• Workshops:
  • Fitness (practice)
    Introduction to Fitness Workshop with Martin and Mel: 23.03.2025 12:00-4:00 PM
    for Transwomen, Intersex und TIN-BIPoC Persons.   
     
  • Fitness, Nutrition, and Well-being with Noa 
    - 7. Workshop (in German): 
    Regeneration and Self-Care After Exercise
    Samstag, 05.07. 2025 - 12:00 – 15:00 Uhr

• Trainings:

  • Sunday Gym Sessions with Felix and Martin  Sundays: 12am and 2pm

  • Health through Fitness During and After Transition with Niklas and Noah.

    • 2.Block: TIN* IS BEAUTIFUL - Improve the connection to your body with strength, relaxation and mindfulness
      Start: 19.03.2025

    • WORKSHOP: Prep your Body for Top Surgery. Saturday, 26th of April 2025, 11-15:30h

Empowerment through inclusive fitness and self-confidence are central pillars of our project. In traditional gyms, many people from the TIN community face barriers to fitness training (e.g., binary spaces and mindsets). Our approach goes beyond targeted workshops and enables inclusive use of fitness spaces to create an environment where TIN individuals feel empowered to strengthen their bodies in their own way. At the same time, TIN people deserve the right to feel comfortable in their bodies and confidently take care of their health. By providing personalized training plans, workshops, and a supportive community, our project aims to enhance the self-confidence and self-efficacy of participants. The focus is not only on achieving quick fitness for emergencies and building muscle without overloading the body but also on stabilization and well-being through suitable exercise and a holistic approach.

The workshop are aimed at TIN* individuals who want to train with us on Sundays. After that we will start a series of workshops for those who wish to learn how to train effectively at home or in the gym. We will cover various training methods, including strength training, hypertrophy, endurance, functional training, mobility, recovery, and more.

Dates: 23.03.2025
Meeting point: Warschauer Str., near house number 70. You will receive exact information about the meeting point after registration.
Time: 12:00 - 16:00
Languages: German (English if required)
The trainings are open for all levels!
Target Group: Transwomen, intersex and TIN_BIPoC Persons

Our first workshops are aimed at Transwomen, intersex and TIN_BIPoC Persons who are interested in participating in the weekly Sunday training sessions. The workshops offer a combination of theoretical foundations and practical exercises to teach basic training methods. In the first half of the workshop, specific fitness principles are covered. In the second half, participants engage in practical exercises tailored to their individual needs and goals.

At the end of each workshop, participants will receive an initial personalized training plan based on the theoretical concepts discussed and their individual needs. These plans will help start the first Sunday training sessions from Apirl 25.

If you want to regularly participate in the Sunday training sessions, sign up now for one of the two available dates!
Click here!

Coaches:
Martin (he/him) is a trans Spanish individual who has been living in Berlin since 2009, striving to make sports more accessible for the TIN community. Martin works as a personal fitness trainer, a Power*Fitness coach at "Seitenwechsel e.V.," and teaches Canoe Polo at FU (Free University Berlin). "As the creator and project manager of the TIN*Fitness project, I am very excited to expand the offerings for TIN individuals, particularly in the area of fitness. Not only is there a great demand, but it is also a topic that is very close to my heart. Additionally, I have the great fortune of working with an incredible team of trainers, and I hope we can continue to grow it further!"

Mel (they/them,  pinoy/german yt passing PoC)  a self-taught movement enthusiast and practitioner, carpenter and community organiser. I am & still & forever will be on my learning journey.

Physical well-being is the foundation and goal for fitness, conditioning, muscle building, and regular training. In addition to enjoying sports, it is also about achieving long-term success and changes without harming the body. Depending on the type of sport, life circumstances, or physical and emotional baseline, the body requires different nutrients, energy, and goals.

During phases of transition, preparation and recovery from surgery, hormone therapy, hormonal fluctuations due to the menstrual cycle, or times of crisis, we need more specific and individually tailored goals for training and nutrition. Not only beginners can find new fitness and sports exercises to be an additional challenge and change, and it is sometimes not easy to determine the best way to start (or restart).

Our workshop series on fitness and physical well-being also includes well-informed nutrition options as well as practical and simple suggestions for implementation in special life situations. We aim to share knowledge with our participants to provide them with the best possible conditions on their journey to individual fitness.

Dates 2024: September 14, October 19, November 2. An additional online session in December.

Coach: Noa (he/him). Noa has long time experiences with trauma-sensitive, psychological counseling. He is also a Systemic Therapist (HPG) and has a focus on Trans*/Queer_Health. He has accumulated detailed knowledge about nutrition and well-being, which he will share in the workshops.

Saturday, 05. July 2025 
12:00 – 15:00 
Language: English 
Max. 12 participants 
Who can join? All TIN individuals – no prior knowledge required 
 TIN: All trans*, inter*, and/or non-binary people
  
@ Registration: Please write an Email: 
wellbeing(at)seitenwechsel-berlin.de

About the workshop: 
Do you want to improve your recovery after training or other physical activities? Do you sometimes feel uncomfortably exhausted after exercising or the next day? Or over-stimulated and stressed? Does everything hurt? Or are you wondering when and how exactly you should take extra protein, magnesium or other nutrients?

