Try these New Sports in Abu Dhabi in this New Year – If You’re Looking to Get Fit as a New Year’s Resolution

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Catalina Forbes

It’s always a good idea to be involved with some sort of sport since the benefits are very apparent. If you happen to be in Abu Dhabi, here are some great options to choose from.

Australian Rules football

This is definitely an ideal way to work on your fitness in order to expand your physical capabilities. It’s quite old fashioned and many would describe as being quite Gaelic, but it’s a rigorous and comprehensive workout. The best part is that it’s completely free and the Abu Dhabi Falcons allow anyone who is interested to participate.

Water Polo

Anything is more rigorous when you have to do it in water, so this is something that’ll definitely have you burning copious amounts of calories. By regularly indulging in water polo you can boost your stamina, strength and reflexes simultaneously.

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Archery

This ancient and mystic sport is very popular in the United Arab Emirates, and there are many places where you can learn and indulge in the sport. Many Abu Dhabi resorts also offer archery experiences, such as Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts.

Archery, Concentration, Aim, Goal, Target, Arrow

Ultimate Frisbee

Frisbees have never been this fun. This is a non-contact sport featuring two teams with the goal of each being the delivery of the Frisbee to the opposite end of the court. Not only is this fun, but it’s a great workout.

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Guide to Stand Up Paddle Boarding – Conquer the Waters

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Catalina Forbes

Attributed to Un-Cruise Adventures, Stand-up paddle board – Safari Explorer, CC BY-SA 3.0

Paddle boards have various sizes and shapes. The most common factor between them is they consist of fibreglass bound around an EPS foam core. If you have been under the impression that paddle boards and surfboards are similar, you are more likely to be wrong. The paddle board should be more solid than a normal surfboard.

Where can you practise the boarding? If you are staying at one of the 5 star hotels, Abu Dhabi has to offer that problem is almost solved. If you have your equipment ready, it is simply a matter of settling down in one of the 5 star hotels such as Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara. These 5 star hotels have a beach in the backyard, so paddle boarding is quite convenient.

A normal paddle board is around 12 feet long while 32 inches wide and five inches thick. If you are new to the game, then the best bet is to choose a more solid one that is longer, thicker and wider than the average. When you go for a more solid one, you will be at more advantage because you will feel stable on it. As you master the game gradually, you can then move onto a smaller board.

After board, comes the paddle. It comes in various forms such as aluminium, wood, carbon fibre and plastic. Before touching the paddle, you should remember this rule of thumb: the paddle should be at least six inches above your height. You need to size the paddle on its longer side when you are paddling on flat water. If you paddle over the surf, reach for the shorter side of the paddle. This is simply because the blade will be bent at the slightest angle to the shaft.

There is more to stand up paddle boarding, though you need to be familiar with the board and the paddle at the outset. Once you are familiar with them, the rest is much easier to follow.

Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world.

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Fat Biking – A Way to Makes You Fitter and Better

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Fritzjames Stephen

Photo By Danny Miller, MonoLakeFatbike1-moser, CC BY 3.0

Biking is a great way to get around and is one of the healthiest means of transport that is easily accessible to anyone and everyone. Unfortunately, sometimes there can be many hindrances that prevent you from using an ordinary cycle as a means of transport, especially when it comes to snow. This is where over-sized monster-cycles known as fat-bikes come in. Fitted with larger tyres to tackle terrain that an ordinary bicycle will be unfit for, a fat-bike is taking certain parts of the world by storm. Even places in the Middle East such as the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara are utilising fat-bikes in Abu Dhabi excursions since they are able to tackle rocky-terrain as well as sandy-dessert.

Fat-biking became increasingly popular during 2014, and now top athletes around the world such as cycling champion Rebecca Rusch, are using it as a means to indulge in their favourite sport during harsh weather conditions. Given the additional weight associated with a fat-bike, it requires exponentially more effort to manoeuvre them. As a result of this, many cyclists find it far more effortless to ride a normal bike once conditions enable them to.

Due to harsh cold winters in certain regions, many would find themselves gaining weight over this season as it makes the usual options of physical activity almost impossible. Fat-biking provides a fun and ideal way to stay fit during the winter holiday seasons, and you’ll be burning more calories than riding a normal bicycle. Exercising in the cold has also been proven to utilise more calories as the body struggles to stay warm, a process that burns an additional amount of calories.

According to endurance racer Jack Wade, the fat-biking teaches how to ‘truly ride a bike’, and increases one’s level of braking, endurance and cornering. If you enjoy cycling and wish to take it up a notch, fat-biking is definitely something to consider.

Land Sailing in Abu Dhabi – Ever Thought About Sailing on Land?

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Auburn Silver

It might sound like a daring new concept, but the idea of sailing on land has been in existence for hundreds of years. There have been accounts going as far back as 552AD of ancient Chinese civilisations have massive vehicles mounted with sails capable of carrying thirty people. In the present day, land-sailing is quite common as a competitive sport and is a popular activity in areas such as the Middle East. There’s many a family hotel Abu Dhabi has to offer such as Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara where guests can try their hand at some casual land-sailing.

The vehicles used for land sailing are generally referred to as sail-wagons, but can be alternatively called sand or land yachts. Traditionally they will have three wheels with one at the front and two at the back, but some variants can feature the opposite formation. There are also modern yachts with four-wheeled sail-wagons. Their handling mechanisms are similar to a sail-boat but are handled from a sitting position with the use of hand-levers and/or pedals.

There are various settings that are ideal for land-sailing, but flat/windy places are the most suitable. One can discover land-sailing competitions taking places in venues such as beaches, airfields and dry lake-beds. When it comes to professional competitions, there are various classes land-yachts fall into. The largest of these is class 2 where yachts contain masts as high as twenty-six feet. The most popular class however is class 3 where the specifications are very similar except the yachts are much smaller enabling them to possess more capabilities in terms of speed. Class 7 yachts are the smallest of the entire lot and resemble a skate-board with a sail, which makes riding one similar to wind-surfing.

Whether you take part in professionally or casually, land-sailing is bound to be some great adrenaline-fuelled fun that is sure to result in an unforgettable experience.

Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.