Born in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Amal Murad decided to try Parkour training at her cousin’s calisthenics gym, Gravity DXB, at the age of 22. 

Parkour stems from the French word ‘parcours’ meaning ‘the way through’ or ‘the path’, which Amal discovered during a year of dedicated, intensive training. In her mid-twenties she started to attend a local parkour group run by her cousin – she was one of the oldest members and the only woman there. Amal went on to become heavily involved in parkour, eventually giving up her steady government job and associated benefits for this passion. She is sponsored by Nike and now trains and runs parkour groups for local women in Dubai.

Amal, who was a full-time graphic designer at the time, would spend her mornings at her day job and her nights and weekends training ladies and children. Her classes demonstrate the fundamentals of the freestyle sport that involves controlling movement, running, climbing, flipping and vaulting over obstacles. 

For Amal, Parkour is a form of expression and the way one flows through movement. Apart from the physical aspect, she helps her students build confidence and overcome their fears. As the first female Emirati Parkour trainer, her aim is to inspire more people to discover what their bodies are capable of.