ROCHESTER — As a Somali and Muslim woman, Qali Mahmud has felt uncomfortable at traditional gyms and considers them inaccessible.

The Rochester local is not alone.

Women who share Mahmud’s faith are unable to use traditional gyms due to modesty concerns, gender-mixing and other factors that go against Islamic principles.

Muslim women, for example, are required to cover their entire body, except for their face and hands, when in the presence of men. Because of that, exercising at a traditional gym poses a challenge and, therefore, many Muslim women choose to forgo regular exercise altogether.

In fact, the Minnesota Department of Health’s 2035 Action Plan has noted that immigrant and minority communities, including Somali Minnesotans, are at a higher risk for developing diabetes and heart disease due to “long-standing structural and social inequities, biases and barriers.”

To combat the issue, the Somali American Social Service Association — a nonprofit serving immigrant communities in Minnesota — has created a women-only gym with funding from the Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center and Minnwest Bank.

The gym — located at 1700 N. Broadway Ave. — was officially opened to the public last year, free of charge.

In addition, SASSA provides an after-school program for children three days a week between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., granting busy mothers who wish to use the gym time to do so.

Health classes are also offered through RHCP every month with the goal of educating the community on the management of chronic conditions, diet and other health-related topics.

While the creation of the gym was a direct response to the lack of accessible exercise centers for Muslim women, all women are welcome to use it.

According to Omar Nur — the founder and executive director of SASSA — many Muslim women bring their non-Muslim friends, coworkers and classmates to exercise with.

“All women can benefit from it,” he said.

Rawia Ahmed, an employee of SASSA, applauds that aspect of the gym.

“What I really appreciate is that it’s truly open to all women. Not just Muslim women like me, but women from different faiths and backgrounds, and women with no religious affiliation,” she said. “I’ve met colleagues from diverse backgrounds here who also value the privacy and comfort of working out in a women-only space.”

As a Middle Eastern Muslim woman, Ahmed has faced similar challenges as Mahmud when it comes to finding a gym she’s able to use.

“The privacy aspect is what matters most to me. Having a space where all women can workout without worrying about being watched or judged,” the Rochester local said. “It’s welcoming and accessible, which makes it easier for women from different backgrounds to participate in fitness activities they might otherwise avoid.”

Mahmud couldn’t agree more.

“The creation of the gym is a truly empowering and transformative initiative,” she said. “It creates a safe space where I, and women like me, can freely pursue physical fitness without feeling self-conscious, uncomfortable or exposed. It directly supports both my physical health and emotional well-being, while respecting my identity and values.”

Mahmud and Ahmed are among the group of 10-20 women who regularly use the gym. Both women say that they feel much healthier because of it.

“Not every woman feels comfortable in a co-ed gym environment, and that shouldn’t be a barrier to staying active and healthy,” Ahmed said. “A women-only gym creates motivation by removing those obstacles.”

The gym is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on weekends by appointment.

“It’s not a big gym,” Nur said. “But it’s a good start.”