Ain Ramli: Modestly Muscular
No pouting, no preening. Ain Ramli’s modest active outfits — complete with tudung — might fool you into underestimating her strength, but a quick flick through her Instagram reveals that her workout routines are anything but leisurely.
And, it is no wonder they aren’t. Ain trains six days a week with a combination of cardio and weight exercises, and the fitness trainer and former national rower hails from a family of athletes. Through her work, Ain seeks to challenge taboos and stereotypes that discourage women, especially Muslims, from hitting the gym.
This week, we catch up with Ain for her take on self-motivation, as well as advice for budding fitness professionals.
What’s keeping you busy these days?
My training and trainees keep me occupied. That being said, I’ve also been trying out new classes on ClassPass on a daily basis!
How would you use your ClassPass credits?
I would use them to explore my uncharted territories! Dancing, pilates, and the list really goes on and on…
Who is your fitness inspiration?
Massy Arias – she is the epitome of the woman that I want to be.
What advice would you give to those who wish to become fitness instructors?
I don’t think that I am senior enough within the industry to give advice, but I’ve observed that patience has been the common factor amongst those I’ve acknowledged as good fitness instructors. I find it challenging sometimes to deal with my trainees, especially those who cheat on their reps or binge-eat in secret, yet take out their frustrations on the trainers when they fall short of their goals. I keep my cool most of the time, but there have been a few instances where push can come to shove!
How do you keep yourself motivated?
When the going gets tough, I remind myself why I started doing what I do. From there, you’ll know whether you’re truly tough, be cause that’s when the tough get going!
