As summer gracefully eases into autumn, Dubai’s outdoor fitness scene is slowly coming back to life. Some will be glad to return to the familiar circuits – maybe an early morning jog along Kite Beach, or a long bike ride through Al Qudra. If you’re looking for something more structured this winter – a gym you’ll actually stick with – the city has a growing number of spaces with extensive outdoor setups and lifestyle-driven wellness facilities. Whether it’s an outdoor Hyrox track or a beachfront gym with open-air rigs and a pool, here are six premium gyms with plenty of space to break a sweat under the sun.
MOVE at FIVE (Beach by FIVE)
Few brands capture the pace and personality of post-COVID Dubai quite like FIVE. Its flagship Palm Jumeirah hotel has become shorthand for sun-soaked hedonism, and its new outdoor gym follows suit. Set just in front of the sea, MOVE is a fully equipped beachfront gym with free weights, calisthenics rigs, ski ergs, and functional turf. While it’s on the smaller side, it has a rotating schedule of early morning bootcamps and sleek Olympic barbell racks.
What stands out most at MOVE is the atmosphere: it’s deeply aesthetic and the playlists are curated to feel more like a beach club than a gym. Edged by sand with fantastic views over Dubai Marina, it’s the kind of place where a morning workout might easily slip into a pool day or a brunch. Access to MOVE is complimentary to FIVE hotel guests.
TK MMA
Self-styled as the ‘world’s most famous gym’, TK MMA in Media City has hosted some of the biggest names in MMA, including current UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Mohamed Yahya – the first Emirati fighter to enter the UFC. Founded in 2013 by Tam Khan, its members today include sheikhs, celebrities, and anybody serious about training. While fighting is its strong suit, with pro-level coaches, Muay Thai and boxing, TK MMA has one of the largest functional training areas in the city. Its outdoor space includes rigs, sled tracks, and weight platforms set against the Media City skyline. TK also has a comprehensive roster of classes, including Hyrox, Grenade, and female-only weight-training sessions – many of which are hosted outdoors.
Beyond the gym, it has a pool, health café, men’s salon, and wellness facilities. It’s located in Shatha Tower and can be accessed by membership or through Privilee.
FitRepublik
Strictly speaking, FitRepublik isn’t an outdoor gym in the way MOVE is, but it has extensive open-air facilities for CrossFit, Hyrox, and functional conditioning. Located in Dubai Sports City, this 75,000-square-foot complex is one of the largest multi-disciplinary gyms in the region, with facilities for Olympic weightlifting, pro gymnastics, reformer Pilates, and martial arts under one roof. It also has an Olympic-sized pool, with renowned coaches who actively compete in global championships.
The outdoor section, positioned just off the main strength floor, includes a wide turf track, rigs, and rowing machines, with regular group classes and boot camps held in the space during cooler months. Hot and cold water plunges and specialist sport massages form part of the gym’s recovery suite.
After training, FitRepublik’s Zinn Café is a health foodie favourite, led by Syrian-German cookbook author Dalia Dogmoch Soubra.
Rixos Premium JBR Jungle Gym
At Rixos Premium in JBR, the scene is less about reps and more about atmosphere. The hotel’s outdoor ‘Jungle Gym’ is fully equipped with Woodsman training gear, including wooden dumbbells, benches, and barbells – all set within a leafy, landscaped terrace just above Azure Beach. For those who need something more serious and structured, the indoor gym has state-of-the-art machinery, including free weights, treadmills and ellipticals, in addition to TRX, yoga and Kangoo Jump classes.
Just below the gym, the hotel’s award-winning NatureLife Spa brings a quieter pace. Perfect for recovery, treatments range from classic hammam rituals to deep-tissue massages, with a focus on recovery and circulation. The space includes thermal areas and relaxation lounges, and links directly to the pool and beach. Gym access is complimentary to hotel guests or available via the ‘Exclusive Sports Club’ membership, which includes access to three pools, spa facilities, and a kids club.
The J Club, Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Hotel gyms are one thing, but hotel gyms by Jumeirah are another entirely. The J Club, set within the grounds of the five-star Jumeirah Beach Hotel, combines high-performance training with full resort access. Its outdoor training zone is one of the largest in the city, with a full rig, sled track, boxing bags, and group classes like circuit training and kettlebells. Inside, the gym is just as impressive, equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym machines and a dedicated strength area.
What draws people to The J Club though, is the wider Jumeirah network. Premium memberships include year-round access to the beach, swimming pools, Talise Spa thermal facilities, and Wild Wadi Waterpark, as well as valet parking and discounted dining at Jumeirah restaurants. Members can also use other Jumeirah clubs across the city, including Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Emirates Towers.
Wellfit Marina
Since opening its first flagship in 2021, Wellfit has built a cult-like following among a younger, more performance-driven crowd. The brand’s fourth and newest outpost – Wellfit Marina – is home to a sleek, high-spec outdoor training deck with slat-belt treadmills, rowers, assault bikes, and a full callisthenics rig. Group classes include Hyrox prep, CrossFit-style conditioning, and circuits.
True to its name, Wellfit Marina places as much weight on wellness and recovery as it does on performance. The Marina branch features a cryomassage bed, three types of sauna (steam, infrared and dry), sensory showers, and even a cold towel service. The gym’s in-house café, Hungry Wolves, serves a creative menu of macro-counted meals and protein shakes, and it’s a particularly popular spot among remote workers starting their day after a morning session.
Wellfit is owned by Arada – the UAE master developer behind Armani Beach Residences on Palm Jumeirah and W Residences at Dubai Harbour, placing it firmly in the city’s new wave of lifestyle-led wellness brands.
