Welcome to circuit training

For someone who doesn't like gyms and until recently hadn't been anywhere near one for several years, I'm becoming a bit of a connoisseur. In fact I'm now an irregular visitor at three. I say irregular because I still haven't quite cracked the regular routine thing. I have high hopes of the latest venue which I heard about as a result of writing this column. It's called Shape Express and it's a women only gym that features a 30-minute workout.

What can you possibly do in 30 minutes that will make a difference, do I hear you ask? Quite a lot, actually, and although I'm not making any promises, I reckon this could be the place that might cure my lifelong aversion to the torture machines that some people find so addictive. Firstly, the women-only thing is quite fun. There's usually at least one other person doing this form of circuit training and there's a sort of camaraderie about doing the same exercises together and not minding a bit how you look.

The gym, opposite Town Centre on Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, appeals to busy women juggling jobs, children and homes. Looking after their own health and fitness very often gets shoved to the end of the queue, but most women can spare half an hour for exercise if they think it's going to do them some good. It certainly suits me as it's just a 10 minute drive from home, although there are two more Shape Express gyms in Bur Dubai and Sharjah. They open from 7.00am till 9.00pm on weekdays, 8.00am till 2.00pm on Fridays and 8.00am till 8.00pm on Saturdays, so there's really no excuse for not going.

Shape Express was imported from the United States by the fitness instructor and nutritionist Jyoti Anand. "They have dedicated gyms like this in North America for busy women who multi-task. The system allows you to keep the heart rate elevated to utilise your fat stores. There are three levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced," she explained. "You start with easy warm-up exercises then move on to machines that alternate cardio with lower body, then cardio followed by upper body so that you work out every part of your body."

Interestingly, there didn't appear to be a single weight plate in sight. The machines do all that for you. The faster you pedal, run or push, the harder they make you work. The machines are arranged in a big circle, beginning with black cardiovascular exercisers for endurance and fat loss. They are interspersed with bright orange strength-building contraptions for toning and shaping particular parts of they body. A disembodied voice instructs you to move to the next machine after 40 seconds and you are supposed to do the circuit three times in half an hour, working as hard as you can. Anand calls it "going gung ho on each station." Finally, you do stretches for a few minutes on a rack while cooling down.

It all starts with a fitness assessment and body composition analysis and your measurements are noted so that they can be compared after six weeks or so. A trainer is always on hand to watch and help and each person is given their own individual programme, which is reassessed as they become fitter. Anand has had some spectacular successes, such as a woman who recently lost 15kg. She did, however, have a lot to lose, which is one of the reasons this gym appeals. "Many women who are quite large are very self-conscious and simply would not be comfortable exercising in front of men," said Anand.

I found it quite invigorating and did not experience the painful aching muscles I suffered after a session with my excellent but tough personal training instructor. I'm thinking that I might use the Shape Express 30-minute experience to get myself fit enough to make it really worthwhile having a personal trainer. It's quite a cost effective gym with a Dh199 joining fee plus Dh399 per month for a single 12-month membership.

Now I have a bit of a hurdle to face in the form of a two week holiday. I'm worried that all my good work losing weight and toning up will have been wasted if I can't keep it going. I want to be able to relax and have some nice meals in restaurants, but Spain is not the best place to be dining out if you are trying to avoid olive oil. My dietician Dr Rita Nawar's advice was simple. "Just try not to put any weight on during the two weeks away and we can take it up from there when you get back."

Theoretically, I should get more exercise on holiday. It's cooler in Europe, I can swim every day and there are plenty of gyms nearby. I'm also going to be staying in the heart of golfing country on the Costa del Sol, where I'll be walking the courses rather than swanning around in buggies. It will be a test of resolve one way or another and I intend to come back refreshed, tanned, toned and not an ounce heavier.

pkennedy@thenational.ae