Groundbreaking: Fatima Batook cracks Saudi stereotype

Abu Dhabi - The entrepreneur/fitness freak was part of the Fun Nation clinic held recently at the du Forum in Yas Island. She says the awareness among Arab women towards fitness is growing. Excerpts from an interview:

Fatima Batook is a fighter. She is the founder of Saudi Arabia's first female Activewear brand - Tima - and also runs Studio55 fitness centre, through which she seeks to 'empower' Saudi women. She says there are a "few restrictions" on women in Saudi Arabia, but it's her drive to succeed that has taken her this far.
The entrepreneur/fitness freak was part of the Fun Nation clinic held recently at the du Forum in Yas Island. She says the awareness among Arab women towards fitness is growing. Excerpts from an interview:
When and how did fitness bug bit you? Your passion for fitness is praiseworthy.
My passion for fitness didn't start until I encountered it as a personal goal. It amazed me how it's not only about how your body and muscles function, but also it is liberating as a human being. It's a gateway for self-expression. I never thought that fitness would turn into a career for me. I only did it on the side and never took it seriously, but I loved doing it.
You are on a mission to encourage Saudi women to get fit. What's your motivation to do something like this?
I realised that people are reacting to what I believe and what I am doing. I do not work for the job title or position and money. What I do today is for a higher purpose to empower women and make a change in the world. I saw people's response to my vision and mission and their response is what pushed me to take the decision to follow my passion.
What was the response from Saudi and Arab women towards your idea of finding ways to be fit?
It all seemed easy in the beginning but not everyone accepted a Saudi brand for activewear, they wanted international brands. But today I can proudly say we have cracked the stereotype. We won best sport brand of the year award in March 2015.
What led to creation of Tima?
The idea came from a dream my friend had. We once joked about the idea of me putting together my own workout DVD, and the next day she called me saying she dreamt that I had my own sportswear line called Tima, which is my nickname. When I started the brand in 2012, it was more of a mission to encourage fitness among Saudi women. I thought it would be a cool idea to have a Saudi sport brand made by a Saudi female. I wanted people to be intrigued, and to hear my story and be inspired.
What's the story behind Studio55?
Studio55 is a product of my passion to fitness and well-being. Studio55, based in Khobar, is a new concept of women health club in Saudi Arabia where we focus on small group training with two studios under one roof. We have a spinning studio and another functional training studio.
Saudi Arabia is seen a Kingdom with lot of restrictions on women. How easy or difficult was it for you to turn into an entrepreneur?
It is not easy to be an entrepreneur whether you are in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. It is the drive that I have within me that keeps me going through the difficulties. If you want to do something, don't just sit and wait, you will need to start and be determined. There are a lot of great entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia and I can say a good portion of them are women. We do have a few restrictions that would come in our way, but the will keeps us going.
What are your thoughts on fitness regime being followed by women in the UAE?
In general, Arab women are not very much into fitness and do not make it part of their lives, but I can say that now it is changing. The awareness of being healthy and fit have grown in past years, women nowadays are working out and have a better understanding of training and different trends. Women have different interests; you can find some women are interested in yoga and Pilates and then you can find others who are into intense workouts such as bootcamp.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE