Fitness & Fasting

Going to the gym on an empty stomach, without any water and slightly sleep-deprived during this long summer days may seem a little loony. Yet, many of our Muslim friends across the world does the fasting during this Holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is a month of abstinence, introspection and a time to capitalise on every precious moment, as the heavenly reward for acts of worship are multiplied.

However, whether to fit in an hour or so at the gym, go for a run or in the case of professional athletes, competitively participate in their respective sports, makes for a tough decision.

It’s important to find out what works best for you. You may find that you perform better doing weight training on an empty stomach, or that you feel more energised doing cardio after a light iftar meal.

• Do keep workouts short, about 30 minutes to a maximum of 60 minutes.

• Do light cardiovascular exercises – walking or cycling – to help burn calories and improve stamina, full body stretching to improve flexibility and detoxification, or mat exercises such as an abs workout and push-ups.

• Do drink plenty of water between the hours of iftar and suhur. Drink water with sea salt or coconut water to increase the electrolytes in your body, which are essential for heart, nerve and muscle functions.

• Do not do high intensity exercises like sprinting, stepper or heavy weight lifting (go for lighter than you would normally push) as it can cause joint or muscle injuries and also lead to complications such as low blood pressure, hypoglycaemia and dizziness.

• Do not continue training if you feel weak, dizzy or sick. Although you are training, lowering your usual exercise intensity is essential to staying fit and healthy.

• Do not eat lots of fried and fatty foods as it will counteract the good work you do at the gym.

One of our coach in Business Bay, Nasser said: “Ramadan is about disciplining the ego, so training during this month becomes more potent, since it takes much more discipline to train while fasting.”

Some train for spiritual reasons (as exercise can be a form of worship), while others train to keep fit, stay healthy and maintain a good weight.

The holy month is all about training. So for those who are able to do it safely, exercise – in moderation – is a good habit to include in your Ramadan.