Dubai: Hundreds of residents sweat it out on Day 1 of 30x30 fitness challenge

All psyched up to complete 30 days of workouts, thousands of UAE residents hit the ground running as this year's Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) kicked off on Saturday.

The Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, led the way and beamed some fitspiration as he shared a quick workout on Instagram. In the video, he is seen holding up a kettlebell as he stands on a balance board. "Day 1 #Dubai30x30", he wrote.

Heeding Sheikh Hamdan's call to devote the next 30 days to achieving an active lifestyle, several residents headed out to running tracks and cycling lanes across Dubai to complete their first 30 minutes of fitness for the challenge.

“I am so excited that the Dubai Fitness Challenge is back again for its sixth year. Being a fitness enthusiast, this sort of event surely helps me accomplish my goal of staying fit,” said Alif Javer, a Dubai expat who has never missed an edition of the DFC.

“For this year’s challenge, I will be been focusing on a mix of cardio and weight training,” he added.

More than 10,000 classes are lined up until November 27 for the DFC. Several events and activities — including the Dubai Run and Dubai Ride — are also free for all.

The boxing court at the Kite Beach Fitness Village was a huge hit on the first day of the challenge, with many visitors stepping into the ring for the first time.

Fahim Armar, a new expat in Dubai, was surprised to find out that workouts are being offered for free.

“At first I thought I had to pay for it, but when I enquired, I was astounded. I will definitely be participating in some classes at Al Khawaneej or Kite Beach for the next 30 days,” said Armar.

"Even my friends are willing to join me now. All thanks to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who has been the driving force of this city-wide event,” he added.

Not only for the youth