Saudi's New Mall Walking Fitness Trend

RIYADH – A common sight in Saudi Arabia’s malls nowadays is people walking for exercise amidst the shoppers.

Known as mall walking or "mallercise," this activity offers a safe and cost-free alternative for those looking to stay physically active without the expense of a gym membership.

It's particularly appealing during hot weather when outdoor activities become unbearable.

Notably, mall walking has gained traction among Saudi residents as a way to combine exercise with shopping.

Walking is widely recognized as one of the most effective forms of basic exercise, and counting steps serves as a strong motivator for achieving fitness goals.

Consequently, many individuals find that an hour of walking in the mall provides dual benefits.

Manal Alanazi, a 40-year-old resident of Riyadh, shared with Arab News, "I enjoy walking at night, and the mall is my preferred choice because it feels safer than my neighborhood — there are security guards at every entrance and throughout the mall."

According to Ahmed Saeed, a security guard at Riyadh's Al-Nakheel Mall, there are more men than women who participate in mall walking.

"I've been a guard for a long time, and I can usually tell if people are here to shop or exercise when they enter the mall," he observed, adding that mall walking becomes especially popular during Ramadan.

"That’s the busiest time, partly due to Eid shopping but mainly because people want to maintain or lose weight before Eid."

As the number of malls in the Kingdom grows, so does the number of mall walkers.

However, not every mall is suitable for this activity, as noted by Saeed Abdullah, a 58-year-old retired engineer from the Eastern Province.

"I live in Dammam, and although there are several malls here, I only go to one specific mall for my daily walking because it’s designed like an indoor running track," he said.

Mall walking is particularly ideal for older adults who might avoid crowded gyms and for whom many sports activities could pose physical risks.

Fatmah Alomar, a fitness trainer at a Riyadh gym, mentioned, "We rarely see senior citizens.

Most of our gym members are young girls and middle-aged women.

In recent years, we’ve added an indoor running track in our gyms to attract more senior citizens and included machines to assist those with knee pain."

The trend of mall walking indicates that people in the Kingdom are finding creative ways to maintain their physical fitness. Sports Boulevard, one of Riyadh's megaprojects, will also provide safe, comfortable spaces for walking, making it more accessible for residents.

Set to be the world’s largest linear park, Sports Boulevard will feature over 50 sports facilities "to promote the physical and social health of everyone in Riyadh, offering a superior and permanent alternative to mall walking," according to Ahmad bin Askar, Sports Boulevard’s chief communications officer.

One of the primary goals of Sports Boulevard is to encourage residents of all ages, including older adults, to get involved in grassroots sports.

It aims to blend "green living with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities," bin Askar added.

Source: arabnews

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