A simple foot fracture was enough to reshape Maryam Al-Zaabi's awareness and push her into the academic field, making her the first citizen to obtain a master's degree in bodybuilding, inside gyms. Al-Zaabi, who works as a vocational academic advisor in one of the schools in Ras Al Khaimah, says to "Al Ittihad": "I suffered a simple fracture in my foot, and sports were part of the therapeutic rehabilitation plan prescribed by the doctor. Afterwards, I felt that practicing exercises would be a sustainable health tool, as well as a mental and spiritual remedy, not a temporary phase." She pointed out that during her treatment period, she felt that sports were reshaping her relationship with her body, and that the body is like a project that needs to be built in advance, not after a problem occurs. She added: "Therefore, I decided to enter the academic field to study the correct methods of bodybuilding. Indeed, the study moved me from traditional training to a precise scientific understanding of the body, muscles, movement, metabolism, rehabilitation science, sports nutrition, and more." She continued: "I strived hard after my master's degree, obtained a license for injury rehabilitation, delved deeper into the science of nutrition, and now I offer comprehensive consultations that link individual health with community health." Pride of Beirut Al-Zaabi says that the community received her obtaining a master's degree with great pride, adding: "The UAE encourages excellence and innovation, especially when a woman enters new fields that were considered male, so the support was great and influential." She continued: "I see myself in the next five years in greater expansion, and deeper scientific research, and perhaps a doctorate soon, God willing, to contribute to building a more aware Emirati generation as our leadership desires." A sustainable body She added: "My message: build a sustainable body.. not a temporary shape," because the biggest mistake women make is focusing on the shape instead of health. She pointed out that "sports are not just for slimming down, and the body is a trust that we preserve just as we preserve our homes and families." She explained that there are women who start exercising with the goal of changing their body shape, but after a while they discover that the real change occurs in inner strength and self-confidence. She said: "The phrase that affects me the most from my trainees is (I started to love myself again)", commenting: "This is not a personal success, but a victory for an entire family and an extension of the health of an entire community." She added: "I aspire to a specialized center for women, which would be a comprehensive system that offers everything a woman needs in terms of health, psychological, family, and community." She advised practicing sports, saying: "The body is capable of rebuilding itself no matter how weak it has been, and physical activity makes a human being a partner in building his health. Also, people who exercise regularly are further from diseases, and the first benefit they gain is immunity. The body becomes a protective shield when cared for in advance." She pointed to common mistakes that delay women's sports results, the most prominent of which is focusing on weight instead of health, choosing an unsuitable training game, and following harsh systems that destroy immunity. She added: "Sports and nutrition are two sides of the same coin, and neither will succeed without the other." She continued: "My message to every woman, especially in the UAE: invest in your health as you invest in your future, for this investment is without losses. Dedicate an hour a day to your health, it gives you strength that extends for years, your health is the foundation of your ability to give to the community." Future Ambitions Al-Zaabi also revealed that she is currently working on issuing a new book that carries a new health thought, addressing the importance of human existence in life, and how to support himself, his family, and his community. She concluded her speech by saying: "Our country creates opportunities for us before we even dream of them, and my message to all girls in the UAE: find your place in this world, be part of the UAE's vision in building a strong and aware generation, for sports are a future that carries women towards empowerment".
Maryam Al-Zaabi: "The study moved me from traditional training to a precise scientific understanding of the body, muscles, movement, metabolism, rehabilitation science, and sports nutrition." "The UAE encourages excellence and innovation, especially when a woman enters new fields that were considered male, so the support was great and influential." "Common mistakes that delay women's sports results, the most prominent of which is focusing on weight instead of health."
