Football legend Rio Ferdinand promotes Dubai Fitness Challenge

Ferdinand, who helped launch the first-ever Dubai fitness challenge, an initiative by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, encouraging residents to do 30 minutes of exercise for 30 days, has also spent a week in Dubai training aspiring footballers at an exclusive training program hosted by the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach.

Ferdinand chatted with British Airways about the highlights of his Dubai trip, and urged others to follow the emirate’s lead with a city-wide fitness challenge.

“The Dubai Fitness Challenge was really fun and I was happy to be involved,” said Ferdinand. “Fitness is a way of life, you can’t just wake up and be fit. I train regularly, not just for fitness but for the mind too.

Prior to Ferdinand’s flight to Dubai, Rio and British Airways Captain Rick Basnett enjoyed a friendly kickabout outside British Airways’ First Wing at Terminal 5 in London Heathrow, with Ferdinand displaying some of the deft touches that saw the London-born centre-half earn 81 England caps.

Armed with the five items he never travels without – Beats headphones, sunglasses, training kit, hooded jumper and his personal Five Headwear caps, Ferdinand talked travel and football with Basnett.

“When I fly I usually look forward to settling down and getting into a good action or thriller movie,” he said. “I’ve got into documentaries recently though and I really enjoyed I am Bolt! – the Usain Bolt documentary; he’s a massive Manchester United fan. Then I’ll most likely eat and have a snooze; I don’t think I’ve ever flown without sleeping, I always get my sleep in and put my cap over my face, hoody up and sleep.”

And the former footballer, who is currently in the early stages of training to be a professional boxer says Dubai could expect to see more of him in the future: “I fly a lot and Dubai is one of my favorite destinations – it is family-friendly and there’s loads of things to do to keep my kids active.”