Crossfit craze finally comes to Abu Dhabi: Introducing Code CrossFit

A session at Code CrossFit, the first CrossFit gym in Abu Dhabi. Lee Hoagland / The National

I popped into the capital's long-awaited first CrossFit gym, Code CrossFit, recently and hurt for days afterward. This is the hardest workout I've ever done and many times during that very difficult hour I felt like one of the graffiti-style paintings on the wall: A giant horned creature, vomiting a large swathe of something green and nasty.

I am still not sure why I decided to investigate CrossFit, which until my workout I had viewed as the purview of a group of off-balance lunatics about 100 times more fit than me. It’s probably because the gym opened just steps from where I live. So, I basically got there because I am curious and lazy. Not a good start.

The hour-long workout began with a “warm-up”: three rounds of a 400-metre run — in hot, midday Abu Dhabi — followed by five sit-ups and 10 back extensions. The coach, Goff, helpfully accommodated my sore right foot and whipped out a rowing machine as a substitute for the last two rounds of running. I was drained at the end, and also frightened, because we were only one-quarter of the way through. There was lots of careful instruction to follow, and surprisingly difficult work with medicine balls and PVC pipes. Then came the big finale. They had me teaming up with a super-fit woman named Fatima, the only other female in the group, to complete what turned out to be the impossible, even for her: 120 burpees, 100 stepups onto a box and 100 of something else so hard that I can’t even remember anymore, because this is where I had to valiantly fight the urge to mimic the gross guy on the wall.

I like to work out hard, but this was beyond my capabilities. It was beyond Fatima’s capabilities, too. I asked if she’d ever completed all the reps, and she shook her head no. Words, at that point, were beyond her. Yet Hans, the fittest individual I’ve ever exercised in the same room with, did the entire thing on his own and barely broke a sweat. (Hans, if you are reading, I’m sorry, you are not normal. But then again, you don’t want to be. None of these devotees do).

To sum up: Goff was great — he made me feel welcome during the entire class, even when I was just limply sitting on the box that I was supposed to be stepping up onto. This gym has a really nice vibe, too. I think you could not only get really fit, but make some pretty energetic and strong friends while you were doing it. However the workout was at 11am; physically I felt back to normal sometime late in the evening. I am a regular exerciser, and it was that hard. Goff explained that I'd happened on a Train 2 Train class; Fundamentals would be better for a beginner. If you've not done CrossFit before, I highly recommend following his advice.

Code CrossFit is located in Danat Tower B, behind the Holiday Inn near 31st Street and Muroor Road. The gym offers eight classes daily beginning at 6am through to 9pm, from Sunday to Thursday, with two classes on Saturday. The first class is free, with prices of Dh120 for a walk-in and packages starting at Dh850 for eight sessions. The staff are super-friendly, welcoming and accommodating. Ladies-only classes begin this week. Call 050 297 5222 or email [e-mail] for more information.

CrossFit crazies in the capital, let the sweating begin.