This video describes Aneesa’s journey as she got back into exercise during the time of lockdown in the UK in 2020.
Aneesa: I’ve got to the point where I’ve zero shame around my boys.
They literally don’t bat an eyelid anymore. It’s the norm [laughs].
Aneesa pushes her bed out of the way to make room for an exercise class doing combat training conducted over Zoom.
Aneesa: My name’s Aneesa. I’m a Photographer. Most freelancers, our work really, really suffered. If in your head you’ve got lots of things telling you, oh my god, you’ve got no work and how are you gonna build back your business, that’s quite scary.
Aneesa sits on her bed talking to the interviewer.
Aneesa: But it was good, I think the exercise really kept me on top. I used to go to gym a few times a week. I was missing seeing my friends and exercising, but it was really hard to get into the routine with the children. So, one of my old PTs, he offered out to do something on Zoom.
Aneesa: And they gave me different options, ones to do it with the kids and ones to do it just with women, and, um, that was brilliant.
Aneesa and her two sons perform the combat training class together inside her cleared dining room.
Aneesa: I did it with the boys, so we’d be in the dining room together and it was just like a really lovely thing. I needed it, I actually needed it. So, like, whilst I had no work, it didn’t actually matter cos I got something completely different out of this. And I’ve really precious memories. I will never do another sport with my children like this.
