It is close to midnight in Doha, but Esther Wawira's working day is not over yet. Her last client has left, the gym has quietened down, and for the first time that day, the equipment is hers to use. This is when Esther finally gets to train.
"My job shift is from 11 am to 11 pm, so I normally train between 11.45 pm and 1.30 am," she says.
This is not the usual routine for someone whose job is to keep other people fit. But for Esther, training is as much about discipline and sacrifice as it is about exercise.
She is a certified personal trainer and coach, working with clients in Doha while trying to find time for her own workouts amid long shifts, changing schedules, and the demands of life away from home.
It is a demanding routine, but Esther has learnt to work around it. After all, fitness has been part of her life for years.
Born and raised in a small town in Embu, she spent much of her childhood moving between the village and Nairobi. As her mother worked in the city, Esther often stayed with her grandmother.
“My life has revolved around my village and Nairobi,” she says.
Sport became an important part of her life as she grew older. She started with football, then moved on to rugby, and later Kabaddi. Eventually, she discovered weightlifting. That was when things began to change.
She took the sport seriously and became a national weightlifting champion in 2015. She came seventh in the Africa Championships that same year — a result she still counts among her proudest achievements.
Unfortunately, she suffered an injury the following year that forced her to undergo major surgery and put her sporting career on hold.
“I didn't do any sport at all for two years because it was major surgery,” she says.
Esther Wawira, 40, works as a personal gym trainer and coach in Doha, Qatar, a job she has held for three years, since 2023 after working as a bouncer in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Pool
For someone who had built much of her identity around sport, taking a break was difficult. However, it also gave her time to think about her next steps.
Another responsibility was waiting for her at home: raising her son. As a single mother, she had to find ways to pay the bills and keep her son in school. Work in the fitness industry was not always easy to find, particularly for women.
“Most clients and bosses don't believe that women can excel in training until they see results,” she says. “This makes it hard for women to easily get jobs in the industry.”
At one point, she worked nights in Nairobi as a bodyguard and bouncer. While others were going home to sleep, she was reporting for work. It was a long way from the fitness career she wanted, but it helped her to provide for her son.
Eventually, her mother moved to Qatar in search of better opportunities, and Esther began considering whether she could build a new life there too.
The opportunity to relocate came through a friend who knew a gym owner. Esther arrived in Doha in February 2023, where she has been living ever since.
"I initially started as a gym cleaner, earning Sh32,000 a month with transport and accommodation provided," she says.
It was not the job she had imagined for herself, but she could see opportunities in the gym. Whenever she had free time, she trained.
She also began learning more about fitness, putting together her own programmes and studying online — including watching YouTube videos — to improve her knowledge.
Eventually, her boss noticed what she was doing. Within six months, she became an assistant coach and her salary rose to Sh52,000.
However, Esther wanted to challenge herself, so instead of a fixed salary, she negotiated commissions.
"I asked my boss to give me a percentage for each client who paid for my personal training," she says.
Esther currently earns between 25 and 30 per cent from each of her personal training clients. The amount she earns depends largely on how many clients she has and how long they stay with her. In her best months, she has earned over Sh100,000.
“The more clients I have, the better I know how to work with them,” she says. “That is how I make money.”
Esther's approach to training extends beyond the gym. She talks to clients about nutrition and encourages them to consider what they eat in relation to their goals.
“Diet matters. Someone trying to lose weight needs a different approach from someone trying to build strength or muscle,” she says.
Esther Wawira, 40, works as a personal gym trainer and coach in Doha, Qatar, a job she has held for three years, since 2023 after working as a bouncer in Nairobi.
Photo credit: Pool
Esther currently weighs around 86 kilograms and can deadlift 200 kilograms without straps. She trains with heavy weights four days a week, does cardio on two other days, and usually runs about 10 kilometres a week. She also swims once or twice a week.
"I'm working on power and endurance because of the powerlifting and strongman competitions I'm taking part in," she says.
"When they see me lifting weights, running or pushing myself through a tough training session, they are more likely to trust that the programmes I design for them are effective."
Group classes such as aerobics, Zumba and HIIT include both men and women. However, weight training is often separated, with Esther training male and female clients at different times.
"Their level and workouts are not the same," she says.
She has also changed the way she dresses at work, choosing more conservative gym clothing out of respect for her surroundings.
In December 2024, Esther returned home to study online with the Suez Institute, completing diplomas in personal training and sports science.
"The course cost around Sh48,000, which is considerably less than the Sh210,000 a single certificate can cost in Qatar," she says.
These certificates now sit alongside her medals and other achievements, illustrating her long journey into her chosen profession.
Esther's ambitions stretch beyond Doha. One day, she wants to return home and use her knowledge to help others understand fitness, exercise, and healthy living.
“I want to give back to the community,” she says. “I want to educate people about a healthy lifestyle and the importance of exercise.”
