachin Singhal CEO of Event Brokers JLT who was keen to develop an Indoor Cricket League aimed at attracting companies and corporate clients to compete in a five week indoor cricket competition where the off pitch networking and interaction
would prove to be just as important as the matches themselves. Having designed the concept, all that was remaining was to find a suitable venue and partner to help Sachin realise his dream. SPORTZONE, which is located at Fitness First Meadows, was the obvious choice. SPORTZONE is a multi-purpose indoor sports arena ideally suited to the fast and furious game of indoor cricket with its peripheral netting system, multiple pitches, LED lighting and interactive scoring system, in fact the perfect set up and
infrastructure for a league of this type. The league also attracted huge sponsorship interest and the title sponsors ‘Rexona’ were certainly ‘bowled over’ at the response with over 40 teams jostling for the 32 spaces that were available. The 11 day league which ran over five weeks and culminated with the final on April 10 which was contested between Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) and Geant. In the end it was DIB who were crowned the DCL Champions after they narrowly edged out Geant by 16 runs to close out a highly successful event.
What you post on
FITNESS FIRST MEMBERS FOCUS
@fitnessfirstme
SFME
73
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS
STAGE 1
Mohammed B Testimonial
I
started working on my fitness plan last August at Fitness First Motor City and I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved so far in terms of weight loss, fat loss, and muscle gain. I can see a great change in the way I look and every morning when I wake up, I look in the mirror and see the difference. It keeps me motivated and determined to achieve more. I would recommend my trainer, Hamilton, to anyone – he’s a great coach and a well experienced Personal Trainer. He knows what he is doing and I’ve got complete faith in trusting him with my fitness and wellbeing. Apart from that, he’s a friendly person with a great character whom I enjoy talking to. He makes the workout a pleasant experience and when I’m lazy, he is the alarm, and the motivator! With the busy life I have (working 9 – 11 hours every day and being the father of two kids) it has been challenging to find the time to work out. Thanks to Hamilton, who pushes me every day to make it to the gym, I’ve been able to get in great shape. Without him, it would have been a great struggle!
74
SFME
STAGE 1
26-AUG-2014
Body Weight: Skeletal Muscle Lean Muscle Mass Body Fat Percentage Fitness Score
STAGE 2
12 WEEKS
STAGE 3
22 WEEKS
86.9kg 36.8kg 64.8kg 25.4% 76
27-NOV-2014
Body Weight: Skeletal Muscle Lean Muscle Mass Body Fat Percentage Fitness Score
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
