The general consensus is that as long as you get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity in every week, then you’ll have a healthy heart and body.
That doesn’t mean you have to do lengthy workout sessions a few times a week – studies show that you can actually break it all up.
So even if you’re doing short bursts of exercise throughout the day, it’ll have the same effect.
We reached out to a few UAE fitness trainers, who provided us with a series of 10-minute workouts you can build into your day while staying at home.
Baraa El Sabbagh, personal trainer
The UAE-based trainer has put together a 10-minute workout, as well as shared ideas on how to build easy exercise routines into your day.
10-minute routine:
- Air squats – repeat for one minute
- Lunges – 30 seconds each leg
- Plank – hold for one minute
- Jumping jacks – repeat for one minute
- Glute kickbacks – 30 seconds on each side
- Repeat the whole routine again
Other easy ideas:
- Wake up and stretch for 10 minutes. "It'll get you nice and relaxed before the day begins," says El Sabbagh
- Walk to the grocery store and only buy what you can carry. You'll be coming back with at least two kilos of weight in each arm that way
- Got a Zoom call without video? Stay active by having walking meetings, even if it's just pacing around your living room
- Household chores require energy, so take it up a notch by moving vigorously when you vacuum, dust or sweep
Paul Holder, personal trainer at GymNation
Paul Holder has put together three workouts anyone at any fitness level can do using items in their own home.
Water bottle squats
Grab two 1.5-litre water bottles and hold them in each hand, stand in front of your sofa with your legs just over shoulder-width apart. Squat down until you reach the sofa and then push back up through your legs. Repeat this movement 15 times and then rest for a minute. Try and go through three to five sets of 15 reps. You’ll feel this exercise in your upper legs, particularly your quadriceps.
Water bottle shoulder press
Take those same water bottles and hold one in each hand by your shoulders. Press them up to the sky and then bring them back down to your shoulders again. Repeat this movement 10 times going through three sets of this shoulder and tricep-focused movement.
Stair climbs
Live in an apartment block or multi-storey villa? Start at the bottom of the building and aim to walk up the stairs for five minutes before you turn around and come right back down. Most staircases will have a rail, so use it if you need or if your legs start to get tired. For variation, or to increase the intensity, you can go up two steps at a time, alternating legs as you go.
Pedro Miguel Marques, fitness manager at Fitness First Middle East
Pedro Miguel Marques has put together this 10-minute workout.
- High knees or skipping – 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, repeat three times
- Jumping jacks – 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, repeat three times
- Chair squat – 20 repetitions, two sets, rest 20 seconds
- Hand release push-ups – 20 repetitions, two sets, rest 20 seconds
- Mountain climbers – 20 repetitions, two sets, rest 20 seconds
- Low row with water bottle or dumbbell – 20 repetitions, two sets, rest 20 seconds
- Dead bug – 12 repetitions, two sets, rest 20 seconds
- Stretching: push your hands against a wall with one leg stretched out, then swap legs; stand straight, bring your arms together straight over your head and lean to the right, then the left – 15 seconds per stretch
Sandra Koeder, senior master trainer at Technogym Emirates
This 10-minute high-intensity interval training routine can easily be done at home, says Sandra Koeder.
30 seconds work / 30 seconds rest x 2 rounds
- Inchworm; start standing, reach your arms down toward the ground, walk your hands away from your feet, entering a plank-like position, before stepping your feet forward toward your hands and finally returning to a standing position.
- High knees
- Jumping jacks
- Backward lunge
- Back extension prone; lie flat on the floor with your palms facing upwards and your toes touching the ground. Slowly raise yourself off the ground by pulling your shoulders back and lifting your legs up as far as they can go. Look straight ahead throughout the move. Return to starting position and repeat.
- Repeat the whole routine again
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
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Record breaker
- The most total field goals made in NBA history, as well as the most consecutive games scoring 10 or more points
- The only player in NBA history to reach 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists
- Four-time regular season MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP
- Six-time NBA All-Defensive selection. Rookie of the Year in 2004
- The most All-NBA selections with 21 in a row, including a record 13 first team selections
- The most consecutive All-Star selections with 21
- The only player to play alongside his son; Bronny James was chosen by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft
Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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if you go
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
