Muslim athletes push boundaries to keep on training despite fasting during Ramadan

By KEN MAGUIRE
AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — Most people are getting ready for bed when the MMA sessions start at Diesel Gym in East London’s docklands area. The training is running throughout the holy month of Ramadan when Muslim athletes around the world adjust their schedules to squeeze in workouts when they can. Dawn-to-dusk fasting poses obstacles about the best time to exercise because it can adversely impact sleep and energy levels. Sabir Hussein says skipping training is “not an option.” Hussein is an emerging MMA flyweight who plans to fight again in early June. Like other Muslim athletes, Hussein says “it’s all worth it because it’s all a spiritual journey.”