By exercising in the morning, your body takes advantage of naturally circulating hormones as they’re peaking, rather than later in the day when they’re lower. That is good to know as the sun rises above our yoga session in the heart of the Dubai desert at the exclusive Al Maha Resort.
The benefits of yoga are proven to increase the body’s flexibility, muscle strength and athletic performance, along with improvements to your cardio and circulatory health and protection from injury. Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs credits daily yoga for extending his Premier League playing career into his 40s. The stretching and breathing exercises relax both the body and mind, something, which TAG Heuer is setting out to achieve with their latest sporty collection of timepieces.
Partnerships with the Formula 1 Red Bull Racing Ream, Premier League, Bundesliga, MLS, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi Tours mean it’s crucial for the watchmakers’ products to be suitable for athletes.
A new range of smart watches being showcased by the Swiss company are made from stainless steel and are totally waterproof up to 50m, making them suitable for all sports including surfing, diving and swimming. Runners can benefit from the built-in GPS allowing users to track their route and distance.
The new Connected Modular 41 and 45 use the combination of Swiss luxury watchmaking and Silicon Valley Technology to create his and hers smartwatches, suitable for sport but fitted with interchangeable straps. This same timepiece can also be worn with a suit and tie and not look out of place.
Google and Intel collaborated in the engineering of the watches so users can connect their smartphone via Bluetooth to listen to music while exercising as well as reading emails and messages from the watch-face. The interface is also fully customisable so you can change the hands to match the straps, or change the dials, which appear on screen.
Options available range from a daily step-counter to current exchange rates and even boarding passes. There are 11 modules available to choose from, which can each be changed to fit a choice of ceramic, titanium, leather or rubber straps.
Also as part of the 2018 collection is a UAE-exclusive Autavia. Named due to its close ties with automotive racing, it pays tribute to Dubai’s deserts with the unique sandy coloured strap.
Only 150 of the limited edition pieces, each engraved from 1-150, are available and only in the UAE. Guests of the Tag Heuer workout also experienced a hot air balloon ride over Dubai’s sandy landscape to celebrate the release of the new timepiece, which is likely to become as valuable as the 1962 original.
On the yoga mats, the workout session has intensified from holding triangle poses, standing with feet about apart, with toes turned out to 90 degrees with one arm reaching for the sky, to a Bridge pose – a trickier position holding the torso off the mat with knees bent and directly over heels, for one minute.
Connected Modular straps
Our outdoor activity is designed to be a basic introduction into yoga, but under the burning sun, it’s certainly feels like a tougher workout. Keeping pace with the instructor is getting more and more difficult. Then if it was easy it wouldn’t be worth doing and in the back of my mind, I know my body will thank me later. Despite the heat, the location at the Al Maha Resort couldn’t be any better for clearing the mind. It’s a place of peace and quite away from the everyday hustle and bustle of the city.
Following the fitness session comes the first-look at the new TAG Heuer Aquaracer Men models, designed for those with an active lifestyle, are suitable for use in the gym and running track or, better still the pool, which is the perfect place to be after an hour of hot yoga.
