The National Sport Day in Qatar is a time for residents to reset their priorities towards physical health and fitness. Many people often take special interest in the physical growth and fitness of their kids more than themselves.
As the recent Sport Day saw a volley of different sport and physical activities, the programmes were more focused on entertainment and training for young children. Katara was the place where school students and young children took part in sport activities in large numbers.
The most attractive and busy part of Katara was the activity camp organised by Doha Sports & Arts, a sport academy that specialises in training people in martial arts. They provide basic training in martial arts, ballet, swimming, basketball, football, weight loss, and gymnastics.
As many as five expert trainers carried out different sessions teaching the basics of martial arts to people of all ages who showed interest in the event. They started at 8am in the morning and continued till the evening with half an hour break after each training session.
The academy also carried training sessions at Beverly Hills International School. The school children showed keen interest in learning basics of kick boxing and other forms of martial art.
Master Rami al-Banna, former kickboxing world champion and general manager of Doha Sports & Arts, led the physical and sport activities along with his trained colleagues from the academy.
Rami, a Lebanese expatriate, founded the academy to train the children in different techniques of martial arts. Rami has been training kids in different institutes in Qatar for many years.
Talking to Community, Rami said: “Sports are an essential part of our life. It teaches us how to stay strong and healthy, and tests our physical abilities. In the same time, physical exercises bring a bunch of great benefits for the participants. All kinds of sports can bring strong physical health, great team abilities, and strong organisational features. The physiological and physical advantages obtained within sport activities result in enriched physical stamina and improved reflexes.”
Master Rami, the seven-times world kickboxing champion, further said: “We demonstrated martial arts, kick boxing, boxing, taekwondo with the academy team at Katara.
“On the occasion of the sport day, we always organise the event in Katara for kids. The training session started at 8am with warm-up sessions. After the warm-up exercises, we provided some training to the children about kick boxing. I saw a lot of enthusiasm both in children and grow-ups for the martial arts.”
Rami, who has represented Qatar in different international kickboxing events, appreciated the spirit of the sports day. “It is really wonderful to have a national holiday to celebrate a sport day. It is a day when people need to get involved in different kinds of sport activities. I really appreciate the Government of Qatar for providing such kind of opportunity to the people. There are best facilities available in Qatar, if someone wants to get involved in any kind of sport.
“The sport day reminds us all that we need to have some kind of physical activity every day. We need to have one or two hours for our bodies every day. We need to have a break from our routine work. This day shows how important it is to be physically active and how much importance the government gives to the sports.”
Speaking about general benefits of being physically active, the master of martial arts said: “We need to train our kids in some sort of sport from early days. We should inculcate love and craze for sports among our children. Physical activities not only keep you healthy but also charge your mind every day. You feel a different kind of person after an hour-long work-out. It is a kind of stress-releaser. It re-energises one both physically and mentally. The sport activities also bring happiness and sportsman spirit in one’s life.”
Speaking about his academy, Rami said: “It is Doha Sports & Arts’ vision to be the leading influence in professional martial arts training in Qatar. To be recognised as a source of high-quality martial arts training and development techniques combined with universally accepted life skill values and programmes that help strengthen the mind and body.
“It is our vision to help students develop their full potential, providing them with well-founded programmes to succeed in other areas in their lives, to achieve goals and enhance personal development that can be useful now and in the future.”



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