Exercise_NN1 Tailored_VVN to_II a_AT1 Hijab_NN1 THE_AT first_MD time_NNT1 Julia_NP1 Shearson_NP1 rode_VVD her_APPGE bike_NN1 after_II converting_VVG to_II Islam_NN1 seven_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, her_APPGE headscarf_NN1 became_VVD stuck_VVN in_II the_AT wheel_NN1 ._. 
WORKING_VVG OUT_RP Mubarakha_NP1 Ibrahim_NP1 ,_, left_VVD ,_, and_CC her_APPGE sister_NN1 ,_, Fawziyyah_NP1 Umrani_NP1 ,_, at_II a_AT1 recent_JJ exercise_NN1 session_NNT1 in_II New_NP1 Haven_NP1 ._. 
She_PPHS1 lost_VVD her_APPGE balance_NN1 ,_, and_CC by_II the_AT time_NNT1 she_PPHS1 got_VVD going_VVG again_RT she_PPHS1 was_VBDZ met_VVN with_IW stares_NN2 as_CSA she_PPHS1 whizzed_VVD along_RP ,_, arms_NN2 and_CC legs_NN2 draped_VVN in_II loose_JJ clothing_NN1 ,_, her_APPGE scarf_NN1 billowing_VVG in_II the_AT breeze_NN1 ._. 
"_" You_PPY have_VH0 to_TO overcome_VVI the_AT looks_NN2 ,_, "_" said_VVD Ms._NNB Shearson_NP1 ,_, 43_MC ,_, the_AT executive_NN1 director_NN1 of_IO the_AT Cleveland_NP1 chapter_NN1 of_IO the_AT Council_NN1 on_II American-Islam_NP1 Relations_NN2 ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 's_VBZ already_RR hard_RR enough_RR to_TO exercise_VVI ,_, and_CC if_CS you_PPY look_VV0 different_JJ ..._... it_PPH1 's_VBZ even_RR harder_JJR ._. "_" 
As_II a_AT1 Muslim_JJ woman_NN1 in_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 ,_, Ms._NNB Shearson_NP1 has_VHZ found_VVN it_PPH1 difficult_JJ to_TO stay_VVI fit_JJ while_CS adhering_VVG to_II her_APPGE religious_JJ principles_NN2 about_II modesty_NN1 ._. 
Islam_NN1 does_VDZ not_XX restrict_VVI women_NN2 from_II exercising_VVG --_NN1 in_II fact_NN1 all_DB Muslims_NN2 are_VBR urged_VVN to_TO take_VVI care_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE bodies_NN2 through_II healthy_JJ eating_NN1 and_CC exercise_VV0 --_JJ but_CCB women_NN2 face_VV0 a_AT1 special_JJ set_NN1 of_IO challenges_NN2 in_II a_AT1 culture_NN1 of_IO co-ed_JJ gyms_NN2 and_CC skimpy_JJ workout_NN1 wear_NN1 ._. 
Many_DA2 pious_JJ Muslim_JJ women_NN2 in_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 ,_, like_II Ms._NNB Shearson_NP1 ,_, wear_VV0 hijab_VV0 in_RR21 public_RR22 ,_, loose_JJ garments_NN2 that_CST cover_VV0 their_APPGE hair_NN1 and_CC body_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ can_VM hinder_VVI movement_NN1 and_CC add_VVI to_II discomfort_NN1 during_II exercise_NN1 ._. 
Women_NN2 may_VM show_VVI their_APPGE hair_NN1 ,_, arms_NN2 and_CC legs_NN2 up_II21 to_II22 the_AT knees_NN2 in_II31 front_II32 of_II33 other_JJ women_NN2 ._. 
Muslim_JJ women_NN2 are_VBR often_RR limited_VVN in_II their_APPGE choice_NN1 of_IO activity_NN1 ,_, as_RR21 well_RR22 ._. 
Some_DD believe_VV0 that_CST certain_JJ yoga_NN1 chants_NN2 ,_, for_REX21 example_REX22 ,_, are_VBR forbidden_VVN ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 certain_JJ poses_NN1 like_II sun_NN1 salutations_NN2 (_( Muslims_NN2 are_VBR supposed_JJ to_TO worship_VVI only_JJ Allah_NP1 )_) ._. 
For_IF the_AT sake_NN1 of_IO modesty_NN1 ,_, working_VVG out_RP around_II men_NN2 is_VBZ discouraged_VVN ._. 
That_DD1 modesty_NN1 can_VM be_VBI a_AT1 benefit_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 liability_NN1 ._. 
On_II the_AT one_MC1 hand_NN1 ,_, Muslim_JJ women_NN2 are_VBR spared_VVN some_DD of_IO the_AT body-image_JJ issues_NN2 that_CST other_JJ women_NN2 face_VV0 ;_; on_II the_AT other_JJ ,_, that_DD1 freedom_NN1 can_VM be_VBI a_AT1 detriment_NN1 to_II their_APPGE physical_JJ well-being_NN1 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 do_VD0 n't_XX have_VHI the_AT external_JJ motivation_NN1 that_CST non-Muslim_JJ women_NN2 have_VH0 ,_, "_" said_VVD Mubarakha_NP1 Ibrahim_NP1 ,_, 33_MC ,_, a_AT1 certified_JJ personal_JJ trainer_NN1 and_CC owner_NN1 of_IO Balance_NN1 fitness_NN1 in_II New_NP1 Haven_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 personal_JJ training_NN1 studio_NN1 catering_VVG to_II women_NN2 ._. 
