The gym has often been perceived as a man’s place.
This perception is, however, fading; more women are actively participating in the gym—and are taking up leading roles.
Meet Alice Chipanda, a certified fitness trainer at Hashtag Fitness Gym, and founder of Bodied by Alice, where she focuses on helping women build strength, confidence, and long-term healthy habits through holistic and organised coaching.
Based in Blantyre, Alice is also a licenced physiotherapist.
In an interview with Every Woman on Tuesday, Alice said her passion has always been helping people move optimally through the management, prevention and rehabilitation of movement conditions.
“Becoming a fitness trainer allowed me to extend that passion beyond the clinic and help people use exercise as a tool, to build strength, improve function and enhance their overall quality of life,” she said.
“I enjoy seeing people become stronger, healthier and more confident in themselves. Watching someone achieve something they once thought was impossible is one of the m
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Alice has been working as a fitness trainer for close to six years, and she described her journey as ‘incredibly fulfilling’.
She believes that the perception that the gym is a man’s place is archaic. Alice recalled how when she first started training being one of the only women in gym spaces.
“However, it has been beautiful to witness the change over the years. Seeing more women of different ages, from young to older generations, confidently occupying the gym spaces has always been something I dreamed of,” she said.
“It is inspiring to see women embracing different forms of exercise, whether it is strength training, yoga, pilates or cardiovascular training.”
Alice emphasised that exercise has no gender.
She whether lifting weights, improving mobility, building endurance or simply moving the body, the benefits are for everyone; men and women alike, further adding that both men and women need to feel confident taking up space in fitness environments and prioritising their health.
The gym has its own challenges that women face.
According to Alice, one of the biggest challenges is intimidation and lack of confidence.
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