Record 1.1m take part in Dubai Fitness Challenge

Dubai emphatically demonstrated its people’s commitment to an active lifestyle, as Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) officially drew curtains on its most successful and engaging edition this weekend.

In an unprecedented validation of social solidarity, the citywide fitness movement that was launched by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council in 2017 broke all records as 1,108,890 residents and visitors joined the Challenge.The 30-day festival of health for all got people of all ages and abilities to be “In It, Together” to complete 30 minutes of physical activity daily for 30 days, transforming Dubai into the world’s first and only “City Gym” with over 13,000 fitness and wellness activities and events.

With inclusive participation and holistic wellness at the heart of its offering, DFC 2019 delivered a comprehensive calendar of fitness options across a multitude of disciplines, easily accessible to the masses every day.

The success of these efforts was evidenced in the enthusiastic engagement of Dubai’s community as over 285,000 people attended the free all-month Fitness Villages at Dubai Festival City Mall and Kite Beach, and more than thirty thousand visited the 11 Fitness Hubs across residential and business districts. The sheer range of activities on offer from beach and water sports, martial arts, skill-based challenges, to strength and endurance training, balance and meditation, ensured that all participants had the opportunity to experiment with and experience the best in the world of fitness.

Looking back at the 30 action-packed days, some highlights of Dubai Fitness Challenge 2019 include:

• Dubai’s iconic Sheikh Zayed Road turning into a giant running track for the city, marking a historic moment as 70,000 participants took over the highway for the inaugural Dubai Run 30x30 led by Sheikh Hamdan.

• Featuring a 5km and 10km run, the event made history while showcasing an unprecedented display of unity to achieve a collective goal.

• Instagram fitness star Joe Wicks led the city in the region’s largest ever High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session, joining thousands of participants who took on the intense 30-minute workout. Globally known as ‘The Body Coach’, Wicks astonished the crowd as he made a high-octane entrance by skydiving into the venue moments before he took the stage to lead the workout.

• Dubai turned into the world’s only “City Gym,” which featured a virtual training buddy covering 30 locations with bespoke workouts at each for people to try at their convenience. Designed by the founder of Inner Fight, Marcus Smith with his peer coaches, participants had the unique opportunity to follow a step-by-step custom exercise guide for their daily dose of 30 minutes of activity by simply using a QR code.

• Global first IMAGINE Fitness Workout that combined choreography with the IMAGINE show’s iconic water and visual effects which took place twice a day at Festival City Mall promenade.

• Holistic fitness and wellness took centre stage with the “Find Your 30” virtual content hub on the DFC website, providing participants with an array of health and wellness resources that fuel the mind, body and spirit. Participants all across the city also benefited from health check-ups as well as fitness assessments across gyms and other key facilities.

• Global celebrities including WWE® Superstar Becky Lynch®, Clarence Seedorf, Christian Karembeu, John Terry and Richard Whitehead among others also joined in the Challenge inspiring and motivating fans to make a commitment to their health, and take the first steps towards a more active lifestyle. From taking part in the inaugural day of DFC to running on the busiest highway in Dubai and conducting youth engagement sessions, these global personalities rallied the masses and played an ambassadorial role throughout the Challenge.

• Partnerships and activations with global brands including Nike, Under Armour, MonViso, Tough Mudder and Fitbit. Shoppers also had the chance to buy the latest active wear and fitness gear as part of the ‘Spend and Win’ competition across selected stores, with a winner driving away with a brand new 2020 Nissan Patrol.

• 100 per cent of Dubai schools pledged their participation marking the most significant milestone of DFC 2019 as it emphasised the grass-roots effectiveness of the event impacting youth of the city, defining a sustainable and positive mind-set shift for the future.