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By Fareeda Ahmed September 23, 2009 A new strand of the fabric of American Muslim life gets roped in - the American Workout. Though in many cultures, workouts do not constitute a huge portion of one’s identity, in the gym-maniacal US that I am proud to call my home, your chosen activity - from boxing to Bikram, swimming to spinning - means much more than just “fitness.” You are what you “Just Do It.” Are you a member of the alpha-Equinox elite or a stay-at-home Yoga mom, an outdoor marathoner or an indoor, regular Treadmill Joe? American exercise culture is such that, exercise activity is a community-based event. This can pose a problem for some Muslim women who seek to maintain a modest appearance while engaged in minimizing “baggage” and “saggage.” While it never stopped me from playing a particular sport (basketball, soccer, lacrosse, dance...hackeysack...) skin-consciousness was definitely a factor of my upbringing. For similar reasons, other Muslim women in the US find it challenging to engage in the same activities as the average American gym rat. I have spotted a few other Muslim women at my gym - and while I wear my sweats and tees, they manage to work it out in scarves (sometimes hijabs) and full track suits. I often find myself wondering whether these women feel marginalized or unwelcome, and indeed, if even more Muslim women would use the facilities (and be in better health as a result) if they were not hidebound by their inability to don the latest Nike sports bra, Adidas shorts, and...nothing else. Does American gym culture discourage Muslim women from staying fit? A recent article in the NY Times documented this mini-struggle, but the answer, thankfully was quite a positive one. Essentially, it seems that all over the US, Muslim women have found innovative ways to workout while covered to their satisfaction - some go the traditional route of wearing extra layers and fabrics, but many make use of local women-only gyms, or go so far as to form women-only workout groups. But even if these solutions don’t work, that doesn’t mean that Muslim women shouldn’t work out! Here are some basic things a Muslim woman in need of additional “coverage” can do to keep the muffin tops out of her jeans and on the breakfast table: 1.  Walking - homo erectus : there’s a reason we’re upright and have two feet. If you have trouble getting started, try going with other neighborhood women, or just pretend there’s a really big hoard of mejdool dates at the other end of your walk. It works for me every time. 2.  Lifting your children - yes, like barbells. There is a reason that children are shaped like barbells. Or rather...perhaps barbells are shaped like children. Art follows nature. 3.  Shopping - you try going to Saks during a shoe sale...if you get out alive after the combination of Thai boxing, foot-cramping, and some permutation of tae kwon do that is quite effective at keeping people away from this season’s high boots, it’s a really great workout. If not...well survival of the fittest, baby; those are my Manolo’s, and you can have them when you pry them from my cold, dead, manicured fingers. 4.  Yoga - there needs to be a jaan-e-maaz that has a yoga mat on the other side. That’s just common sense. Yoga is a great workout. And if you live in a place nearer to the equator, it’s almost like instant Bikram. Why pay someone to heat the room to 115F degrees when that’s already your idea of “September weather?” 5.  Hajj - my parents came back from it a couple of years ago, and were seriously slimmer. Poundage and Pilgrimage: Two birds with one Black Stone. Whatever her workout of choice, the American Muslim woman can work out where she wants, when she wants, and she’s doing just that. You just can’t get between a Muslimah and her favorite pair of Calvins. She’s going to find a way to fit. (New York Times) http://www.elanthemag.com/index.php/site/blog_detail/does_nike_make_sports_hijabs/