80.5kg 40.5kg 70.8kg 12.1% 92
9-FEB-2015
Body Weight: Skeletal Muscle Lean Muscle Mass Body Fat Percentage Fitness Score
78.7kg 40.7kg 70.6kg 10.3% 92
swimming
تمتعي بالسباحة مع مجموعة سبيدو ال ُ محا ِ فظة لمالبس السباحة العصرية واألنيقة بعد ا ٔحد عرش عام ًا من إنتاجها ،ما زالت مجموعة سبيدو ملالبس السباحة ال ُمحا ِفظة املميزة والشديدة األناقة تتصدر االتجاه العاملي لصناعة مالبس سباحة ُت َم ِّكن السيدات الاليت كن غري قادرا ٍت فيام سبق عىل االستمتاع بفوائد السباحة ومباهجها من خوض هذه التجربة! يف عام ،٢٠٠٤وبعد مشاورا ٍت مو َّسعة مع الجهات الرائدة املهتمة بالسباحة يف منطقتي الخليج العريب رشكة سبيدو إنرتناشونال والرشق األوسط ،طرحت ً مجموعة سبيدو ملالبس السباحة ال ُمحا ِفظة ،ليكون هذا العام إيذانا بأن ترى هذه املجموعة النور .و ُتباع هذه املجموعة اليوم عىل مستوى العامل للسيدات والفتيات الاليت يحتجن إىل ارتداء مالبس سباحة معينة ا ٔكرث سرتا ً ألجسادهن ،سواء بهدف االحتشام ا ٔو ليحمني ا ٔجسادهن بشك ٍل عام من الشمس. وقد ُص ِّنعت هذه املجموعة ،املصممة لتوفري ا ٔقىص قد ٍر من الراحة والحفاظ عىل مظه ٍر الئق ،باستخدام خامات متخصصة عالية الجودة .ومن بني تلك الخامات ،قامش مبعامل تحمل ،١٠تزيد فيه مقاومة الكلور عام هي عليه يف ا ٔقمشة السباحة االعتيادية املصنوعة من األ يالستني .كام ميتاز هذا القامش
75
SFME
برسعة الجفاف ونعومة امللمس. األهم من ذلك ،ا ٔن ا ٔناقة هذه املالبس ا ٔم ٌر ال يخضع للمساومة .فهي مفعم ٌة باأللوان واللمسات والرسوم الجميلة واملتميزة ،التي متنح من يرتديها شعورا ً باألناقة والراحة داخل املياه وخارجها! وتوفر املجموعات اختيارات عديدة بدءا ً من تغطية الجسم والشعر بشك ٍل كام ٍل ،مرورا ً مبالبس سباحة مثل الرساويل الطويلة والرساويل تحت الركبة مع قطع علوية مناسبة ،ومالبس السباحة املز َّودة بتنورات، ا ٔو مالبس السباحة التي تغطي الذراعني إىل املرفقني وال ِّر ْج َيل ِن إىل الركبتني ،وانتها ًء برساويل السباحة الفردية. و ُت َع ِّقب إليس باريت ،مديرة العالمة التجارية لسبيدو يف األمارات العربية املتحدة والخليج العريب، عىل طرح مجموعة سبيدو يف األسواق قائل ًة« :تعد مجموعة مالبس السباحة ال ُمحا ِفظة من بني ما نفخر به يف سبيدو .الحظنا تجاوب ًا رائع ًا من جانب عميالتنا مع هذه املجموعة ،حيث ُت َم ِّكن العديد منهن بعد طول صرب من االستمتاع مبباهج السباحة. لهذه املجموعة تصميم ومظه ٌر عرصي ،كام ا ٔنها مريح ٌة يف ارتدائها».
TRAINER
3
الرفع والضغط باألثقال الرياضية 10مرة
والورك� لرفع أ يف يف االثقال الرياضية أالعىل إىل الساق� استخدم أ كتفيك .ادفع أ ت االثقال الرياضية العىل نحو السقف ح� تتمدد ذراعاك فوقك .أنزل أ االثقال الرياضية بتحكم وأخفضها إىل يف الورك� .وكل ما سبق مرة واحدة فقط!
A
2
B
االندفاع باألثقال الرياضية 20مرة
االمام بساق واحدة وانخفض أ تقدم إىل أ لالسفل ت ح� تُالمس ركبتك الموجودة بالخلف أ أ االرضية أو انخفض بها إىل المستوى الذي يُريحك .اندفع العىل ،وعد إىل وضع الوقوف ف ف الساق� ،وكرر ما سبق .وحافظ عىل إبقاء رأسك معاّ .بدل يب� ي منتصبا مع وجود قدميك ً ً مرفوعة أالعىل وشد عضالت بطنك. A
A
4
B
السحب المرتد باألثقال الرياضية 20مرة
