- Title: Palestinian woman takes workout online to beat coronavirus blues
- Date: 25th March 2020
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (MARCH 21, 2020) (VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TEAM MEMBER PARTICIPATING IN ONLINE TRAINING SESSION, HANIN SALEH, SAYING: "We switched to online classes, to be honest we miss gathering at the centre, but I hope all will feel healthy and we can beat this disease. But I must say we are benefiting from the (online) classes, we are committing to them, working out until the end and we have the same energy." RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (MARCH 21, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ASAD DURING ONLINE TRAINING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN COACH, SHADEN ASAD, SAYING: "Our mental health is more important than our physical health during this period, so through these sessions we are strengthening our immune system and we'll feel stronger while sitting at home, so as not to make this period tense." VARIOUS OF SESSION IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 8th April 2020 13:49
- Keywords: Coronavirus Gym Online Palestinian Occupied Territory Ramallah Self-Isolation Women Workout
- Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA007C6JUJBP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Palestinian fitness instructor is teaching workout classes online to help other women in the Israeli-occupied West Bank stay active after authorities imposed curfew to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
Using the camera on her laptop, Shaden Asad guides online participants through 40-60-minute sessions that cycle through squats, push-ups and abdominal routines, which she normally teaches from a studio in Ramallah.
"For the past three or four days we have been in home quarantine to control the virus, so I moved my sessions online," Asad said. The classes are mostly attended by women.
The Palestinian Authority has banned movement between West Bank cities and ordered citizens to stay at home to slow the contagion, which has infected 62 Palestinians there.
Asad, 43, says maintaining an exercise regimen will help people stay physically fit and take their minds off of the virus.
"We are benefiting from the classes," said Hanin Saleh, "We can beat this disease," she added.
Around 15 women join Asad's online class last week.
(Production: Ismael Khader, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh, Rami Ayyub) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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