"_" There_EX is_VBZ no_AT little_JJ black_JJ dress_NN1 to_TO fit_VVI into_II ,_, no_AT bathing_JJ suit_NN1 ._. 
When_CS you_PPY pass_VV0 through_II a_AT1 mirror_NN1 or_CC glass_NN1 you_PPY 're_VBR not_XX looking_VVG to_TO see_VVI 'Is_APPGE my_APPGE tummy_NN1 tucked_VVD in_RP ?_? 
Do_VD0 I_PPIS1 look_VVI good_JJ in_II these_DD2 jeans_NN2 ?_? '_" 
You_PPY 're_VBR looking_VVG to_TO see_VVI if_CSW you_PPY 're_VBR covered_VVN ._. "_" 
After_II gaining_VVG 50_MC pounds_NN2 while_CS pregnant_JJ with_IW her_APPGE first_MD child_NN1 ,_, Ms._NNB Ibrahim_NP1 studied_VVD exercise_NN1 and_CC nutrition_NN1 ,_, and_CC became_VVD certified_VVN through_II the_AT Aerobics_NN1 and_CC Fitness_NN1 Association_NN1 of_IO America_NP1 ._. 
In_II 2006_MC she_PPHS1 opened_VVD her_APPGE studio_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ offers_VVZ a_AT1 safe_JJ environment_NN1 for_IF women_NN2 to_TO exercise_VVI (_( she_PPHS1 says_VVZ she_PPHS1 has_VHZ more_RGR orthodox_JJ Jewish_JJ clients_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS also_RR adhere_VV0 to_II rules_NN2 of_IO modesty_NN1 )_) ._. 
Ms._NNB Ibrahim_NP1 said_VVD she_PPHS1 would_VM like_VVI to_TO see_VVI exercise_NN1 become_VVI as_RG natural_RR a_AT1 part_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 Muslim_JJ woman_NN1 's_GE life_NN1 as_CSA praying_VVG ._. 
In_II July_NPM1 ,_, about_RG 120_MC women_NN2 from_II around_II the_AT country_NN1 attended_VVD Ms._NNB Ibrahim_NP1 's_GE third_MD annual_JJ Fit_JJ Muslimah_NN1 Health_NN1 and_CC Fitness_NN1 Summit_NN1 in_II New_NP1 Haven_NP1 ._. 
She_PPHS1 offered_VVD yoga_NN1 ,_, kickboxing_VVG ,_, water_NN1 aerobics_NN2 and_CC core_NN1 conditioning_NN1 classes_NN2 alongside_II workshops_NN2 on_II weight_NN1 loss_NN1 ,_, nutrition_NN1 ,_, cancer_NN1 prevention_NN1 and_CC diabetes_NN1 at_II the_AT two-day_JJ ,_, women-only_JJ event_NN1 ._. 
She_PPHS1 plans_VVZ to_TO hold_VVI another_DD1 one_PN1 in_II Atlanta_NP1 in_II February_NPM1 ._. 
"_" An_AT1 important_JJ part_NN1 of_IO your_APPGE spirituality_NN1 is_VBZ your_APPGE health_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Tayyibah_NP1 Taylor_NP1 ,_, publisher_NN1 of_IO Azizah_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 magazine_NN1 for_IF Muslim_JJ women_NN2 ,_, and_CC co-sponsor_NN1 of_IO the_AT summit_NN1 meeting_NN1 ._. 
"_" You_PPY ca_VM n't_XX really_RR consider_VVI yourself_PPX1 in_II good_JJ health_NN1 if_CS all_DB parts_NN2 of_IO your_APPGE being_NN1 are_VBR not_XX healthy_JJ --_NN1 your_APPGE body_NN1 ,_, your_APPGE mind_NN1 and_CC your_APPGE soul_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ a_AT1 complete_JJ package_NN1 ._. "_" 
This_DD1 is_VBZ especially_RR true_JJ now_RT ,_, during_II Ramadan_NNT1 ,_, the_AT Islamic_JJ month_NNT1 of_IO fasting_VVG from_II dawn_NNT1 until_CS sunset_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT Muslim_JJ prayer_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT most_RGT physical_JJ prayer_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT sitting_NN1 ,_, bowing_VVG ,_, bending_VVG ,_, "_" said_VVD Daisy_NP1 Khan_NNA ,_, executive_NN1 director_NN1 of_IO the_AT American_JJ Society_NN1 for_IF Muslim_JJ Advancement_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT physicality_NN1 of_IO our_APPGE prayer_NN1 forces_VVZ us_PPIO2 to_TO create_VVI flexibility_NN1 in_II our_APPGE body_NN1 ._. "_" 
But_CCB how_RRQ to_TO mix_VVI one_PN1 's_GE physical_JJ and_CC spiritual_JJ needs_NN2 with_IW practicality_NN1 ?_? 
Some_DD Muslim-Americans_NN2 go_VV0 to_II women-only_JJ gyms_NN2 like_II Curves_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ has_VHZ thousands_NNO2 of_IO branches_NN2 across_II the_AT country_NN1 ._. 
And_CC some_DD gyms_NN2 and_CC Y.M.C.A._NP1 's_GE offer_NN1 gender-segregated_NN1 areas_NN2 ,_, hours_NNT2 or_CC days_NNT2 ._. 
Other_JJ women_NN2 ,_, like_II Umm_UH Sahir_NP1 Ameer_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 27-year-old_JJ student_NN1 in_II Shaker_NN1 Heights_NN2 ,_, Ohio_NP1 ,_, take_VV0 matters_NN2 into_II their_APPGE own_DA hands_NN2 ._. 
