A fitness suit, touted to be revolutionary, has arrived in the UAE and is promising to take away the pain and sweat out of working out your muscles for a leaner you.
Easy Motion Skin, a company headquartered in Austria, is behind the sales of the blue-coloured outfit which has been designed by German scientist Dr Dirk Fritzche and is expanding operations in the country after establishing good testimonials with top athletes and even astronauts in Germany.
Bringing the product is Jan Ising, who has helped set-up events at places like the Burj Khalifa and Expo2020. “It can help lose weight, firm your skin and help get rid of cellulite and all this without causing back pain while also improving any disbalances caused by wrong habits from daily life,” says Ising.
The concept is nothing new, the company admits. “We are only reinventing the old way of Electromyography (EMG) in which the brain sends a signal to the muscles,” Ising explains. “In the late 70s, experiments were conducted on frogs with electrodes attached to their leg muscles to see how long they could leap. Until recently too, body suits with complex wires and gadgets attached have been in use but the movement is severely restricted and impractical.”
“Our suit is powered by a small, long-lasting battery and made up of washable, comfortable material with humidity not a factor and the high-quality electrodes are placed to target eight different muscle categories – without troubling yourself or risking back pain and potentially more injuries and damage then the good done by working out.
“However, once you get used to it – even 20-minute sessions twice a week is enough – you need mobility to work your muscles on a professional level; for which one usually recommends a trainer.”
Billing the suit as “the world’s smallest gym”, the development team led by Mr Ising is so confident that they are encouraging people to see the proof in the pudding themselves by trying it out. The suit comes in a Home Edition for individual users and a Studio Edition for those looking to share it or rent it among a larger benefactor base.
“We are looking at direct marketing where they can buy the suit from us online or collect it from our partner gyms or personal trainers,” Ising adds. “It is a sustainable system where the suit is used in conjunction with the experts who believe in the system.”
To complement the suit, the company has also collaborated with other products which work on a similar EMG concept. There is the ReLounge chair, an arching table with electrodes placed on the back region. There is another massage table, a flat one, which has a slow and steady, but similar relaxation effect on the back muscles especially.
“Our products are where science meets lifestyle. We are activating your muscles, improving mobility and increasing endurance.
“We can provide follow-up support for clinics and physios for: sin tightening for mothers, muscle building after surgeries, compensation of disbalances in body muscles, optimize training results, an immediate solution for cellulite issues – all with the push of a button.”
Jan Ising, left, guiding Yolanda in Dubai. The electrodes, sewn into the suit to target key areas, are visible. Sanita Lapinska / EMS
Though the suit is a fitness and lifestyle product in the UAE for starters, it is registered with medical authorities in Europe.
Their headquarters in Seefel, Austria, also known as the Dome, is being used as a training facility for top athletes. The company is working with the European Space Agency, SpaceX, the Centre for Space, Medicine & Extreme Environments in Berlin and the word of mouth is growing.
Another brand ambassador is Kai Kazmirek, a German decathlete, who had swelled to 120kg in weight during a complex injury lay-off. After using the suit, his recovery has fastened and what would have taken a year took only three months, Ising claims.
The suit was presented to a select audience at the expansive AB Fitness facility in Port Rashid, Dubai. Yolanda Banda, a marketing executive by profession and a fitness freak, got curious and decided to don the blue kit. “I did it only for 10 minutes but I can still feel my muscles twitching. It is a great feeling,” she said.
The home edition is priced roughly around 12,500 dirhams and can be ordered online from their website.
UAE residents can expect very hot weather, rising humidity and possible fog or mist in the coming days, with a chance of rainfall over eastern areas.
According to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), skies will remain fair to partly cloudy, with convective clouds potentially developing over eastern areas in the afternoon and bringing rain.
Humidity is expected to increase overnight and on Tuesday morning, particularly over some western coastal areas. This could lead to fog or mist and reduced visibility.
Motorists have been advised to take extra care during early morning drives and adjust their speed when visibility is poor.
Temperatures approach 50°C
Meanwhile, daytime temperatures will remain exceptionally high across the country. Coastal areas are expected to reach 40°C to 45°C, while temperatures in inland areas could climb to 49°C.
Light winds and calm seas
Winds are expected to be light to moderate, becoming fresh at times. Sea conditions will remain slight, with waves reaching around two feet onshore and three feet offshore.
With extreme daytime heat continuing alongside higher humidity and possible fog, residents are advised to plan outdoor activities carefully and exercise caution on the roads during periods of reduced visibility.
Etihad Rail has warned passengers that travelling without a valid ticket or misusing discounted fares could result in a Dh200 fine, denial of service and possible legal action.
Under the company’s Passenger Charter, travellers must have a valid ticket before boarding an Etihad Rail train or bus. A ticket is valid only when it carries the correct passenger name, date and travel time, and has not already been used.
What can lead to a Dh200 fine?
Etihad Rail lists four key violations that can attract a Dh200 penalty:
Travelling without a valid ticket, including using a ticket issued in someone else’s name.
Deliberately avoiding payment of the correct fare.
Using a discounted or category-specific ticket without being eligible.
Forging, altering or fraudulently obtaining a ticket.
Invalid or fraudulent tickets may be confiscated by authorised staff, with no compensation payable for confiscated tickets.
Passengers found without a valid ticket may also have to purchase a Flexible ticket at the applicable fare for their journey.
Ticket checks can happen throughout the journey
Passengers must carry their ticket and valid identification and produce them when requested by Etihad Rail staff or authorised personnel.
Checks can take place at departure stations, during the journey, at intermediate stations and when passengers leave the platform at their destination.
Travellers using electronic tickets are responsible for ensuring their phones have enough battery to display the ticket when required.
Passengers must also travel in the coach and seat shown on their ticket, unless instructed otherwise by Etihad Rail.
Repeat offenders could face travel bans
Etihad Rail said repeated or serious violations could lead to passengers being refused travel, required to end their journey or barred from using its services for a specified or indefinite period.
The company may also refer cases to the relevant authorities, including the Public Prosecution. Additional penalties, including imprisonment where provided by law, may apply.
Passengers denied travel or service because of a violation may not be entitled to a refund or compensation.
Etihad Rail also prohibits buying tickets from unauthorised sources, altering tickets to defraud the company, or transferring unused or partially used tickets where the ticket conditions do not allow it.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has introduced a walk-in facility for eligible applicants seeking passport, visa, attestation and other consular services at Alhind Tours and Travels centres across the UAE.
Walk-ins will be accepted from 9am to 1pm at all 16 Indian Consular Application Centres operated by Alhind.
The facility is available to:
Tatkaal passport applicants
Newborn cases
Emergency Certificate applicants
Senior citizens
People of determination
The embassy has advised applicants to book appointments online whenever possible. Walk-in requests will be processed subject to available slots.
Alhind centres and appointments
Appointments can be booked online through the service portal. Regular service hours at the centres are 8am to 6pm.
Alhind charges a Dh19 service fee, including VAT, in addition to applicable Indian government fees. The fee covers services such as form filling, photographs, document typing, printouts, photocopies and domestic courier services.
Indian passport fees increased
Indian passport fees were increased from July 1, marking the first revision in 14 years.
For an ordinary fresh passport or reissue with 36 pages, the fee is now Dh96under the normal scheme and Dh190 under Tatkaal, up from Dh57 and Dh134 respectively.
For a 60-page passport, the new fees are Dh134 for normal applications and Dh230 for Tatkaal, compared with Dh78 and Dh153 previously.
The fee revision also applies to Indian nationals living overseas, with the corresponding charges set in local or applicable foreign-currency terms.