For many senior people in Dubai, the hardest part of getting fit is not motivation or knowledge. It is the diary. If someone else manages your calendar, every session competes with board calls, investor dinners, school events and flights. Training that is not protected in the diary tends to be the first thing moved, and then the second, until it quietly disappears.
I’m Gawhar Ahmad, licensed pharmacist and head coach at Being Fit. As a personal trainer for high-profile clients, we arrange sessions directly with you or with the person who manages your diary, so the diary is where a good plan starts. We train clients in all Downtown Dubai buildings, including the Burj Khalifa residence gym and The Burj Club. Here is a practical guide for you and your PA.
Key takeaways
- Treat training as a fixed recurring meeting, not a gap to fill.
- Agree a backup slot each week, so a moved session is rebooked rather than lost.
- Plan travel weeks in advance: online sessions, hotel workouts or a lighter week.
- Use one point of contact for every change, and keep personal details private.
- Consistency builds habits; the research suggests this takes weeks, not days.
Why does training get moved first?
Because it is usually the only meeting where nobody else is waiting. A coach will reschedule, and so will you. The answer is to give training the same status as an important call: a fixed time, a fixed place, and a clear rule about when it can move.
There is a good reason to protect consistency. In a review of habit formation in the British Journal of General Practice, Gardner and colleagues describe a study where people repeated a simple health behaviour in response to a daily cue. On average, it took 66 days for the behaviour to feel automatic, and missing the occasional day did not seriously set people back. Training is more complex than drinking a glass of water, so the same slots, week after week, help it become part of how your week runs.
How should the slots be set up?
- Pick fixed recurring slots. For example, three sessions on the same days each week, at the times your diary is usually quietest.
- Add one backup slot. If a session has to move, it goes to the backup slot that week, not to ‘when there is time’.
- Block travel time. If you train at a partner gym, block the journey too. Training at home or in your residence gym removes it altogether.
- Set a moving rule. For example, a session only moves for something that cannot happen at another time, and it is rebooked the same day.
- Share the next month’s travel. Your coach can plan around trips before they happen.
What does a PA need to know?
Very little personal information, and that is the point. A PA needs the session times, the location and access details, and one contact for changes. Health history, measurements and progress stay between you, your coach and our team. Gate passes, parking and building approvals can be sorted in advance; if your building needs approval for an external trainer, we help with the permission process.
How do you handle weeks away?
Travel weeks should be planned rather than written off. Live online sessions keep your programme going when you are abroad, and short hotel-room workouts fill gaps. Our guide to staying fit on business travel covers the details, and our post on the minimum effective dose explains how to hold your fitness when time is short. On the VIP package, a travel-with-you option is available.
How many sessions a week are realistic?
Fewer than most people think, as long as they happen. The World Health Organization guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle-strengthening on 2 or more days. Three well-planned sessions a week cover the strength side for most people; our three-session week for CEOs shows one way to structure it. Daily walking fills in the rest; our post on how many steps a day you need explains the research.
Privacy and discretion
For public figures and their families, discretion matters as much as scheduling. Sessions are one to one at your residence, villa or hotel, you work with one consistent coach, and your details stay private. Our article on training privately in the public eye goes further, and our post on why the same coach every session matters explains the value of continuity.
Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa
For residents of the Burj Khalifa and nearby towers, a residence-gym session before or after the working day removes travel entirely. Our resident’s guide to training in the Burj Khalifa residence gym and The Burj Club has the details. The VIP package includes a dedicated personal trainer, complete nutrition control, 24/7 WhatsApp access and a travel-with-you option, with 5 to 6 elite sessions a week. We take only 4 VIP clients per year, so each one gets real attention. The full range is Essential (3 sessions a week), Signature (4 a week), Premium (up to 5 a week, at your home or building gym, with priority scheduling) and VIP (5 to 6 elite sessions a week), each with a customised nutrition plan. Pricing for every package is on our packages page, or WhatsApp for pricing on 058 572 2691.
Want training arranged around your diary, with one contact for every change? See how we work as a personal trainer for high-profile clients in Dubai. Our Health & Fitness professional-led team is here to help: call 058 572 2691, WhatsApp us on 058 572 2691, email info@beingfit.ae or book your free trial and assessment. Every way to reach us is on our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Can my PA book and move sessions for me?
Yes. Everything can be arranged with you or the person who manages your diary, on one WhatsApp contact: 058 572 2691.
Does my PA see my health information?
No. Your health history and progress stay between you, your coach and our team.
What happens when I travel?
Live online sessions keep the programme going, and the VIP package includes a travel-with-you option.
Can you train me in the Burj Khalifa residence gym?
Yes. We train clients in all Downtown Dubai buildings, including The Burj Club and the Burj Khalifa residence gym.
How do I see pricing?
Pricing for every package is on our Packages page, or WhatsApp us on 058 572 2691. Your first session is a free trial and assessment.
Sources
- Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. Br J Gen Pract 2012;62(605):664-666
- World Health Organization: Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, 2020
- NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medicines, speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise programme.
Choosing a coach? Read our guide to the best personal trainer in Dubai: seven honest checks before you book.
