Healthy living: Early risers get into the swing of summertime fitness

Not long after the sun rises, Nadine Du Toit can be found putting a group of female fitness fans through their paces using kettlebells – hunks of metal that look like they would be more in place at a medieval castle than Sports City.

Fitness coach Nadine Du Toit, centre, leads early risers at Dubai Bells in Sports City. Sarah Dea / The National

DUBAI // The hardest part of most people’s morning is deciding which cereal to have for breakfast but Nadine Du Toit starts her day swinging lumps of metal around – and she starts very early.

Not long after the sun rises, Ms Du Toit can be found putting a group of female fitness fans through their paces using kettlebells – hunks of metal that look like they would be more in place at a medieval castle than Sports City.

“You get to see the sunrise, to hear the birds,” Ms Du Toit says. “You feel the grass under your feet as we always do at least one session barefoot. It’s very grounding and it’s nice to connect to the ground.”

The handled weights originated in Russia in the 18th century, and despite their long history as a workout tool they are relatively new to the fitness scene.

During Ms Du Toit’s outdoor 6am classes, which start 30 minutes earlier in the hottest months, kettlebells are used in a series of strength training and cardiovascular workouts, from single arm presses to squats and swings, with the weight increasing as the session progresses.

Exercising in the heat, even in the cooler early hours, means taking sensible precautions.

“The girls have to be properly hydrated well before they train,” says Ms Du Toit. “The day before, it’s so important to get hydrated.

“In the heat you sweat more so you release all the toxins. It’s about getting outside, out of the air conditioning and acclimatising to the weather here, which makes anything else we do outside so much easier.”

South African expatriate Lindie Kilian says outdoor exercise is in her blood. Having grown up on a farm, she admits she is still getting used to city life, despite having lived in Dubai for eight years.

“I love training outside and hate going to gyms so for me this is perfect,” Ms Kilian says. “You get the fresh air and don’t feel like you’re in the city. It has a whole different vibe.”

She enjoys the varied kettlebell workouts because “you feel yourself getting stronger”.

Another regular at Ms Du Toit’s classes, Alison Buck, says you can handle the heat quite easily with the right preparation and a little support from the group.

“The girls are all so inspirational and intentional about what we’re trying to accomplish. We support, encourage and hold each other accountable on the track and through the day. Purpose overrides the weather.”

The sense of camaraderie and the laughter more than compensates, for the early start.

“The workouts are hard and challenging but the feeling of accomplishment afterwards overrides everything,” Ms Buck says.

“Being outside, in the fresh air with bird sounds instead of the perpetual hum of air conditioners certainly makes up for it.”