Indoor sports for keeping fit in the UAE

Keeping fit can be difficult sometimes when the outside elements aren’t playing ball. Thankfully, there are a wealth of indoor sporting options available in Dubai. Indoor sports are popular the world over as a place for fitness and socializing without the concerns of weather and temperature to affect access. If you’re an expat worker, joining an indoor sports team can be a great way to meet new people; while children can also take advantage of the opportunity to get active and stay healthy.

Whatever your reasons, and whatever your preference, there’s an indoor sporting centre or activity for everyone in Dubai.

Indoor football

As the most popular sport in the world, football is played across the world by a FIFA-estimated 265 million people. There are two main types of indoor football played; six-a-side indoor soccer as played in North America, and the FIFA-approved five-a-side Futsal game. Played by young and old, men and women alike, football is a truly universal game that is super easy to pick up. Local indoor football centres and clubs can be found here:

Basketball and netball

One of the most popular and well recognized sports in the world, basketball is great for developing hand-eye coordination and getting an overall body workout. Netball is a fast-paced sport similar to basketball without the freedom of dribbling the ball, and can be played as a mixed-gender competition. Many countries the world over have great social netball leagues.

Squash

As indoor sports go, squash can be considered one of the most frantic and athletic indoor sports considering the fairly confined space the courts generally play in. It’s also a fairly accessible sport, needing no more than a squash racket and ball in order to play. The simplicity of a squash court has meant many hotels, clubs, and business buildings offer places to play; some requiring membership, with others simply being a pay-to-play arrangement.

Indoor cricket

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world, spread through the influence of the British Commonwealth. Whilst the outdoor game requires a large open field, indoor games are compact and faster paced. Generally played by two teams of eight players, the sport focuses heavily on bowling and batting, with fielding largely absent and scoring based on ball placement inside the indoor nets.

Volleyball 

When the temperature gets too hot for the beach, indoor volleyball can be a great way to get your team sport fix. Again, volleyball is another indoor sport that can be mixed-gender and a great social activity for expat workers. Check out the following places to get involved:

Rugby

Rugby, the extremely physical and aggressive contact sport, may seem like a strange addition to an indoor sports list. The Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens is a massive outdoor event that attracts over 90,000 spectators, however local leagues can be played indoor during the hotter months in order to keep competitions continuing.

Getting active with indoor sports in Dubai

With any form of physical activity, there’s a risk of injury. In Dubai, it’s important to have health insurance to ensure that any injury you suffer is properly taken care of so that you may get back to full health again and jump straight back into your chosen sport. For a free health insurance quote or some advice on how insurance can cover indoor sports activities, contact the team at Pacific Prime Dubai today! 

• Author
• Recent Posts

Serena

Senior Content Creator at Pacific Prime United Arab Emirates

Serena Fung is a Senior Content Creator at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 2+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.

Latest posts by Serena (see all)

• Umm Al Quwain vs. Ras Al Khaimah: Exploring Emirate Options for Expats - 21st October 2024
• Expat Guide: Ras Al Khaimah vs. Fujairah - 21st October 2024
• Expat Choices: Sharjah vs. Ras Al Khaimah - 21st October 2024