Jakarta, IO – Islam not only teaches the rituals of prayer, fasting, zakat, faith, worship, morals and so on but also requires its adherents to be physically and spiritually strong. As stated in the Al-Quran surah Al-Anfaal, Verse 60, regarding Allah SWT’s command to prepare strength, and the hadith on the virtues of fitness from HR Muslim: “A strong believer is better and more beloved by Allah than a weak believer, and in all goodness”.
During Ramadan, exercise can serve as a form of worship. “Many deeds take the form of worldly deeds and then because of good intentions turn into deeds in the afterlife. For example, a worldly practice that originally had no reward, but was then well intended to strengthen worship, such as eating to strengthen worship, will turn into deeds in the afterlife. Same with sports, if the aim is to stay strong for tarawih and other forms of worship in the month of Ramadan,” said dr. Alfan Nur Asyhar, AIFO-K, from the Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), Yogyakarta, in a webinar entitled “Welcoming Ramadhan Healthy and Fit” which was held on Saturday (9/3/2024).
It was stated that from the Islamic religious point of view, fasting in the month of Ramadan is an obligation. From a medical or physiological point of view, when fasting, we must adapt physiologically, by maintaining energy and fluid balance from sunrise to sunset, for 13-14 hours. Our body will send us urgent hunger and thirst signals, but with awareness, Muslims subdue thirst and hunger, so that adaptation adjusts following a lack of energy sources, and their needs are still met. After fasting for 1 month, ½ to 1 kilogram of weight loss is usually recorded. Fasting is useful for maintaining a healthy body weight and preventing metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia.
“There are differences between the definitions of healthy and fit. Health is a state of physical, mental, and social functionality, not only free from disease and infirmity (healthy and dynamic statistics). Being fit is an individual’s ability to carry out their functions efficiently and effectively, as well as carrying out emergency activities without feeling tired. The aim of being fit during Ramadan is to support the performance of worship which tends to be busier.”
The recommended time to exercise is two hours before breaking the fast or two hours after breaking the fast. “But please don’t finish training later than 23.00. If you exceed this time, your rest will not be optimal, especially after a few hours you have to get up for sahur and morning prayers,” he warned.
Mindful Intensity Training
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise in the form of jogging, cycling or swimming at a moderate intensity for 150 minutes per week or vigorous exercise for 75 minutes per week, as well as weight/strength training for 8-10 major muscles of the body, with 12-15 repetitions each 2-3 sets, 2-3 times per week on alternate days.
“It’s best to change the intensity of training during Ramadan. In the first week of Ramadan, the intensity is reduced by 50%, because the body needs to adapt to changing eating patterns, so as not to cause shock. In the second week, as the body begins to adjust, the training portion reaches 75% of the normal day. In the last week, the training portion returns to 100%, the same as normal days outside of Ramadan,” he explained.
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Before exercising, check your hydration status, based on the color of your urine. A bright yellow color is a sign that the body is well hydrated, if the urine is darker, like the color of apple juice, a sign that more fluid is needed before starting to exercise.
“Then, how do we know if we are dehydrated? Warning signs: headache, fatigue, confusion, nausea, muscle cramps, dizziness, decreased stamina, speed, energy, muscle strength. To prevent dehydration, drink eight glasses a day and consume electrolytes-rich drinks at dawn,” he concluded. (est)