Name: Nadiah Hazwani
Occupation: Office and Accounts Manager at Level
Age: 26
Height: 1.59m
Weight: 55kg
Personal Trainer: Daniel Anugraham

As the Office and Accounts Manager at Level, Nadiah was constantly exposed to the personal trainers at work. However, she had never worked with one herself. After one and a half years at Level, she decided to bite the bullet and started training with Daniel.

“I work at Level and I am always watching our trainers and our clients with interest from the front desk. I am always in awe of how our clients and our trainers are so comfortable in their own skin. Because I am very insecure, I always feel very inferior when I’m at work.”

During her first session with Daniel, he pointed out that her squat and deadlift form was not ideal and gave her tips to improve her form. Daniel’s tips and encouragement got her hooked and the small improvement from that first session spurred Nadiah on to want to do better.

A typical training session with Daniel would involve deadlifts, squats followed by core exercises. There is also a good range of push and pull exercises to improve her mobility and range.

At the start, Nadiah could not do any pull-ups or pushups. Within three months of strength training, she can now execute two perfect pull ups and seven pushups. She can now squat 50kg and deadlift 70kg with perfect form.

“I enjoy seeing how the trainers are able to break down the movements and relate it to daily things in life. These days, I am more aware of my movements. When I’m sitting down, and carrying my kids, I consciously think about my form. I am also able to lug all my groceries in one go instead of taking multiple trips to bring it home.“

One of the reasons why Nadiah enjoys training at Level is because of the sense of community, where everyone is very knows each other and is always very welcoming and motivating. Unlike other big box gyms can can feel cold and intimidating, Level’s two small boutique studios always feel like a friendly and welcoming environment.

“The sense of belonging is also very real – one of the reasons why I never stepped into a gym was because I don’t fit in – I look different in terms of what I wear. That bugged me the most but throughout my training session, everyone was very welcoming and motivating.”

Initially, Nadiah wanted to get stronger for her two kids (aged 2 and 3), so she could carry them for longer periods of time. However, after a few sessions, she realised that she wanted to train for herself, to get physically stronger and for her mental and emotional well-being.

“Training has become the coping mechanism that allows me to take a break from my daily life. As I push myself during my personal training sessions, I realise that I am able to achieve things that I never knew were possible – I feel empowered and motivated.

My improved confidence has also translated into my ability to make positive choices and execute better decisions in life. Through this process, I am also learning to become a better person.”

Nadiah also believes that her improved sense of well-being and confidence comes from the fact that her trainer Daniel is very much in tune with her mood, stress levels and frame of mind. When she’s not feeling her best, he will adjust their workouts accordingly.

“Daniel is very good at connecting with me. If I am having a bad week, instead of criticising my decision to eat a pint of ice cream, he would reduce the intensity of the exercises, as he understands that I am not in the right headspace to push myself.

I’ve heard that trainers in other gyms can scold and push you regardless of how you feel. This makes me grateful that I am training with someone who not only is great at his craft, but is also understanding towards my frame of mind.

I always look forward to my sessions!”

When asked to comment on Nadiah’s performance, her trainer Daniel said, “I’ve been training Nadiah for over a year now, and the entire journey has been nothing short of fruitful and amazing for not only her, but me as well. I’ve seen her ace her first push-up and pull-up, deadlift 70kg within a short time of learning the movement, refine her movement to a point where i hardly need to correct her, and grow in both physical and mental strength. She has already achieved the initial goals she set back in March 2020: to carry her kids with more ease, develop more stamina to play with them longer, and move better.

But I am most proud of her for learning to trust her own weight-lifting capability, and nurturing a more confident version of herself while enjoying the process of getting stronger. I am very proud of Nadiah!”