Durban - A “ratty, awkward” child by her own admission, Marcina Majid is today as close to perfect as most women can get.
Her glowing skin, athletic build and effervescent, energetic personality are enough to make any woman a little envious.
Majid is not even slightly apprehensive about setting up shop in the saturated gym market on Durban’s Berea; largely because of the high demand for the ladies-only format she has selected.
Her small, private gym is called TrainHER and is situated at Greyville Racecourse. It benefits from their security, expansive grounds and track for drills, as well as the grandstand for the ultimate stair workout. There are no contracts, just a monthly fee as the gym owner says she is aware of the predicament many people get themselves into with expensive contracts.
“I love this time of year because everyone is on such a health high and fully committed to their well-being,” she says. “But it is like watching a movie for the millionth time and still holding on to the expectation that the ending will change this time round. The problem arises because so many of us are looking for a quick fix.
“When you try to accomplish your goals in a very short period of time you’re sure to get despondent if you don’t see results. When you hit the ground running, things tend to go wrong.”
Speaking from first-hand experience, Majid says she went from being overweight to over-exercising and learnt a valuable less in moderation in the process. “I was never sporty when I was young. When I married and had my first child my body bounced back, but my second pregnancy changed everything. I had to have a Caesarean section. I developed hypertension and gained 30kg,” she says.
“I was deflated and depressed, especially since I am a woman who has always been conscious of how I look. I had no idea what to do or where to start and so employed the help of a personal trainer. Luckily for me, she was a nutritionist as well. Through her guidance, I developed muscle and an inner strength that was tremendously empowering. Exercising changed the shape of my body and I adopted healthy eating habits.”
She also became obsessed with the health and fitness industry. “I initially tried to buy into a health franchise, but quickly decided to develop my own brand instead. The Health Alliance Gym was my first baby and for four years allowed me to grow into the industry.”
Majid never imagined she could go from being overweight to over-exercising but in 2015 was diagnosed with a common, but lesser known, condition called femoral acetabular impingement.
This is when the hip bones (think of a ball and socket joint) develop an abnormal shape and do not fit together perfectly.
They begin to rub against each other and cause damage to the joint.
“It’s a condition you can have for many years without any major symptoms at first. I just thought I was having muscle and back pain and overlooked it. Meanwhile, the continuous repetitive movements of certain exercises only made things worse. I used to do kick-boxing and found I couldn’t kick as high as I used to.
“It was only when I slipped a disc and, in severe pain, sought medical help, that I discovered the condition. I was 30 and the doctor said I would have needed a hip replacement had I ignored it for another two years.”
Majid had surgery in July last year and her perspective on fitness has changed drastically since then.
“Recovery time was six weeks. I had to rest and relax even though I couldn’t wait to start training again. It was a time of rediscovery and contemplation.
“Once I was allowed to start my rehabilitation, I found I could not go to my own gym to train. I was not comfortable with how I looked and felt.
“Whether I was imagining it or not, I felt everybody was looking at me. I was a fraction of my former self and was surrounded by men who, at times, got frustrated with me for slowing them down or being in the way. Also, due to losing so much muscle tone, I could barely move, so I created quite a scene each time I attempted anything active.
“This got me thinking about what the average woman goes through, perhaps after a C-section, when overweight, or if they prefer to be in female company for religious reasons. After talking to women and learning this is a sought-after need, I decided to provide a safe, comfortable environment where women could train and not be conscious of any men around judging or ogling.”
Now, she is adamant about a holistic “slow” approach.
Daily News