Today's Edition
ASILA AL BADI (ABU DHABI)
Across the UAE, a growing number of young people are turning to movement not only as a form of exercise, but as a lifestyle centred around wellness, routine and personal growth.
For a generation navigating fast-paced lives, early-morning run clubs, girls-only wellness groups, packed Pilates classes, padel communities, and high-intensity group workouts have become social spaces where discipline, connection, and belonging often matter as much as the workout itself.
“Group fitness classes genuinely changed my life,” Mariam Alhammadi, who regularly attends group fitness classes and wellness communities, told Aletihad.
“What started as simply showing up for a workout slowly became something much bigger — a community, a routine, and a space that made me actually want to come back every day.”
She said that building relationships with instructors and other members made fitness feel less intimidating and more motivating, giving her a reason to remain consistent both physically and mentally.
“When you’re surrounded by people who encourage each other and instructors who genuinely love what they do, movement stops feeling like an obligation and becomes something you truly enjoy and look forward to,” Alhammadi explained.
Finding Belonging Through Movement
That sense of belonging is something instructors and community members across the UAE say they are seeing more often, as fitness spaces become less about individual performance and more about shared progress.
Asma Al Abbasi, an instructor and coach who organises girls-only runs and community wellness activities, said that her own journey began with a desire for the kind of support system she once lacked.
“Always running or working out alone was lonely, and I was craving a support system during my workouts,” she told Aletihad.
After becoming a coach, she wanted to support women who were new to running and create an environment where beginners felt encouraged rather than intimidated.
“I fell in love with beginnings. Watching someone start something new and witness them become great at it.”
Over time, these spaces grew into something bigger than the workout itself. Although people may initially join for a run, class or wellness activity, Abbasi explained that they often stay because of the support system and encouragement surrounding them.
“You are joining a sisterhood and a community of people who support and cheer each other on,” she said.
“With all of that support behind you, you are growing inch by inch every workout, every experience, every second.”
The UAE’s expanding fitness culture has also helped create spaces that feel more accessible and inclusive, with women-only groups, private facilities and community-led sessions making it easier for many young people to take part.
Asma Almarar, a 23-year-old Emirati and member of a padel community, believes that the accessibility of culturally comfortable environments plays a major role in the sport’s popularity among women.
“We have access to indoor private courts, female coaches, affordable prices, and spaces where we can still practice our cultural and religious values while enjoying the sport,” she told Aletihad.
She said padel helped her grow into a version of herself she “did not know was possible,” making her calmer, more intentional with her time, and more trusting in her ability to do hard things.
After graduating, Almarar thought she would simply continue with the friendships she had already built, but joining the padel community introduced her to “genuine friendships that make life sweeter.”
The New Meaning of Fitness Culture
Fitness instructors say this growing shift reflects a wider cultural change among younger generations.
Emirati Barry’s instructor and runner Ulfah Alkaabi, whom many young women view as a motivating figure in the fitness space, pointed out that conversations around health and fitness have matured in recent years.
She believes that today, younger people are paying more attention to how daily habits affect their bodies, energy and mental wellbeing, rather than just focusing on strength and appearance.
“At one point, everything was about protein, and now people are also talking about fibre, recovery, mobility, sleep, nervous system regulation, and overall wellness,” she told Aletihad.
“There is a deeper understanding that true health is holistic.”
Movement has also become a way for people to reconnect with themselves while building stronger ties with others, Alkaabi added.
“To become stronger and more successful in life, you have to invest in yourself first — mind, body, and soul,” she said.
“You cannot pour from an empty cup, and movement is one of the ways we refill the mind, strengthen the body, reconnect with the soul, and become better able to give back to the people around us.”
Ceren Dayi, a Pilates instructor, said that today’s model of demand is tilting towards activities that feel more personal and memorable than standard class bookings.
“People don’t just come to get fit anymore, they come to socialise and experience that sense of community,” she told Aletihad.
“[They] want to buy experiences, not just services.”
The way younger generations view success has also changed, Dayi added, with physical wellbeing increasingly tied to how people present themselves and the standards they set in their daily lives.
“What used to be status symbols like a nice car or stylish clothes has now been replaced by having a fit and healthy body,” she said.
“Young people see fitness as a symbol of respect and discipline.”
As a freelancer who has worked across multiple studios and spaces, she noticed that atmosphere and belonging often matter more than aesthetics alone.
“Even though being alone is often praised today, we are social beings, and moving together is part of human nature.”
