By Jonny Parr

Surprisingly, taking care of ourselves isn’t always something that comes naturally –instead it’s a habit like any other that requires conscious levels of attention and commitment. The experts at Absolute Fitness show us the first steps to a long-term approach to healthy living – with a little inspiration from Down Under.

As I write this I’m on holiday sitting in a coffee house at St. Kilda beach in Melbourne, Australia. It’s spring here,

and the weather is incredibly scenic. The sun is bright, skies are blue, and there’s a hint of fresh cold in the air. What lies before me is nothing short of fantastic and inspiring.

Countless people are exercising. There are runners, cyclists, skaters, Dad’s running while pushing prams, a boot-camp on the beach…people are even swimming in the sea and it’s a chilling 15 degrees Celsius. For the past four years Melbourne has been voted the most ‘livable’ city in the world. One of the biggest reasons for this is the active lifestyle rooted in the city’s ideals.

Australia places a strong emphasis on fitness and sport at both the elite and grass-root levels. It’s instilled into the population that being active is somewhat noble and should be nurtured into life from a young age. A good example of this is swimming, where an extremely high number of children are taught this ‘life skill’ even before they can walk.

It’s an example all countries, let alone Qatar, can learn and acquire from. My visit led me to think about Qatar’s ‘active’ future and I believe it’s very bright indeed.

The evidence is there for all to see. The country is becoming far more cultivated regarding the

benefits of exercise and sport and with this comes demand. Qatar slowly but surely is meeting requests with its rapid development of opportunities and facilities. Furthermore, the 2030 vision aims to add more momentum to the exercise and sports interest with more and more projects expected. Qatar and its people have a real chance of adopting the active lifestyle.

Adopting An Active Lifestyle

Sports

104

QH Oct 2014 - FINAL.indd 104 9/25/14 12:59 PM

Here are my favourite ‘active’ opportunities currently in Qatar.

1. CrossFit CrossFit (www.crossfit.com) is a global phenomenon at the moment. It advocates functional fitness and in short blends a mixture of weight-lifting, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning. There is no doubting classes can be highly effective in making people fitter and healthier. However, the most impressive aspect of CrossFit is its strong support and community network. Classes are usually capped around 15-20 and makes for an incredibly motivating, results-focused atmosphere.

Qatar currently has two CrossFit gyms to choose from – CrossFit Oryx (www.crossfitoryx.com) at Doha College in Al Waab or Crossfit Quwwa (www.crossfitquwwa.com) at Al Jazi Gardens in West Bay.

2. Running Corniche and Aspire. I would always encourage running outdoors as opposed to indoors. The benefits are far greater from both a mechanical and fitness perspective, but at the same time locations such as the Corniche and Aspire are incredibly picturesque. This leads to more pleasurable running and additional motivation. Admittedly, the weather can make running outdoors difficult but with winter just round the corner, I’d encourage you to make use of these two amazing locations.

3. Kayaking and other outdoor activities There are two companies who currently provide kayaking, snorkeling, plus other outdoor activities. These are Entalek (www.entalek.org) and Paddle Qatar (www.paddleqatar.com).

The big attraction for these activities is the opportunity to see other areas of Qatar such as the mangroves on the coast near Al Khor. Therefore, you’ll not only get some fitness benefits, but learn from and engage with nature. It’s a winner in my book.

4. Evolution Sports Qatar/Evolution Soccer There is no doubt Qatar is a football-loving country. It’s exciting times for the state with the World Cup arriving in 2022 and the growing number of football playing opportunities. Evolution Soccer has been leading the way in developing children’s football abilities since 2007.

Quality coaching and numerous great facilities from a company that will continue to lead and progress Qatar’s football future are just some of their strengths. It’s not just football they offer either, but also swimming, basketball and netball. Check them out – www.evosportsqatar.com.

5. Qatar International Amateur Football League Known as the QIAFL (www.qiafl.org), this competitive football league offers 11-a-side football opportunities for adults of various abilities. Games take place at the prestigious Aspire Zone. Outside of the obvious fitness and health advantages, the social benefits of playing for a sports team are simply unmatched. Whether you’ve lived in Doha for five years or just stepped off the plane, there’s a team waiting for you.

To summarize, Australia has set a worldwide benchmark for the active lifestyle

that all countries can look to adhere to. With the rapid development of Qatar both in terms of need and demand, a high number of active opportunities are now available and will continue to grow.

I’m a great believer that for anyone’s fitness and health goals to be realized you must learn to adopt an ‘active’ lifestyle and not merely follow a fitness program for 6-8 weeks. I hope the above-mentioned activities can tap into your motivation and help lead the way for a fitter, healthier and happier you. n

Melbourne is home to some of the world's most

active Aussies! Let's take a page from them!

From football, to kayaking, to Cross-

Fit, Qatar's got countless options to

keep you fit and healthy!

Sports

105

QH Oct 2014 - FINAL.indd 105 9/25/14 12:59 PM