Strength training on monkey bars and conquering the incline of a warped wall may not sound like your average workout, but it definitely is a good one! We recently met up with Dubai fitness enthusiast – Samia Kallidis – who showed us what it takes to become a Ninja Warrior. Check out the video above to see her ninja skills in full swing!
Meet Dubai’s ‘Ninja Warrior’
A fitness fanatic when it comes to weightlifting and Ninja Warrior obstacle courses, you’ll often see Samia ‘hanging’ around all over town… Ready to meet Dubai’s very own Ninja Warrior?
- Name: Samia Kallidis (check her out on Instagram @skallidis)
- Age: 30
- Nationality: Half-Greek half-Palestinian
- Fitness traits: Pro Ninja Warrior as well as a HIIT trainer at OrangeTheory Fitness Dubai
- Profession: She also runs her own business Ultraviolet Studio, working as a full-time designer. Yep, she’s basically #goals!
- How she became a Ninja Warrior: Two years ago, Samia got invited to try out ‘Ninja Warrior in Arabic’ for the first time on MBC Action – and she loved every second of it!
The Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course at Just Play UAE
Samia took us to Just Play UAE at Dubai Sports World where we attempted to complete the Ninja Warrior Course. Already popular in the U.S. and the U.K., this indoor obstacle course features a series of fun and conditioning workout challenges which must be completed to reach the end. Here are some of the obstacles you’ll have to face (all without touching the floor!):
- Running on angled steps
- Horizontal climbing on cargo nets
- Bouldering
- Swinging on monkey bars
- Jumping/climbing up a vertical tunnel
- Running up a 4.5m high warped wall
It’s great for fitness enthusiasts as each obstacle is designed to put your strength and agility skills to the test. We tried and failed, multiple times, but it was so much fun that we kept getting back up and giving it another go. It also helped that Samia kept motivating us with her enthusiasm, confidence and continuous high fives!
How can we take part? Just Play UAE has two locations for its Ninja Warrior obstacle course. The one we tried was at Dubai Sports World (which is only available until September), and there’s also a permanent one (which is slightly easier) at Just Play in Al Quoz.
How much does it cost? The Ninja Warrior Course at Dubai Sports World is AED 55 for all ages; however, during peak hours it’s AED 85 for adults.
What age range is it suitable for? There are several Ninja Warrior obstacle courses in the UAE that cater to different ages (starting from age 3+). You can find out more about each course and what age they’re suitable for here.
Advice for beginners? “Think of the course as a playground, and use the obstacles as your path. They’re gonna help you to get to the other side, rather than being in your way!”
insydo verdict
So, we guess we’re not as fit as we thought we were! The course may not look that challenging, but it’s definitely not easy! Overall, it was fun, challenging and a really good workout that pushed us to our limits. We didn’t realise that the Ninja Warrior Course was such an insane workout (because we were having so much fun), but our upper bodies were sore for three days after!
For more info about Ninja Warrior in the UAE, visit the Just Play website or get in touch with Just Play on +971 4 348 3869.
Dubai, we need your help! Know anyone who deserves a #60SecondSpotlight moment? We have recently covered a talented hip-hop troop, a VFX makeup artist, an awesome magician and more! If you know someone in the city who should be part of this series, let us know! Just follow us on Instagram and tag us on their profile.