Nakiganda keeps fit through weight-lifting

Haula Amir Nakiganda comes from a family that is passionate about exercising, particularly, weight-lifting. And as a child, she remembers watching her parents and older siblings lifting weights as part of their day to day exercise routine.
“It was a daily routine for most family members to engage in weight-lifting. It was such an important physical activity that we signed up to take part in different competitions from time to time,” she says.
At the age of 11, Nakiganda picked interest and started receiving training from family members. “They started me off with weights I could lift easily at that time. Sometimes I would carry other objects including metals or stones,” she says.
At 16, Nakiganda joined international weight lifting champions where she competed from time to time. Even when she was at school, her parents drew a timetable that allowed her to weight-lift without missing school.
Nakiganda completed Primary Seven at Kasubi Church of Uganda Primary School, sat Senior Four at Hawa Secondary School and Senior Six at East High School, Ntinda. “Because the secondary schools lacked weight-lifting training equipment, I participated in other activities to stay active and fit. I played basketball, netball and volleyball as well as athletics,” she says.

Awards
Over the years, Nakiganda, who later took on weight-lifting as a sport has attained a number of recognitions. In 2002, she received nine medals after participating in the African weight-lifting championship competitions that were held in Uganda.
In 2007, she was one of the Ugandan representatives in Algeria during the African weight-lifting championships. In 2014, she was awarded three medals from the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation, a supreme non-governmental organisation that governs Islamic Solidarity Games.

Fitness instructor
Besides weight-lifting, Nakiganda is also a gym instructor who coaches at Buziga Country Resort. Some of the activities she does as a gym instructor include aerobics (high energy exercise that strengthens the cardiovascular system), squats, sit-ups, and shoulder push-ups that aim to strengthen the arm, chest and shoulder muscles.

Benefits
Nakiganda says through weightlifting, she has gained body confidence, been able to keep in shape for the past years, stretched her body’s ability and capability as well as improved her bone density (amount of bone mineral in the bone tissue). “I am fit, thanks to weightlifting,” she says, adding, “For a long time I have managed to keep my weight in check and my health has greatly improved.”

Encouragement
Many people think that weight-lifting is a man’s fitness exercise. It is for this reason some individuals get puzzled whenever they see Nakiganda lifting weights.
“Most men think I am getting in shape to fight my husband. However most women compliment me and ask for my advice on fitness, which motivates me to work harder,” she says.
Nakiganda says contrary to popular belief, weight-lifting does not lead to women having muscles like men. “Some of those big muscles you see are a result of steroid injections. I have actively lifted weights for many years but by body looks very normal,” Nakiganda says, urging more women to venture into weight-lifting.