االرضية ،وخذ وضعية الضغط أ االثقال الرياضية عىل أ ضع أ بااليدي .شد الثقل�ف عضالت بطنك وأردافك بقوة .شد عضالت أردافك واسحب أحد ي يف الرياضي� أالعىل إىل جانبك .ويجب أن يصاحب هذا دوران بسيط بقدر آ االمكان من جذعك .كرر هذا مع الذراع االخر بنحو 20مرة. إ
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
B
SFME
76
براعة االثقال الرياضية (الدمبل)
By CHARLIE BARCLAY Personal Trainer, Fitness First, Dalma Mall
التدريب أ أقدم قطع (الدمبل) الرياضية ثقال بال المعدات ف� صالت الجمنازيوم -ل يزال أ الفضل. ي
كتبه تشارلي باركلي ،مدرب شخصي ،فيتنس فيرست فرع دلما مول مع زيادة شعبية معدات تدريب عملية جديدة ث وأك� إثار ًة مثل كرات الزهر ،وتدريبات التعليق ،TRX ف مخت�ة ليأكلها الصدأ ي� جوانب أماكن التدريب أو وتدريبات ،ViPRأُهملت أدوات تدريب قديمة ب صاالت الجيمنازيوم. ال تزال أ ح� يومنا هذا ،إحدى ث االثقال الرياضية (الدمبل) ،ت أك� قطع معدات التدريب فعالية ومواءمة ف ي� صالة الجيمنازيوم. أ يعت� أفضل أ االشياء فيما يتعلق بالتدريب باالثقال الرياضية (الدمبل) هو تعدد استخداماتها. ب أ أ ف ف كب�ة الوزن � تدريبات القوة � ،ي ف الرياضية ثقال اال استخدام فيمكن ح� يمكن استخدام االثقال ي ي ي خفيفة الوزن ف ي� مجموعة من التمارين الرياضية لتكييف سلوك العمل .يمكنك كذلك استخدامها لبناء العضالت أو التخلص من الدهون .ويمكنك العمل بها ف ي� مستويات متعددة من الحركة ،وإجراء ت ت تمارين حمل بأوزان ،وحركات ال� عاد ًة ما تكون بليوم�ية ،فضال ً عن إضافة الدوران إىل الحركات ي أ ثابتة .وتبدو قائمة التمارين ت ال� يمكن إجراؤها باالثقال الرياضية ال نهاية لها. ي الجيمنازيوم المزدحمة هي أسوأ كابوس يواجهه رافع أ االثقال .وللتغلب عىل يعلم جميعنا أن صاالت ذلك ،عندما ترى آ االخرين ي ف واقف� منتظرين أمام جهاز رفوف التقرفص أو مقعد الضغط بالقضبان أ أ ف االولمبية ،أمسك بزوج من االثقال الرياضية ،واتجه إىل ركن هادئ ،وشمر عن ساعد الجد ي� التمرين. أ جدا من أرضية صالة الجيمنازيوم ،وبمجموعة واحدة صغ�ا ً إن االثقال الرياضية ال تشغل يغ� ي ف ً ح�ا ي ً
منها يمكن أداء تمارين ت ش� متتالية لتستفد حقًا ولتحصل عىل تمرين شاق مثل الموجود أدناه .ومن أ ت السهل أن ف أ ال� تمنحها لك جلسة تدريب يكا� برنامج مصمم ً جيدا للتدريب باالثقال الرياضية القوة ي بالقضبان أ االولمبية الثقيلة. إذا كانت هناك مشكلة ف� القدرة عىل التحرك أو كان نطاق الحركة متواضعا ،فقد تكون أ االثقال ً ي ائعا يتيح لك التمرين من خالل نمط ث أك� راحةً للحركة ويستهدف مجموعات الرياضية بديال ً ر ً أ أيضا التدرب من جانب واحد ،أو إجراء العضالت ذاتها ف ي� الوقت نفسه .تتيح لك االثقال الرياضية ً أ ف ف يع� أنه يمكنك تنشيط جذعك ي ف كم�ة إضافية مع جان� جسمك ي� كل مرة ،وهو ما ي التمرين الحد ب ي أ أ أيضا من أداء الحركات اال ثك� التمرين العادي الذي تؤديه .وبطريقة مماثلة ،تُمكِّن االثقال الرياضية ً تعقيدا بسهولة ويرس .ويعت� خطف أ االثقال الرياضية أحادي الذراع طريقة رائعة إالنجاز تمارين ب ً رياضية قوية ومعقدة قد ال يتيرس إجراؤها عندما ال تكون لديك التقنية أو القدرة عىل الحركة أالدائها أولم� كامل بع� الخطف. بقضيب ب ي المجموعة البسيطة من التمارين باستخدام زوج واحد من أ االثقال الرياضية ،وذكّر نفسك جرب هذه ّ عن سبب بقائها من ضمن أفضل القطع ف ي� صاالت الجيمنازيوم بعد كل هذا! قم بإجراء من 3إىل 5جوالت من مجموعة التمارين الرياضية الموضحة أدناه ،وال ت تس�ح إال قليال ً قدر إاالمكان.
