‘FBC DXB (Fitness Bootcamp Dubai)’, the most renowned fitness company in Dubai, and which has been in the region for over 4 years now and led by coach Mostafa Mersal, has brought back the fitness challenge that was  launched last year under the name of the ‘Plank Challenge’.

The main focus of the challenge is on how long a participant can plank; this is an effective type of bodyweight exercise highlighting the ability of holding your body straight. It also helps in developing core strength, connecting the lower and upper body muscles, as well as the shoulders, arms and glutes. This kind of exercise is the modern way of having a flat abdomen without having to go through the usual crunches.

The outcome of the last edition of this challenge which occurred on Kite Beach and Iconic Fitness in Dubai, showcased great results and surpassed all expectations, while also witnessing the winners, who were the Emirati Ali Khalfan and Jonathan Laperdrix, both being able to plank for over one hour. As for the ladies, Kamillah Khasanova was the winner and was able to prove to us that it is also possible for a woman to plank for as long as 30 minutes.

This year coach Mostafa Mersal is preparing the participants to compete against each other for the longest plank hold. The training will start at the beginning of October at Iconic Fitness in Dubai Marina, Kite Beach and Mirdiff.

Mostafa Mersal said: “We at FBCDXB train all our clients and contestants who are willing to take part of this challenge. Our programs are well-tailored and designed to make each participant capable of holding the plank position for a long time. The combination of exercises I design both consists of body weight exercises as well as weight lifting exercises. These will help them to strengthen their abilities and maximize their full physical athletic capabilities.

He added: ‘We have always had new and different challenges in FBC DXB, providing our clients with the opportunity to test their strength, challenge themselves, and maximize their full physical and athletic potential”

Winners of the challenge will be announced at the end of the month when all participants have tested their abilities in a plank hold, and will be decided according to who will be able to hold the longest plank position.

With more fitness challenges taking place in Dubai recently, we can see that residents of the city have a big appetite of becoming more healthy and fit. Participating in all these challenges also gives them the opportunity to test themselves and have a more accurate assessment of their overall fitness level.