‘Stopping the training is not an option for me’
Many people wonder if Muslim sports people are at a disadvantage during the month of Ramadan, due to the rules of fasting negatively impacting their performance.
For many amateur and professional athletes, taking time off from training or competition for the full 30 days isn’t an option. But participating in the month-long tradition doesn’t have to be tricky.
For Ahmed Ibrahim, staying in fighting shape while fasting is all about smart decision making.
As a running enthusiast and a regular competitor on the UAE’s obstacle endurance network (Gov Games and Desert Warrior Challenge naming just a few), Ibrahim juggles a full-time job and regular training sessions throughout the holy month.
“On average, I run about 100km every month. During Ramadan, I reduce this number by about 20km to 80km. Despite fasting, I still play sports and compete in competitions regularly. Stopping training altogether just because I’m observing fast isn’t an option for me.”
Training three times a week —Sunday, Tuesday and Friday — Ibrahim usually trains early in the morning for at least one hour on each of these days.
“On Fridays, I always train at 6am, but if there is a competition coming up I might start at 5am to get more training time in. On Sunday and Tuesday, I try to train early in the morning before work, but depending on my work schedule, I may have to train after Iftar on some days.”
Although he trains just as much as he would during any other month, Ibrahim, who works for the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), does admit that his effort levels may decrease slightly while fasting.
“I never compromise the amount of time spent training, however outside of Ramadan I’d say my intensity level is at 100 per
cent. During Ramadan it’s at about 80 per cent.”
As someone who started fasting when he was 13, Ibrahim said partaking in sports while fasting was a difficult challenge at the beginning, but now it’s something he is used too.
“I find fasting exciting now. It is a part of my religion which allows me to face challenges but it’s rewarding. Actually, I compare the feeling to the same feeling I get
while doing sport. During competitions, you usually face challenges like not being able to drink water and you lose a bit of strength in your body as the competition goes on, but it feels good when you achieve your goal at the end. They have a lot of parallels.”
And while sports requires a lot of training, so does the practice of fasting, he said.
“It takes a few years to get used to it, but it’s about making smart choices. Depending on my work schedule, I may alter my training routine to ensure I get the most out of my session. Sometimes that may mean training at midnight, and trust me, I’ve done that before.”
Nowadays, Ibrahim said he plans out his month in stages. For the first week, when breaking fast, he eats large amounts of heavy food like rice and meat in one sitting, as his body isn’t used to the idea of fasting.
“When my body starts to accept the fast, I then reduce the food I eat. Now, in the third week, the amount remains reduced, but I also eat a lot lighter food like salads and harees. It’s like a system, and you have to let your body slowly accept the new routine, especially as a sports person.”
I find fasting exciting now. It is a part of my religion which allows me to face challenges but it’s rewarding. Actually, I compare the feeling to the same feeling I get while doing sport.”
I never compromise the amount of time spent training, however outside of Ramadan I’d say my intensity level is at 100 per cent. During Ramadan it’s at about 80 per cent.”
Ahmed Ibrahim, sportsperson