Today's Edition
RAJEEV CHERIAN (ABU DHABI)
Three young men from the southern Indian state of Kerala have inspired hundreds of community members in Abu Dhabi to adopt healthier lifestyles through a simple social media message.
Fasal Rahman, Mohammed Noushad and Yadhu Krishna, all karate instructors, launched the initiative after realising they had fallen out of shape following a busy season. Determined to regain their fitness, they began working out at the Family Park B, opposite the Abu Dhabi Corniche.
“During one of our morning workout sessions at the park, we met a person, Abdul Latheef, who was there for a workout. That is when the idea of building a fitness community was born, and Latheef became our first member,” said Yadhu.
The trio later shared a message on social media inviting members of the Malayali community to join them, saying: “If you can spare 45 minutes in the morning, you can get fit for free.”
For the past two months, the group, known as Positive Fit, has been gathering at the park at 6am for exercise sessions. What started as a small fitness gathering, before long grew into a community movement, attracting more than 2,000 active participants, with numbers continuing to rise.
Fasal said the group was initially started as a way for the trio to stay active and maintain their fitness. “We never expected such a huge response. We have experience in oranising sports chanmpionships, so managing big numbers during workout sessions is manageable for us,” he said.
Noushad said the the community is growing daily, and the sessions cater to both beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts, offering workout programmes suitable for people of all ages.
“Workout for beginners start with simple head rotations and stretching exercise before progressing to full-body workouts. During the first week, we take a gentler approach with newcomers, while more advanced participants follow a higher intensity programme. We also include fun activitiees such as cone drills and ladder exercises to keep the sessions engaging,” Noushad said.
Entry is free and there are no conditions to joining the sessions, according to the organisers. For Muhammed Suneer, one of the partcipants in the workout group, joining was a chance encounter.
“I saw an Instagram reel about the group, but I only joined 10 days later. Since then, I have been working out regularly with the group,” he said.
“After the initial enthusiasm, many often miss workout sessions. But being part of a friendly group, its very encouraging. The results have been extremely positive, both mentally and physically, helping you stay active and energised for the long workday ahead.”
