You’ve got our new year exercise regime sorted, but did you know that upping your protein intake can help your muscles recover faster and tone the body quicker? A protein-packed shake can help improve performance long after you’ve left the gym. It helps tired muscles to bounce back even stronger – we’re talking peanut butter chocolate smoothies and tangy pina colada elixirs.
Post-workout fuel has become essential to a 360 wellness experience (or all the motivation you need to get through 45 minutes of intense muscle burn), so here’s our pick of the best workout studios with juice bars to sweeten the deal.
Matcha Club
Matcha Club dominates the feeds of Dubai’s Insta fitspos, not just for its dreamy terracotta, palm tree-lined padel courts and studio fitness programme offering a variety of yoga and meditation classes, but also for its in-house French-Japanese eatery Nette. Built around an aesthetic that attracts a good-looking, Lululemon-wearing crowd, Matcha Club in Al Quoz is the place to be seen, so ensuring you’ve got time to recharge in Nette after your workout is a requisite for the whole experience.
A menu of smoothies can all be customised by adding vegan protein powder, whether it’s the Açai Kick (PB, banana, açai, almond milk, and chia), Green Machine (stuffed with green fruits and veggies) or Morning Matcha, which combines matcha powder with banana, spinach, flax, and coconut milk). Plus, the excellent Asian-inspired breakfast menu includes miso benedict, egg sando, and matcha overnight oats should you have really built up an appetite.
20 8 St, Al Quoz, Dubai
Blended Wellness
Positioning itself as a multi-wellness lifestyle destination, Blended Wellness aims to have you fit and feeling fabulous from the inside out with its 360 approach to wellbeing. Reformer Pilates, yoga, stretch, and flexibility classes at all levels, and a rota of internationally-trained life coaches, therapists, and spiritual guides to improve and work out the mind are all offered as part of an inclusive approach to the feel-good factor.
The Juice Bar offers a concoction of juices named after their functionality, i.e. Hydrate, Glow, Immune, and Energy. Protein-packed smoothies can also be chased down with one of the cold-pressed shots, or why not try one of the health teas instead of the usual latte? Oh, and should you be heading straight out after, a spa, salon, and barbers also await if you need a blowout or beard trim before heading into the world fully renewed and refreshed.
Dukes The Palm, Dubai
1 Rebel
London’s leading boutique gym, 1 Rebel, has recently opened in Dubai’s buzzing ICD Brookfield Place, putting the city’s financial crowd through their paces before, during, and after work. Two class studios offering the club’s world-renowned Reshape class (a guided mix of cardio and strength-building to a loud, energetic soundtrack) and Ride (a full-body spin class in a nightclub setting). There is also a studio floor with the latest gym tech gear and weights, manned by world-class trainers who will put you through your paces.
An edited menu of muscle-recovery, post-session protein shakes are available from the 1R Bar afterwards, which can be pre-ordered on arrival so you can grab and go as soon as you’re finished.
Icd Brookfield Place, Al Mustaqbal St, Trade Centre, DIFC, Dubai
Barry’s Dubai
As much renowned for its intense full-body HIIT workouts as it is for its delicious Fuel Bar, Barry’s is somewhat of an institution in the fitness world and, with three branches in DIFC, Dubai Marina and Al Jadaaf LIFT Police Club, there’s no excuse not to sign up. The Red Room, as Barry's calls it, is where you’ll experience a high-intensity workout mixing up cardio and weights to a pumping soundtrack.
Replenish your aching muscles immediately after with one of the carefully customised shakes with an Arabian twist, tailored to make you run faster, lift heavier, and recover quicker. Our faves? The Dubai Date Special is so delicious it tastes like it must be unhealthy (but is, in fact, dates, bananas, cashew butter, vanilla whey protein, and almond milk) or Not Yo Average Khalifa (banana, one shot espresso, vanilla whey protein, and almond milk) is the perfect pick-me-up to start your day.
Central Park Towers, Ground Floor, Financial Center Rd, Dubai
CRANK
One of the city’s coolest cycling studios, CRANK knows how to put on a party. Loud music, thanks to a state-of-the-art sound system that would rival any nightclub, and bright flashing lights attract a beautiful cult crowd who dance their way through the high-energy 45-minute spin classes that feel more like you’re having a sweaty celebration than burning calories.
The juice and smoothie bar is like happy hour post-class, with all the concoctions you need to refuel and recharge, and each is customisable with either whey or vegan protein add-ons. What’s more, the juice bar is available for delivery should you want to skip the workout and head straight to the best bit.
Unit 43, Al Serkal Avenue, 8 B St, Dubai
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