‘I am just being an ordinary Muslim teenager pursuing my future career ambition.’

Despite being a full time college student, Safiyyah has been taking her first of many steps to follow her ambitions as a Personal Trainer. She currently volunteers at a local gym in East London.

After her ‘confidence had dropped’, Safiyyah decided to turn to fitness.

‘In Year 8, I started getting into fitness, going to the school gym and dragging my friend along with me. Then weeks turned into months and I was able to see so much improvement in my fitness levels and sports performance’, she says.

‘This is what led to my confidence increasing’, she added. She claims: ‘it’s probably the reason why I’m so keen on becoming a personal trainer-I would LOVE to help other be more confident in themselves.’

Initially Safiyyah saw her future as a teacher but she began to feel uncertain during her fitness journey. ‘After my work experience at one of the gyms in my area, I was 100% sure that I wanted to be a personal trainer.’ What once seemed like a touch and go, boosted her self-confidence and pushed her into a definite direction of where she wants to go next.

After receiving her qualification, she hopes to get enough experience before taking the next steps. 'I really want to start my own business, teaching classes and training people- maybe also work with those who have been referred by the NHS: people who have physical or psychological disorders’, Safiyyah says.

In recent years, due to an increase in factors that decrease one’s quality of life i.e disorders, the social interest around personal training has grown. But Safiyyah also suggests: ‘Some people don't like working out on their own or feel that their goals are not met, but having personal trainers gives the clients the motivation they may not have.’ She also considered that it’s due to ‘wanting to look good’ and the current ‘fitness hype’, because it allows people to ‘fit into the societal norms (of fitness)’.

However, through her personal experience, Safiyyah sees fitness through her own scope. ‘What really annoys me is when people think that girls shouldn't lift heavy weights. Lift as much as you want! - Fitness can be and should be for everyone, no matter what religion, gender or ability’, she expresses. ‘…And there are so many different types of classes and exercises, it's just about finding the things you enjoy, because it shouldn't feel like a chore’, she included.

Safiyyah’s beliefs about fitness adhere to equality and freedom which she hopes will ‘inspire young girls to get into fitness.’ She is hopeful that this will give her ‘a sense of accomplishment’ during her career because she sees importance in ‘moving past breaking stereotypes’ and pursuing your future ambitions whoever you are, and whatever way you want.

Hafsa Moolla, City and Islington Sixth Form College