روبرتا داريجو
مدير التمارين الجماعية بفيتنس فيرست البرشاء
1
A
77
SFME
B
التقرفص باألثقال الرياضية 20مرة
قف منتصبا ،وأمسك زوجا من أ االثقال الرياضية عىل ً ً أ جان� جسمك .انزل بفخذيك إىل االسفل ،واجعل الوزن ب عن يكعبيك .اندفع إىل أ االرضية وشد عضالت أردافك مع منتصبا. عودتك إىل وضع الوقوف ً
TRAINER
3
4 ٥
اﻻندفاع عﻠﻰ كرة BOSU أ س�ا ف ي� تضاريس شديدة االنحدار أو يغ� مستوية، عندما يتعلق االمر بالتجول ي ً فإن مسألة قوة الكاحل وثباته لها أن تحظى بأهمية قصوى .ضع كرة BOSU أ أ كب�ة للوراء .ومن هذا ً أرضا مع جعل الجزء االزرق منها العىل ،وارجع خطوة ي ف بث� ساقيك بزاوية 60درجة .واحرص BOSU كرة منتصف إىل اندفع الموضع، ي عىل التبديل ي ف ب� ساقيك.
اﻻندفاع ألعﻠﻰ االحساس بحرقان الفخذين الذي يجعلك ال تريد يغ� لقد عانينا جميعا من إ ً الجلوس والتوقف عن الحركة .ومن المحزن بما يكفي ،أن هذا هو السبب الذي يُوقفنا عاد ًة عن بلوغ القمة والتمتع بغروب الشمس المذهل .ف أحرص الركبت� أو أعىل .اصعد عليه وقم بالتمديد ت يف ح� تقف مع صندوقًا بارتفاع دفع فخذيك ف� أ االعىل. ي
إﻃاﻻت الظﻬر
تعت� الهيئة الجيدة ف�ورية للغاية إذا كنت تريد تحقيق االستفادة ب س�ا .تركّز إطاالت الظهر عىل قوة الجزء القصوى من مغامرات تجولك ي ً السفىل من الظهر لتساعد ف ي� بقاء هيئتنا صحيحة أثناء التنقل .اضبط ي إطالة الظهر بحيث يكون فخذاك ف ي� أعىل الجهاز ،أخفض جسمك مستقيما وعضالت بطنك مشدودة. ببطء مع إبقاء ظهرك ً
جربها ،أضف هذه التمارين الخمسة إىل برامج تدريباتك هيا ِّ لتساعدك عىل التقدم عندما تكون ف ي� الجوالت. ساق� ي ف سيساعدك بناء ي ف قوي� وكذلك جذع قوي ليس ف ي� التجول ف كث�ا ي� أنشطتك اليومية .انتبه إىل س�ا فحسب ،بل سيفيدك ي ً يً ت ال� حقيقة أن عضالت ساقيك وجذعك هي أساس جسمك وهي ي تجعلك تتحرك ف شامخا. قدما وتظل ً وتم� ً ي
التمارﻳﻦ
التﻜرار/الوﻗت
المﺠموﻋات
الراﺣﺔ
ﹶد ﹾفﻊ الﻔخﺬﻳﻦ
١٢-١٠
٤-٣
٦٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
متﺴلﻘو الﺠبال
٣٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
٤-٣
٣٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
اﻻﻧدفاع ﻋلﻰ كرة BOSU
١٢-١٠
٤-٣
٦٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
اﻻﻧدفاع ﻷﻋلﻰ
٣٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
٤-٣
٣٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
إﻃاﻻت الﻈﻬر
١٢-١٠
٤-٣
٦٠ﺛاﻧيﺔ
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Subscribe to our Youtube channel: www.bit.ly/sf_me
SFME
78
By BEN PRESS Fitness Manager, Fitness First Burjuman
اﺳﺘﻤﺘﻊ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺠﻮل ﺳﻴ ًﺮا ليس من املستغرب أن التجول س ًريا هو النشاط الخارجي الفردي األكرث شعبي ًة يف العامل� فبعد كل ﳾء ،من منا ميكنه أن يقول �ال� للتالقي الرائع الذي يحدث بني اللياقة البدنية والطيبعة ومناﻇرها الخالبة؟ مع ذلك ،يف كثري من األحيان ،بدالً من أن نستمتع بالهواء الطلق الرائع يف نزهة التجول س ًريا ،نعاﻲﻧ كث ًريا من جراء صعوبة التنفس أو حرقان الفخذين بسبب احتكاكهام� فيام يﲇ ،سأ ُ ّبني خمسة متارين بسيطة ستساعدنا يف تحسني لياقتنا البدنية وقوتنا بحيث نعاود االستمتاع بنزهات التجول س ًريا� تعترب هذه التامرين مفيدة للقلب وهي ُمركّبة ،وس ُتعزز قدرتك عىل التحمل ،فضالً عن مستويات اللياقة البدنية العامة�
1
ﹶد ﹾفع أ الﻔﺨﺬين
تعت� عضالت االرداف إحدى أهم عضالت أجسامنا عندما يتعلق ب أ كب� من المشاكل تت�اوح االمر بالحركة .وقد يُ ت�جم ضعفها إىل عدد ي آ يعت� تمرين َدفْع من االالم أسفل الظهر إىل مشكالت المفاصل .ب االرداف .ضع الجزء أ الفخذين حركة مركّبة تستهدف عضالت أ االعىل ث من ظهرك عىل مقعد مع إبعاد قدميك عن بعضهما أك� قليال ً من عرض كتفيك .أنزل فخذيك أالسفل نحو أ االرض ،ثم ادفعهما أالعىل مع شد مؤخرتك أثناء رفع الجسم.
