How I’ve Become the Hijabi Barbie of My Gym
AirPods in, a mixture of sweat and cologne in the air, calluses forming on my hands—the gym has become an essential part of my life as a hijabi woman. It’s given me a place to connect with others, myself, and my mental health. Nothing matters outside the four walls filled with weights, machines, sauna steam, and wet shower floors.
School, friends, life, work—the voice in my head becomes silent.
The gym has always been something I wished to pursue but was scared to do. A common experience when one first starts anything is that of being scared or unwilling to embark on what is unfamiliar.
The gym, like Instagram and LinkedIn, is a hub of comparison. And comparison is the thief of joy. We compare ourselves to those who know what they’re doing or at least look like they know what to do.
At first, I didn’t know what I was doing and was worried people would stare. Combine “not knowing” with wearing a hijab, I was sure people would look at me and think, “This place isn’t for you.”
My discomfort at the idea of regularly going to the gym intensified as I saw the demographic of my university gym. My body is covered in sweats two sizes too big, and my hair is covered by a thick black cloth I call hijab. No one looked like me, and I was insecure about it.
Islam has long put emphasis on taking care of the body that belongs to Allah SWT, but even so, Islamic scholars regularly discuss the link between mental health and physical activity. This correlates with scientific studies examining the effects of physical exercise on mental health.
Two and a half years ago, I first stepped foot into the gym as a means to deal with anxiety and the stress of my final year of my undergraduate studies. Initially, I would walk in and “hit legs” every single day because I knew my lower body was my strongest part, and I wanted people to recognize that.
I didn’t want people to know I was weak.
In the year off before grad school. I worked for a Naturopathic Doctor certified in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Through her, I learned the importance of discipline and exercise on mental health.
Eventually, I understood that I deserved to “take up space” just as much as everyone else. And with time, I eventually grew to know which machines to use and how to benefit more from the gym. Hijabi Barbie could do anything she wanted.
Hijabi Barbie is me.
If people wanted to stare, they could. If they thought it was weird for a hijabi to be in the gym, eventually they wouldn’t think that. Sometimes it requires doing the hard thing to silence the voices in your head.
Maybe I’m my biggest enemy, and no one ever really cared what I wore to the gym or who I was. But now I find strength and beauty in sticking out.
Wearing matching sets, seeing progress, and going to the gym with friends are all motivators to go every single day. But above all, resiliency keeps me going.
On days I want to quit, I discipline myself to keep going. On days I want to give up on doing difficult things, I force myself to grow in endurance.
The stairmaster became a metaphor for my life.
It’s not an option to get off until I reach my goals.
With the emergence of hijabi gym influencers on social media, I also felt more comfortable going to the gym. I then began to see other hijabis and Muslim women in the gym proudly wearing their oversized clothes.
With Leana Deeb, a Muslim hijabi fitness influencer, I felt I belonged. I wasn’t stealing machines from other gym rats, but rather contributing to the diversity within these spaces.
The existence of one person does not take away from another. The gym belongs to everyone.
Now, going to a workout is much easier when you feel good and look good. Here are three outfits I wear depending on the day:
Leg day
Gymshark has plenty of modest, loose options on their site. Leana Deeb has also partnered with Gymshark to produce appropriate gym wear suitable for Muslim women.
My favorite pieces from the company are the oversized training fleece hoodie and the training fleece joggers. I have multiple colors of this set.
Yoga/upper body days
On days when I want to feel light and comfortable, I opt for the Lululemon Align Wide-leg pants, but they’re discontinued. However, any wide-leg yoga pants would work for this outfit.
Hollister has a version but you can find wide-leg yoga pants for multiple price points online.
As for tops, I opt for men’s products almost every single time. Men’s tops are usually longer, looser, and work just as well as any tight trendy workout top.
My favorite is the license to train long-sleeve shirt from Lululemon. I simply just pair them with my wide-leg yoga pants and get my tree pose on.
Cardio
Dressing for cardio is great because there’s so much flexibility. You could opt for abrasion-resistant leggings and pair them with an oversized long-sleeve shirt, or you could wear joggers. Good leggings and joggers can be found everywhere.
As for a good running shirt, Gymshark has the long line long sleeve top. The model is even featured wearing a hijab. It provides great coverage while still encouraging movement.
If you were waiting for a sign to go to the gym, consider this article exactly that. This is your sign to just do it. Go a few times, take a friend, sign up for a class—just do it. It will transform your life.
