We’re excited to announce Mina Hashish as our featured member of the month.
Mina has been a regular since joining PWFC in 2017. You will see her in here almost every day that we’re open, either strength training on her own or participating in team training sessions.
We asked her how she got started on her fitness journey, “I am no stranger to exercising or working out, but I must admit that it took me too long to decide to do so in a gym setting. I actually began my gym journey at Purdy’s Wharf Fitness Club with personal training sessions with Dominic Matti! For a few months I would come in just for personal training sessions until I finally took the plunge – I signed up for a gym membership and started coming in by myself”.
Before joining PWFC, Mina was an adamant runner and would be up daily before the birds to get her run in but she started to hear about the benefits of strength training and wanted to add more variety to her workouts, “ I started lifting weights because I wanted to add some “spice” to my usual exercise regimen of exclusively running. I wanted to add some healthy weight to my physique in the form of muscle and figured that lifting weights would help me feel stronger, healthier and maybe even improve my running. Little did I know that I would grow to love weight training as an activity all on its own – whether it was tied into my running or not! I’m now three years into my weight training journey, and I plan to keep that going!”
Despite all the information supporting the benefits of strength training, the misconception that weight lifting will make women ‘bulky’ or it will hinder your athletic performance still remains. But Mina has only seen positive results since deciding to pick up the weights, “Number one, hands down, strength! I absolutely feel so much stronger in my day to day life as a result of taking up weight training. I used to exclusively enjoy cardio, but I feel like having a well-rounded fitness routine helps to keep me motivated and interested in exercise.”
One of the things that we admire about Mina is her consistency to make it into the club, especially on the days, she does her 5 am run before coming in to lift weights. We asked her to share her secret and this is what she told us, “Exercising is just part of my daily routine. I don’t JUST find time for it in my day – I DEDICATE time for it in my schedule like other things I find important. I think it’s important to set realistic expectations and to remember that it’s a journey. Finding a way to move and sweat daily is just as important for your mental health as it is for your physical health. Regular exercise can and will have a profoundly positive impact on your mental well-being.”
For a lot of people, just getting started is the hardest part of beginning a fitness routine. We asked Mina what would her advice be to someone who is starting at a gym for the first time and she replied, “Sign up for some personal training! I found it tremendously helpful for learning how to use the equipment, learning new exercises, and understanding how to use proper form for safety and efficiency. It can feel intimidating to be a newbie in the gym, but having the support of a professional can help you to gain confidence.”
A lot of people are inspired each day by Mina’s positive attitude and work ethic and we hope her story will inspire some new people to begin a fitness journey of their own. Continue to motivate with all your great work in 2021 Mina!
