Dubai’s arctic-style gym class tackles heatwave
By Staff on Friday, July 4, 2025
While most of us are desperately trying not to melt in the UK heatwave, GymNation in Dubai has a solution.
Think squats in ice-packed vests, sled pushes with actual blocks of ice, and sprints into wind-tunnel-sized chillers.
Welcome to the “Coolest Class” in the world.
The UAE has been baking in 50°C+ heat, and GymNation responded by importing over 1,000kg of ice last week alone to keep workouts possible.
The result? A high-intensity interval training (HIIT) mash-up that looks more like a winter sports camp than a fitness studio.
Highlights include “Blizzard Sprints” (running against industrial fans), the “Glacier Grip Challenge” (ice bucket bicep curls), and a post-workout recovery ice bath to bring your core temp back down from solar flare levels.
The class has taken off fast on socials, with fans worldwide tagging their friends and asking for a UK drop.
One wrote: “Roasting in the South East – can’t fly to Dubai so please send the class our way.”
GymNation’s CMO Rory McEntee says there’s “no plans” to bring the class to the UK yet, but it wouldn’t be the first fitness trend to migrate.
