- The 34-year-old spoke to Arab News about how she picked up martial arts, the injuries along the way and dedication to help others
ALKHOBAR: Long before women’s kickboxing classes became widely available in Saudi Arabia, Nojoud Alayoubi was learning martial arts movements at home from her father, and watching her brothers train in karate and aikido.
The 34-year-old Saudi kickboxing coach and athletic physical rehabilitation specialist began experimenting with martial arts at around the age of 11, when opportunities for girls and women to train formally were still limited.
“My father used to teach us some karate movements, and my brothers were training in karate and aikido,” Alayoubi, a resident of Madinah, told Arab News. “I felt very passionate when I practiced what they were learning, even though sport and martial arts were not available for women at that time in the way they are today.”
Her sporting interests continued to develop. By 2009, walking and physical activity had become a regular part of her life, while in 2017 she began exploring cardio, choreography, Zumba and African dance.
The turning point came in 2019, when Alayoubi came across an advertisement for a women-only kickboxing course.
She enrolled and began training consistently, combining daily practice and repetition with independent research to improve her technique. She later completed further courses, progressed through advanced kickboxing belts and incorporated calisthenics into her routine.
Eventually, she earned a black belt and moved from practicing the sport to coaching other women.
Her progress coincided with the development of organized kickboxing in Saudi Arabia. Alayoubi participated in a survey linked to the establishment of a kickboxing federation and, following the launch of the Saudi Boxing and Kickboxing Federation, attended workshops for coaches and referees in Riyadh between 2022 and 2023.
She then began pushing for similar opportunities in Madinah. “I submitted a request to hold workshops, training courses and women’s championships in Madinah,” she said.
The federation later contacted her to establish an agreement with the club where she trained, leading to workshops in the region. Alayoubi also worked with the federation to deliver sessions in schools and academies to introduce more participants to kickboxing.
Her own plans to compete, however, were interrupted by injuries. Far from being disheartened, she turned her attentions to other female athletes.
“Although injuries prevented me from participating as a player in the competitions I registered for, I dedicated my effort to preparing the athletes through complete training programs,” she said.
The athletes she trained would go on to win several gold medals in regional and national competitions.
Her work extended beyond competitive athletes. In 2022, Alayoubi trained mothers of orphans through Takaful, an association supporting orphans.
By 2023, she was preparing female kickboxers for competition, and in 2024 her coaching career reached an international stage when she led the Saudi women’s national team at the Asian Kickboxing Championship in Cambodia.
That same year, she began working with athletes with visual impairments following an agreement between the Saudi Boxing and Kickboxing Federation and the Blind Association in Madinah “Roya.”
“All of the achievements are close to my heart, but training people with visual impairments had a special impact because of the social and humanitarian responsibility it carries,” Alayoubi said.
When the idea was first presented to her, she spent several days researching how training could be adapted.
“I dedicated several days to research and study so I could choose the best training methods for them,” she said.
In 2024, Alayoubi was also nominated for membership of the coaches’ committee at the Saudi Boxing and Kickboxing Federation.
Her professional development continued in 2025, when she earned a Higher Diploma in Athletic Physical Rehabilitation and joined the federation’s disciplinary committee.
In 2026, she delivered another workshop for people with visual disabilities in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport and the Meras Sports Volunteer Team.
That year, she was also recognized by the Saudi Boxing and Kickboxing Federation with its best coach award.
Alayoubi is currently a certified kickboxing coach with the federation and works with MaxFit alongside her work in athletic physical rehabilitation.
Her path into combat sport, however, has included social challenges as well as professional milestones.
She recalled regularly hearing that kickboxing was a “sport for men,” particularly during the earlier stages of her journey.
That perception, she said, has changed as participation and opportunities for women have expanded across the Kingdom.
“Women’s sport has undergone a major transformation,” she said, crediting the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the sector’s development.
“Women’s sport moved from limited practice at home to widespread participation through academies, sports centers and specialized federations.”
The contrast is particularly clear in Alayoubi’s own journey. She began learning martial arts informally through family members and now coaches female athletes, works with people with disabilities, and has represented Saudi Arabia internationally as a coach.
She said support from her family, husband, friends and federation colleagues helped her continue through injuries, social pressure and the demands of work and study.
Her ambitions now extend beyond competition results.
With her qualification in athletic physical rehabilitation, Alayoubi wants to continue developing her knowledge while encouraging young people to make sport a regular part of life.
“I believe in making sport a priority for everyone and spreading that culture among future generations in the right way,” she said.
For Alayoubi, the longer-term goal is the impact she leaves behind.
“My ambition does not stop at a certain point,” she said. “It is constantly renewed by leaving a positive impact that benefits society and paving the way for a new generation of male and female athletes to continue the journey with confidence and achieve their ambitions.”
