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Interview: Rawan Zahran, Founder of the SWEAT Fitness Program in Saudi Arabia

Saudi trainer Rawan Zahran, a mother of two, found a passion for fitness after going through her own weight loss journey. Her motivation coupled with her qualifications in high-intensity fitness training led her to launch the SWEAT program. Here, she shares the story of her fitness journey, how she lost over 25kgs, and how sharing her motivation with other Saudi women helped shape a thriving business in Jeddah.

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DANNIELLE BLAKER: What motivated you to get into fitness?

RAWAN ZAHRAN: It started five years ago after I gave birth to my second child. I gained 28kgs during my pregnancy and I was overweight. I had a long way to go to get back to my normal weight, and I knew I had to make drastic changes. This led me to start researching home fitness programs and I found several (popular at the time) DVD programs from the American Beach Body series, like the P90X and the Insanity Program. This was my starting point. I followed these intense DVD workouts from home. I was dedicated to their workout schedule and the recommended diet. My body started changing and within six months, I saw great results. I lost a tremendous amount of weight, and I gained a lot of muscle. I was in better shape than I was in high school. This motivated me and I started heavily researching fitness, food components, how diet plays a role, and how our muscles work during training. People started to take notice and they were inspired by my transformation. They asked me to train them, to help them lose weight, and re-shape their bodies. This is when I decided to expand my knowledge so I could gain credibility as a fitness instructor.

A video posted by Rawan Zahran (@rzhealth) on

How did you further your education in the fitness field?

I joined the International Sports Science Association (ISSA), which prepares you to become a personal trainer and fitness instructor.

Did you travel to take these courses?

The ISSA was an online, video-based course that I took from Saudi, as I couldn’t travel much because of my children. Now, I travel to Dubai often to attend workshops, take courses, and participate in fitness challenges. I received my TRX suspension training and ViPR training certifications in Dubai.

A video posted by Rawan Zahran (@rzhealth) on

The fitness industry is always evolving. How do you keep up?

I like to learn new fitness techniques that challenge the body and I also attend the various conferences held in Dubai and New York. They’re beneficial as you get to meet new trainers and learn about the latest concepts. Being in the fitness field is challenging as you always have to be up to date.

What do your Saudi clients look for in a fitness program?

In Saudi, the women get bored quickly and get tired of the same thing. For them to keep coming and stay interested, they need to see changes in their workout program and they need to be challenged. The body gets used to the same movements quickly and to avoid a plateau, you need to constantly change and train differently.

What’s the fitness scene like in Jeddah?

When I first started five years ago, I was one of the only two Saudi trainers in Jeddah. Now, there are more than 10. Fitness is booming in Saudi; new gyms are opening in Jeddah and in Riyadh, women are more aware of the food they eat, and people want to get fit. It’s not about being thin anymore; it’s about being fit and having a toned, lean body. It’s amazing how society is transforming.

Tell me about SWEAT, the program you created.

SWEAT is an acronym that stands for strength, will, endurance, agility, and transformation—those are the components of the program. It’s a combination of insanity cardio training and strength training with toning. It’s basically 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes or resistance and body weight training.

A video posted by Rawan Zahran (@rzhealth) on

Where do you teach the SWEAT fitness program?

My partner Nora Mosly (who is also Saudi) is a SWEAT trainer and is certified in Bosu, TRX, XLR8, and the TRX Rip trainer. We both have in-home studios where we hold women-only classes throughout the day. We also travel to other gyms within Saudi. This month, we’re hosting our first SWEAT program at Fatima Batook’s  gym, Studio55, in Khobar. We’re excited to be collaborating with Fatima.

How is the fitness scene in Khobar?

I’ve never been to Khobar, so I have no idea how far advanced people are with fitness. On Instagram, I have followers from Khobar who have shown a lot of interest in our SWEAT program. It’ll be exciting to train a new market and to hear fresh feedback on SWEAT.

Photo: Instagram/@rzhealth

Photo: Instagram/@rzhealth

Have you considered opening your own gym?

Definitely. We’re planning to open our own gym soon.

When you’re in Dubai, is there a particular gym or studio that you like to train at?

I like Circuit Factory and Flywheel. I’m also looking forward to trying The Warehouse Gym.

What are your favorite athletic wear brands?

I love Victoria’s Secret active wear, especially its sports bras. For leggings, I love Lululemon Athletica, Nike for running, and Reebok CrossFit shoes for indoor training.

Follow Sweat_Army on Snapchat to see Rawan Zahran in action.

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