scrubbedexpat141

Anyone on here play regularly?
Member anywhere?

I'm contacting a few places to try and get court bookings, just an hour mid-week preferable downtown / business bay / safa / meydan.

The latter have a big academy and are fairly reasonable at 150 it seems.

Anyone got any other suggestions for places to play that aren't too serious?
Don't want to turn up and have to deal with tennis dickheads, just want to use the sport as a fairly fun bit of exercise with the mrs.

Thanks in advance.
Scampoger Federer

Millhouse

I think you should consider squash or badminton instead

DXBtoDOH

Al Barsha park have public courts but you need to ring up and book. Not sure if Safa Park courts are still there (I used to play there often). Played loads at the Meadows.

And, oddly enough, there are a few courts buried in a little park on Satwa, right behind the towers on the west side of Sheikh Zayed. You know that little park? I'm sure you still need to ring and book the courts.

scrubbedexpat141

Don't get it....Because I'm unfit or fat or?
Both are OK. Squash I found a bit boring but was alright.
Badminton is meh.
Tennis was good fun. We were pretty average which is why we don't need to be going anywhere too fancy, but we both really enjoyed it.

There were a few on a site I found around Safa which was great and very cheap compared to some. Will investigate further and see what's left after the canal. Thanks.

Millhouse

Only because I know how much you like getting a totally alternative suggestion to a direct question.

Badminton is shite, love squash but terrible at any actual sports

scrubbedexpat141

Hahahaha! Totally fair.

Badminton is frustratingly wristy and flicky and the racket head is too far away.
Squash is fun but I hate the whining people do when you get in each others way. It's meant to be fun cock splash, this isn't the olympics.

Tennis, we both enjoyed and the big court, outdoors element is good for the time being, I didn't notice the hours exercise and I definitely didn't notice (too much) the 148bpm average heart rate....

MAV_DXB

I've played a few times at Barsha Pond Park - need to book, can't remember if it's 80 or 100dhs for an hour.

Miss Ann Thrope

The Fitness First clubs in Emirates Living (which is what we apparently now have to call that area of Springs/Meadows/Hills) has bookable courts but the bastards have sublet them out to tennis coaches at a lot of busy times. There are courts in the Shangri La on SZR. All of the aforementioned require membership in their club though maybe you can play for a fee. If you know a member who can book you can sneak on to the courts at the Meadows town centre though no longer at the Lakes club.

co durham boy

New Year Resolution Fitness Alert

scrubbedexpat141

Thanks will look.

Thanks. Will investigate. Meydan have 5 or 6 but between 1900-2130 every night they're used for lessons etc.

New Year New Weight.

Weighed myself and it's not cool, heavier than I've been in a long time. Enough's enough and fitness work will help me stop smoking. She's signed me up for a 5k first weekend of February and I will NOT finish last or embarrass myself.

co durham boy

A 5K is a decent goal to get started mate to be honest. Like everything that's been said before on the subject , keep it nice and simple with consistency been the key element in what you're doing.

You're diet will be at the forefront of that though chief as you well know. You can never out gun a shit diet.

scrubbedexpat141

I ate kale yesterday.

That aside, I'm not going hell for leather at anything. I want to just move more and be more active. That and the smoking are the two. They'll work well together I think and the diet goes along with it - not wanting to eat shit after jogging etc.

But I'm definitely not about to turn into Mr Motivator or attempt a half marathon. Just move more, weigh less, smoke less. Anything more will just be too much to commit to and unsustainable.

Made in Sheffield 1

There are some tennis courts near the entrance of St Regis in Al Habtoor City.
It's an academy and mostly do private lessons but their website says you can also rent the courts.

scrubbedexpat141

Yes, saw those too and have contacted them. Most of these academies seem to block them out for lessons in the evenings (makes sense I suppose).

jam25mack

Ditto, same here. Weighed myself the other day thinking I was sat around my upper limit (which isn't too bad - 85Kg) but found I had crept a few Kg over.... So far this month I have eaten clean (fruit in the mornings and fish or chicken each night), have ran 5.5km 5 times and have not touched a drop of the amber nectar....

Have a stag do in Amsterdam on the 31st so the bar at the airport will be my finishing post!