Hitting the Gym as a Hijabi
When thinking about the Islamic view on physical fitness, a 2008 paper entitled Physical Activity and Exercise: An Islamic Perspective by Dr. Omar Kasule comes to mind. In this paper, Dr. Kasule outlines the general benefits of exercise and participation in sports. I resonated with his passage on walking; I've been taking long walks on the treadmill at the gym lately, usually sessions at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Living in an apartment in New York, it's sometimes difficult to go for walks outside the gym. I don't feel comfortable walking alone outside for safety reasons, which I'm sure many women can resonate with.
Mindfulness at the Gym
Kasule mentions that when walking, it's best to have a clear intention for your walk. For me, exercise is usually the sole intention. Sometimes, I walk to the library down the street from me to check out books, or to a nearby cafe to enjoy a cup of tea and work. I recommend that before exercising, you think about what you hope to gain from your time at the gym! This is a great mindfulness exercise.
Mixed-Gender Gym Challenges
It's frustrating that in the U.S. and other western countries that female-only gyms are rare; when I was in Kuwait, one of my favorite things to do was go to the women only gym with my mother-in-law. There's definitely a demand for these kind of spaces in the U.S., so hopefully we'll see some pop up over the next few years. I mitigate the challenge of only having access to a mixed-gender gym by working out at times I know it's not busy. If I feel like there are too many people, or a dude gets on a machine too close to me, I just leave and do mat pilates or barre back in my apartment.
The interesting thing is that I was like this even before I converted to Islam. I started going to the gym regularly with my parents at the age of 13, and always felt a sense of discomfort when trying to exercise in a mixed-gender setting. I had always connected this to general social anxiety, but it was very specifically being around men that made me uncomfortable. I love how Islam has validated these feelings, and given me a guide to limit situations like these.
It's good to remember that if you're unable to find privacy while working out at the gym, that there are plenty of body weight exercise tutorials on YouTube you can do at home! This is what I do ~75% of the time. This is one of my favorite videos:
Hijab at the Gym
Observing proper hijab can be difficult for some sisters at the gym, and may cause them to avoid it altogether. One thing that helped me stay consistent at the gym after becoming a hijabi was investing in a proper workout hijab. I got mine from Lululemon, which has quite a good selection! You can see the pull-on style I wear here in my article on color theory.
Another way I observe hijab at the gym is by wearing loose cotton sweats. I like the feel of cotton sweats more than polyester exercise clothing, and the loose silhouette allows for freedom of movement. I also like to pair a long-sleeved base layer with an oversized tee! For more outfit ideas and practical tips, you can check out my style article on gym outfits.
Conclusion
I really recommend you check out Dr. Kasule's full article for more information about the connection between Islam and physical fitness. It's so important for us as Muslimas to take care of our health, and exercise is essential for that. If you feel like hijab is holding you back from the gym, it's really worth it to purchase some modest gym outfits so you can feel comfortable exercising. It's also good to remember that if you're unable to find privacy while working out at the gym that it can be best to follow along with some body weight exercise YouTube tutorials at home.