A Bengaluru based fitness community run by two sportswomen aims to encourage Mumbai’s women to enter the sporting arena across disciplines from football to swimming
(Left and right) Participants at previous sports sessions conducted in Bengaluru
The next time someone tells you that you run, throw, or fight like a girl, give yourself a pat on the back and point them to Swetha Subbiah, a fitness instructor from Bengaluru who is breaking gender barriers on the field with Sisters in Sweat. The female-led sports community founded by Subbiah and professional footballer Tanvie Hans, has been promoting female participation in sports for seven years now. This month, they head to Mumbai to grow the tribe with a two-month-long programme for women who wish to try their hands (and feet) at recreational sports.
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“We organised a private football game in Bengaluru for a close friend who wanted to dip a toe in sports in 2017. She didn’t lead an active lifestyle, so Tanvie and I designed a session that would make it easier for her,” Subbiah recalls. It’s this 17-member game that kicked off the duo’s journey that now has nearly 10,000 women on board. “By the end of the game, our friends suggested we do this every weekend. Like any good friend would, we obliged,” she chuckles.
A swim session in progress; (right) The group at an early morning run at Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park
With a growing community, the duo branched out to sports like basketball, badminton, rugby, and swimming to cater to their evolving needs. “Between scouting for certified coaches and brainstorming on programmes, our focus was to keep fun at the centre of things. The reason most people don’t take up fitness is that it tends to get monotonous after a while. When an intense session of physical activity feels like hanging out with friends, or sisters, consistency comes naturally,”
she elaborates.
The Mumbai leg of weekend sessions this month will be no different. With swimming, basketball, running, and football sessions lined up, participants can pick from expert-led beginner or intermediate programmes. “The beginner programme stresses heavily on building a strong foundation in fitness, whereas the intermediate programmes offer women who want to return to the sport from a hiatus, an opportunity to rework on and fine tune their skills,” Subbiah explains.
(Right) Tanvie Hans (in green)and Swetha Subbiah
The 39-year-old attributes the absence of an advanced batch to the community’s core belief — safety, longevity, and performance — in that order. “Working with beginners is more work than you’d imagine. The right kind of warm-ups and exercises to build your fitness levels and get your body ready to play is vital,” she reveals. To that end, the sessions will be conducted in controlled environments by experts, mostly women, who will keep a watchful eye on each participant’s potential and limits.
While the community’s goal is to train women exclusively in a safe environment, the co-founder reminds us that exclusivity must not be mistaken for incompetence. “The focus is on women because there is a huge gap in participation between men and women. Given the chance, they can play skilfully alongside or against male athletes,” she asserts.
All said and done, just how much can a programme built to be fun help a participant? More than we might realise, suggests Subbiah. “Women step into a session for various reasons. For some, it’s the only time they get for themselves on a hectic day, and for others, it’s a way to make friends in a new city. A few even walk in to deal with their tumultuous personal lives in a healthy way. Whatever your reason is, you don’t really have to tell us. And as long as we are a community of happy, fit sisters, we won’t ask,” she signs off.
ON July 4 onwards (every weekend)
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