2
متسﻠقو الجبال
السفىل من تخيل عضالت جذعك حز ًاما ملتفًا حول وسطك والجزء ّ ي ظهرك ،عليك لف هذا الحزام بإحكام عند أداء التمارين الرياضية. يعت� تمرين متسلقي الجبال ،الموفقة تسميته ،مجموعة لتقوية ب الجذع والنتاج القل� .ضع جسمك ف� وضع تمرين الضغط أ بااليدي ب ي ي وشد عضالت بطنك .اسحب ركبتيك أالعىل مد ظهرك مستقيما ّ مع ّ ً باتجاه صدرك ،ثم بدل ساقيك بأ�ع ما يمكن.
7٩
SFME
FITNESS FIRST
NEWS
السالمي يفوز د� إ بنك ب شي د� بدوري �كات ب ي الفتتاحي
ف د� وأحد ابتكارات فيتنس يف�ست المتعددة، تعاونت قاعة سبورتزون ،أبرز المالعب الرياضية المغلقة ي� ب ي د� االفتتاحي ( ،)DCLدوري الكريكيت مؤخرا مع ث�كة Event Brokers JLTإالطالق دوري ث�كات ب ي ً الداخىل. ي تعت� فكرة دوري ث�كات بد� ( )DCLإحدى بنات أفكار ي ف ساش� سينغال ،الرئيس التنفيذي ثلرسكة Event ب ي الداخىل يهدف إىل جذب العمالء من ،Brokers JLTالذي لطالما رغب ف ي� إقامة دروي للكريكيت ي المؤسسات ث الداخىل تستمر لخمسة أسابيع حيث يُثبت التواصل والرسكات للمنافسة ف ي� بطولة للكريكيت ي والتفاعل خارج الملعب أنه ال يقل أهمية عن المباريات نفسها. يف بعد صياغته للفكرة ،تبقى أمر أن يجد المكان ث المناسب� لمساعدته ف ي� تحقيق هذا الحلم .وقد والرسيك واضحا له. تجىل الذي الخيار هي ميدوز، ست كانت قاعة سبورتزون ،الواقعة بنادي فيتنس يف� ً سبورتزون هي ساحة رياصية مغلقة متعددة أ الداخىل الكريكيت للعبة مثاىل بشكل مناسبة تعد اض، ر االغ ي ي تفاعىل الرسيعة والغاضبة ،وهي مجهزة بنظام ِشباك محيطية ،ومالعب متعددة ،وإضاءة ،LEDونظام ي
لتسجيل النتائج ،إنها حقيقةً تحظى بإعداد وبنية تحتية مثالية لدوري من هذا النوع. كما هائال ً من أيضا لقد جذب الدوري ً ئيس “ً ”Rexona اهتماما ً ً عظيما من جهات الرعاية ،وشهد الراعي الر ي متاحا. الردود حيث تقدم ما يزيد عن 40فريقًا للتنافس عىل 32مكانًا ً كانت منافسات اليوم 11من الدوري الذي استمر لمدة خمسة أسابيع ،ووصل لختامه مع المباراة النهائية ف د� إاالسالمي ث د� إاالسالمي ببطولة دوري و�كة جيان .انتهى الدوري بتتويج بنك ب ي يوم 10أبريل يب� بنك ب ي د� االفتتاحي ( ،)DCLبعد فوزهم بفارق ضئيل عىل ث�كة جيان بعدد 16شوطًا ليتم اختتام ث�كات ب ي تماما. الفعالية الناجحة ً
من أوكرانيا وراء الحب إيرينا كوسوجور
مدربة شخصية ،قرية معرفة فيتنس يف�ست
