Ummah Fit: Making the Ummah Fit again!

Ummah Fit offers a holistic approach to fitness that focuses on the needs of the Muslim community in combining exercise and modesty.

For example, many Muslim women will struggle to find comfortable and suitable options for fitness and will give up. That is why we have developed a unique combination of mental and physical training to help them meet their fitness goals and stay motivated while juggling their busy lifestyle.

We have created a website for our programs to be accessible online from anywhere at any time. The website will have three parts: a list of 6-week classes to choose from, a collection of how-to videos displaying proper technique to make exercises easier and more effective, and a list of mindfulness/motivation videos to combat Shaytan's tricks that make you give up. We are planning on releasing at least two 6-week classes and two mindfulness/motivation videos each month.

Additionally, we plan on offering onsite classes, initially for the Minnesota Muslim community, to take their fitness to the next level.

What we need the money for

We are raising funds to purchase the necessary video and audio recording equipment to shoot the monthly videos for the website and to start the onsite classes. About $5,000 will go towards the equipment, another $15,000 will go towards paying for trainers, and the rest will go towards securing space and operating costs for the classes.

We will be donating 10% of the class fees to local mosques and/or national Muslim organizations.

Timeline

We are starting an online Ramadan boot camp two weeks into Ramadan. This will be led by Amaiya Zafar and will consist of daily videos for four weeks.

We will also be posting daily for the 30 miles in Ramadan challenge to keep you motivated in staying active, no matter your fitness level.

Finally, we will be posting the first two classes on the website at the end of the LaunchGood fundraiser.

The Ummah Fit Team

Amaiya Zafar

Amaiya is the first boxer in history to have competed in a USA Boxing competition while wearing hijab. She fought and changed the rules so that women can now box with their body covered with hijab. She trains 5 days a week, is very disciplined and has overcome many obstacles to get to where she is. Just 6 days before Ramadan, Amaiya fought her second USA Boxing sanctioned match in Davenport, IA and won! She will be fighting in Florida this Ramadan and was invited by two-time gold medal Olympian boxer Claressa Shields to shadow her in July. She has been an inspiration for many Muslim girls to get involved in sports and challenge the status quo.

Mohammad Zafar
Mohammad is Amaiya's father. He is a former US Marine and an avid runner who started the 30 miles in Ramadan challenge, a program that empowers Muslims to stay active during Ramadan by running, walking or biking for at least one mile per day. After leaving the Marines, Mohammad was on 6 different medications to deal with the trauma. He created his own healing program based on self-motivation and physical fitness which enabled him to overcome his severe health challenges and get off the medications. He holds a Master's in Community Psychology and came up with the motivational concept of the Ummah Fit program.

Simona Boler
Simona lost nearly 35 lbs. doing kettlebell bootcamps and she's been sharing her love for kettlebells ever since. Simona likes to challenge her clients to step out of their comfort zone because she knows that the only way to get stronger inside and out is to build strength and try new things. She currently coaches CrossFit classes and TRX/Kettlebell classes. She enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and has run numerous 5Ks and the Maui 1/2 marathon but her biggest passion is being a mom to her four wonderful daughters.

Ve Shawn Owens
Ve Shawn competed as an amateur boxer for 6 years, was on the olympic USA Boxing team for two consecutive years, won numerous national titles, and fought all over the country. Now an undefeated professional boxer, he works as a personal trainer and a behavior instructor for middle schools. Ve Shawn also served in the US army and is dedicated to serving his community.

Gianni Quilici
Gianni has an eclectic background. He was born in France but grew up in South America, where he developed a love for long distance running, soccer and languages. He speaks 5 languages and still plays soccer to this day. In fact, he and his wife ran a soccer club for a few years after he moved to the US. He is the father of two young sons and the man behind the Ummah Fit website.

John Wheeler

John has worked with Ummah Fit since 2016, primarily in the areas of vision, organizational development, strategic planning, business development, and bringing Mindful Awareness into Ummah Fit’s holistic approach to fitness.
Previously, John was General Manager of Mall of America for its first 18 years. While at Mall of America, he created a high-performing culture based on the guiding principles of vision, integrity, collaboration, mindfulness, and positive energy. He also led the development of MoA's innovative programs in designing and enhancing a guest-friendly environment, community partnerships, amusement park re-development, waste/recycling, security, counter-terrorism, and transportation/wayfinding.
Currently, John is Principal of Sustaining Optimal Results. He specializes in helping organizations fulfill their greatest potential by applying the guiding principles that he developed while at Mall of America. John is also a long-term meditator and provides training in Mindful Awareness, both within organizations and with individuals.