Mubarakah Ibrahim and her Muslim sisters break stereotypes and
empower women.

With her warm smile and talkative demeanor, trainer Mubarakah Ibrahim
doesn't paint a very intimidating picture.

That is, until you realize it's 6:30 in the morning, and a small
following of women have assembled at a football field near Wilbur Cross
High School in New Haven for the punishing regimen of crabwalks and
Indian runs that are part of her morning boot camp workout.

"Ladies, it's time for sprints."

There are groans.

But the scene is more girl power than torture. The first runner pumps
her arms above her head triumphantly, in classic Rocky style. The
slowest runner finishes to a rallying chant of "you can do it" and
Ibrahim's token "you go, girl." In other words, this isn't your typical
gym class.

And Ibrahim isn't most people's vision of a personal trainer. An
observant Muslim, Ibrahim hosts her classes in traditional attire, all
in accordance with Islam's decree that a woman show no more than her
face and her hands in public. Today Ibrahim's workout ensemble includes
loose black track pants, a pink tunic and a flowered pink hijab, or head
wrap, worn chicly with a matching pink baseball cap.