Omar\u202f Demachkiah\u202f sets up his camera in his living room and\u00a0begins another home workout video session which he will later publish on his Instagram account. This has been a routine activity for him on most days since the lockdown started in Dubai in March due to the coronavirus.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Instagram account has always been built on content in the gym, but after the quarantine, I decided to focus on home workouts instead,\u201d\u00a0Demachkiah, a 27-year-old Lebanese fitness trainer, said via\u202fWhatsapp.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the coronavirus outbreak led to the shutdown of sports facilities around the world, people are trying to find ways to stay fit while being confined at home. That has made fitness trainers become more popular than ever on social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Demachkiah said he has\u00a0gained about 10,000 new followers since Mid-March on Instagram. The “likes” per post have also risen from an average of about 300 before the coronavirus outbreak to about 2,000 now.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Demachkiah, however, said he has been facing some challenges when it comes to training people online, as it is harder to push them out of their comfort zones remotely. \u201cNot everyone is comfortable with the idea of working out in front of a laptop.”\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He advises people to keep seeking the advice of professional trainers when they are working out at home. Some activities require the close attention of trainers to prevent serious injuries, he said.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Diana Omar, a 26-year-old Palestinian Instagram blogger, has been practicing\u00a0Vinyasa\u202fyoga with an instructor online. \u201cThe experience isn\u2019t the same as face-to-face sessions because it\u2019s all about technique, but it\u2019s a good refresher,\u201d said Omar in a video call.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not everyone is totally convinced by online workout sessions nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dana El-Dajani,\u00a0a 40-year-old Palestinian stay-at-home mom, said that even though she finds online workout sessions \u201cvery convenient,\u201d they sometimes can be a bit\u202f\u201crisky.” \u201cI always fear pulling a wrong move,\u201d she said in a video call.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foad Hamzeh, a 22-year-old Lebanese graphic designer, \u202fsaid that not all the companies which are proposing online workout sessions seemed to have experienced trainers. Some just want to ride the wave of online fitness classes to make money, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some trainers are also hesitating\u00a0going\u00a0live on Instagram. \u201cI prefer having one-on-one sessions,\u201d\u00a0Jihad Hassan, a-27 year-old \u202fDubai-based personal trainer, said via Whatsapp. \u201cIf I had to send a certain workout to my clients, I can easily do that through\u202fWhatsapp. There is no need for everyone to see.\u201d\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201chuman touch\u201d is essential for a successful workout session, said Demachkiah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Edited by: Mais Othman <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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