ليس بينك ي ف وب� النجاح سوى االنضباط. تبدأ كل رحلة بخطوة واحدة .وقد كانت خطوة ت رحل� ي أ إىل .أقول برصاحة أنها نحو صالة الجيمنازيوم االقرب ي َّ كانت صالة مخيفة حقًا .كنت أشعر فأ� غريبة فيها ي ف ب� ي هؤالء الشبان ضخام أ االجسام وهم يتجولون ويجلجلون أ ف باالثقال الرياضية .لقد كانت ي� الواقع ف ت الثا� صالة ي بي� ي صغ�ة ومظلمة ،وأصبحت مع الوقت ي يمكن� فيه تصفية ف والمكان الذي ف ذه� والتخلص من ي ي توتري وضغوطي. ف� تلك أ االيام ،كنت أعمل مديرة ف ي� ث�كة أوكرانية، ي عمىل .بمرور الوقت ،أدركت ف يأ� وكنت ببساطة أكره ف ي أحب قضاء الوقت � الجيمنازيوم ث بكث� من (أك� ي ي ف و� تلك المرحلة ،قررت أن أمتهن التدريب المكتب) .ي أ وأنقل مشاعري لالشخاص حول اللياقة البدنية والتدريب .وبعد سنوات قليلة ،حققت حلمي. آ عمىل ،وأحب كل عميل من االن ،أصبحت أعشق ي أ أ عمال� .وال يزال المتدربون االوكرانيون الذين كنت ي أرعاهم عىل اتصال ب ي� ،وأتذكر كل خطوة خضناها بحب عميق. ف� شهر يونيو ،سأتنافس ف د� ضمن بطولة INBA � ي ب ي وكمال ي أ االجسام الطبيعي العالمية للياقة البدنية د� .وقد بدأ هذا كله قبل شهرين بمعرض إكسبو ب ي عندما اتصل ب ي� صديق مقرب من أبطال هذا الحدث ف يف م� خوض منافسات هذه البطولة. السابق� ،وطلب ي
ف ف ت� بعض الشكوك ،لكن أال ف ي� أعشق ي� البداية ،ساور ي التحديات ،قررت قبول دعوته وخوض المنافسات. ف� بادئ أ االمر ،لم ي ث �ء ف ي� برنامجي المعتاد؛ ي يتغ� ي أ الغذا� وأمارس نفس برنامج فكنت أتبع نفس النظام ي التمارين الرياضية .أ التغي�ات االن ،أجريت بعض ي ف يصيب� بالتعب كث�ا ما عاد عىل نظامي الذي ف ي ً ي لدي يتبقى ال اليوم، نهاية الشديد .فأحيانًا ي� ّ من الطاقة سوى ما ف يعين� عىل الزحف لفر ث ا� ي ي واالستغراق ف ي� النوم. ح� آ ت االن ،أستمتع بكل لحظة. أ ف ُ يوميا .االول هو تمرين� جري أ ، الحاىل الوقت ف ي� ي ً ي ف جلسة لتمارين القلب � الصباح ،ف والثا� هو تمرين ي ي للمقاومة أُجريه ف ي� وقت الحق من اليوم .أما بالنسبة أ كب� لنظامي الغذا� ،فقد ظل كما هو إىل حد ي ي باستثناء ف أن� قد قللت السعرات الحرارية المستمدة ي ت ال� ي ف وت�. كمي� من ب من الكربوهيدرات ،وزدت ي أ الغذا� اليومي تقريبا من بياض ث عرس استهالك يتكون ي ي بيضات ،و 200جرام من الدجاج ،و 200أخرى من لحم الخرصوات ف والكث� من ف الخرصاء ،و 200جرام من البقر، ي أ ف االرز ف الب� المطبوخ ،ث بروتي�. وب ومرس ي ي ال ف يمكن� القول أن هذا أمر سهل ،لكنك إذا حددت ي ف قدما بغض النظر عن أي � الم إال عليك فما هدفًا، ُ ي ً ث �ء. ي
ف ي� شهر يونيو ،سأتنافس ف ي� د� ضمن بطولة INBA بي العالمية للياقة البدنية وكمال أ الجسام الطبيعي د�. بمعرض إكسبو ب ي
SFME
80