Our job at Time Out is to try things and write about them. The writing is always the easy part. When we signed up to try H.U.A Fitness we thought it was a great idea, because booking a class over the phone from your desk is so simple, isn’t it? But when we strolled into Fit Studio on that particular Tuesday afternoon, we started to think that this might not have been our best laid plan.
At our very peak we are tired, unfit and haven’t even thought about doing any intense exercise for quite some time.
We met our instructor, Eva Clarke, a personal trainer and fully qualified military fitness instructor. She also used to work in the Australian Army and Airforce. Eva is energetic, friendly and looks like she could easily eat you for breakfast. She told us she’d already done two different classes that day and would be doing a TRX session after we were done. She then reassured us that H.U.A would not be a hard, beastly class. For some reason we didn’t really believe her.
H.U.A (pronounced hoo-ah!) is an old American military term used to acknowledge that information has been heard-understood-acknowledged. Eva adopted the name H.U.A Fitness because the style of training and authority she uses during the classes reflect her military background. ‘On my website I use it so my clients or my team will hear what I say, understand my expectations and acknowledge their training by performing the exercises I prescribe.’
Eva has extensive experience in getting people motivated to work out. She started H.U.A Fit back in Australia and is now running the classes here after moving to Abu Dhabi in January this year. Eva explained that H.U.A Fit is not to be confused with boot camp. ‘H.U.A Fit not only a 100 percent genuine military workout, but also offers training in cardio, box fit, circuit and power bar sessions. All these have been designed specifically to allow each individual to develop a fitter, stronger and healthier mindset and body. I believe variety is important so people improve their fitness and don’t become bored.’
We started by collecting our equipment which consisted of two different sets of weights, one light and one heavy, and we were told to select the ones we’d be using based on how much we, ourselves, weigh. When Eva handed us our heavy weight she told us we wouldn’t even feel it. Once again, we weren’t entirely convinced she was telling the truth, but we were already so much in awe of her level of fitness that we didn’t dare question it. We also got hold of a small bench and a mat and were told we would be doing a pyramid circuit (three exercises that we would rotate) that would work our abdominals and upper body. Eva leads the class three nights a week, each class is different and she mixes it up every time. The sessions consist of box fit, legs and cardio and the abs and upper body that we put our bodies through.
The exercises started with a quick warm up before jumping into the circuit, which was an endurance session incorporating the following exercises: ten weight repetitions of barbell military press, bicep curl, upright row and bent over row. Then we tackled 20 repetitions of body weighted dips and 20 repetitions of push-ups followed by various abdominal exercises such as sit-ups, toe touches, crunches, a 30-second lateral plank and more delights besides. Eva introduced each new exercise successively after repeating all of those that had come before until we had completed all six exercises in the circuit.
Then we worked backwards, removing exercises until we were left with just the push-ups. After each upper body exercise we were straight on to an abdominal exercise, which is called active recovery. After finally getting to the solitary push-ups we got a well deserved break before the grand finale of a further 20 reps of each of the six upper body exercises and then 20 reps of the six abdominal exercises, which totalled a grueling 45-minite upper body and abdominal session.
The class is hard work and Eva takes no prisoners. She expects you to give it your best shot. At one point towards the end when we were doing a plank, we were so utterly exhausted we found ourselves biting into the top of our T-shirt to try and get through the exercise. Eva is very encouraging and supportive, though, and made sure to tell us not to rush the weights or the exercises during the class. ‘It’s better to do them properly or you’ll just end up injuring yourself.’
As much as this is a hard class, you will feel great afterwards and the sense of achievement is phenomenal. It’s a great, though very intense, way to stay fit during summer while not having to brave the extreme weather outside.
H.U.A Fitness are mixed classes Sunday 7.15pm, Monday 8.30pm and Tuesday 6pm. Classes are Dhs50 per person. Fit Studio, next to Jones the Grocer, Al Mamoura B, Muroor Rd www.fitstudio.ae (02 445 3395).
