LONDON (AP) — It's nearing midnight and the hard work for Sabir Hussein is just beginning.
The trains on the elevated railway above Diesel Gym on the East London docks are mostly empty. Inside, a mixed martial arts session awaits.
Hussain's challenge at 10:30 p.m. is to escape from a front headlock and complete a single leg takedown.
Although the timing is far from ideal, Muslim athletes around the world adjust their schedules and focus on training as much as possible during the holy month of Ramadan.
Dawn-to-dusk fasting can negatively impact your sleep and energy levels, so even if it's an option, it disrupts the best times to exercise. This may have been experienced by anyone who has joined the intermittent fasting trend.
“I don't train at all. That's not an option,” said Hussain, 27.
Hussain is an up-and-coming MMA flyweight fighter and is scheduled for a rematch in early June. He has a 4-2 amateur record and hopes to turn pro later this year.
“If you don't train, you'll fall behind in terms of fitness. Once you start getting back into shape after Ramadan, it will be much harder if you don't train throughout the month.”
The late-night classes, held every night during Ramadan, are run by SCK Fitness Team, a non-profit organization co-founded by Hussein and Warsham Ibrahim. Competitions include MMA, boxing, and Muay Thai. It costs £5 ($6) per session, with proceeds going to charity. Women-only classes are free.
By the time the 30 athletes of all ages and skill levels remove their footwear and begin stretching, it has been about four hours since iftar, the breaking of the fast, before they pray at a mosque.
What are the disadvantages of training late? As a result, adrenaline is released, which can make it difficult to fall asleep. And it's not fun when you're waking up at 4 a.m. to pray and refrain from the pre-dawn meal called “suhoor.”
“If I have a hard session, I might be awake for another hour or two, and I might be in bed by (around 2:30 a.m.),'' Hussein said, adding that after a light session, He added that he fell asleep.
On a recent evening, it looked like something in between. Halfway through Ibrahim's one-minute break from the Islamic hymn “Nasheed,'' Hussein still wasn't breaking a sweat, despite the humid conditions that caused others to search for water bottles in a cubicle on the wall. Ta.
Home to several British champions, the gym features a boxing ring, MMA cage and wrestling mats where most of the training takes place.
Outside of Ramadan, the Somali-born Hussein would train in the mornings, work as a kids boxing coach and personal trainer in the afternoons, and run mixed martial arts sessions from 6pm to 9pm.
During the holy month, which is expected to end around April 9 this year, President Hussein tries to attend training sessions early in the morning and, if he's lucky, take a nap in the afternoon before a late-night session.
“But most of the time I work all day,” he said. “You still have to pay the bills at the end of the day.”
Asma Aloui, an assistant professor of sports science at the University of Sfax in Tunisia, said training one to two hours before breaking the fast allows athletes to “replenish nutrition and hydration immediately after the session.” It is also the timing when “hormone secretion due to physical strength'' reaches its climax, regardless of fasting.
“This period therefore does not significantly disrupt sleep patterns and allows athletes to better prepare for competition,” she said in a written response to questions.
Also, late-night training is unlikely to fit in with daytime competitions, such as soccer matches that start in the afternoon. Additionally, some leagues are less tolerant of Muslim players than others.
“Athletes may find it difficult to adapt to daytime competition during Ramadan, which can have a significant impact on performance,” Aloui wrote.
She added that training in the morning is “not recommended” because “lack of food and water intake will impede the recovery process.”
Haroon Mota, founder of Muslim Runners and Active Inclusion Network, continues to train for the London Marathon on April 21st.
He recently posted a video update while completing a 20-mile run while fasting. Three hours after it started, the Coventry resident said: “My mouth is so dry that I want to take a sip of water just to rinse my mouth out.”
Ahead of last year's race, he offered tips on training during Ramadan. This tip is still available on the London Marathon website.
Mota added as he completed the 20-mile run just before iftar. “I feel like crying, probably tears of joy and celebration… Alhamdulillah.”
Of course, Ramadan is a time of sacrifice and drawing closer to God through fasting and good deeds.
“The schedule gets a little crazy. It interferes with your sleep. But it's all a spiritual journey, so it's worth it,” Hussain said.
“For us, it's worth the lack of sleep and lack of energy during the day.”
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