In this interactive workshop, we will explore the key aspects of recovery, including:
- Nutrition: Learn which foods and nutrients help your body recover faster and enhance performance.
- Recovery for Body and Mind: Understand the difference between active and passive recovery and discover the importance of quality sleep for your regeneration. In this part, we will also talk about the balance of stress and stress reduction. 

The workshop will be conducted in English spoken language. Your fitness level does not matter, nor does how often, how much, or what kind of sport you do or want to do.

What this is NOT about: Evaluation of dietary preferences, active sports exercises, normative body images.

Saturday, 3.05.2025 
12:00 – 15:00  
Language: English spoken language 
Max. 12 participants 

Who can join? This workshop is only for trans* and non-binary people, who are taking hormones for the purpose of transition (e.g. testosterone, oestrogen, progesterone, hormone blockers).  

Registration: Please write an Email until Wednesday, 30.April, to: wellbeing(at)seitenwechsel-berlin.de

When registering, please write in your Email, what kind of hormones you take and how (e.g. 3-monthly injection, cyclical, gel, pills...) so that it can be taken into account for the workshop and the composition of the participants. These informations will be treated confidential.  
  
What is the Workshop about?
Our liver has a lot to do every day: detoxification, the formation of proteins or the activation of hormones are just a few examples. It is also part of the digestive system and influences the cardiovascular system. When we add hormones from outside, it means extra work for the liver. Sometimes this is reflected in altered liver, protein or nutrient levels in the blood or urine.  
In this workshop you will learn about the interaction between liver and gut,  how the liver is connected to hormones and how/ why we can support it during the hormonal transition with specific nutritions, reduce of (mental) stress and relaxation exercises. 

This is NOT about: medical advice, evaluation of your food preferences, body norms, diets.

Would you like to be stronger, more active, and increase your endurance, but don't know where to start? Do you feel uncomfortable in commercial gyms? Do you want to train with like-minded people and get to know your body better?

Sundays Gym Sessions is a weekly and free strength training program for trans, intersex, and non-binary individuals. Our group is open to all levels of experience and fitness. Here, you can train alongside other TIN individuals in a fully equipped gym with free weights and machines.

All genders and bodies are welcome!

We have exclusive access to the gym during our sessions. You will learn the basics of strength and resistance training, muscle growth, the importance of recovery, and the principles of effective routine planning to reach your fitness goals.

You can choose to participate in the group exercises or follow your own training plan under supervision. You set your own training goals.

We have two training slots:

- 12:00-14:00: Group full. Only available places for Trans*Female, Intersex and TIN*BIPoC person.

- 14:00-16:00: Group full. Only available places for Trans*Female, Intersex and TIN*BIPoC.

If you are interested, please contact us through this e-mail: tinfitness(at)seitenwechsel-berlin.de

The sessions take place at Warschauer Str., near number 70. You will receive further details upon registration 

Coaches: 
Felix (he/they) is a volunteer coach at Seitenwechsel. Felix hated gym classes in school, but he picked up some free weights during the pandemic and started working out. Now he wants to create the inclusive, TIN led gym experience that he was missing when he first started working out. When he’s not at the gym, Felix enjoys going on long hikes and cycling tours.

Martin (Martin as pronoun) has lived in Berlin since 2009 and has been working to make sports more accessible to the TIN community ever since. He works as a personal fitness trainer, a Power*fitness coach at "Seitenwechsel e.V.," and teaches canoe polo at FU (Freie Universität Berlin).
"As the ideator and project manager of the TIN*Fitness Project, I am very excited to expand the offerings for TIN individuals, especially in the area of fitness. There is not only a high demand, but it is also a topic very close to my heart. Furthermore, I am fortunate to work with an incredible team of coaches, and I hope we can expand it even further!"

On Wednesdays, we offer a weekly special fitness program aimed at promoting health during transition, providing targeted support to individuals in various stages of their gender identity development. Our focus is particularly on fitness, integrating health aspects during transition surgeries to offer directed support for this significant life phase of TIN individuals.

Our approach, centered on empowerment through agency, is the core of these offerings. We address questions such as: "How can exercise contribute to my well-being, and how do I overcome my personal challenges?" Our goal is to strengthen each individual's self-efficacy through concrete actions, thereby promoting a holistic approach to well-being during transition. "Are you planning gender-affirming surgery and want to prepare your body well?" In this course, we perform movements, stretches, fitness, and breathing exercises to provide support. This promotes circulation and loosens fascial tissue, which is also beneficial for the healing process after surgery. Other important aspects such as scar care and nutrition will also be covered in the course.

This fitrness sessions start in october. 

Coaches:
Niklas (he/him) is a Heilpraktiker, shiatsu therapist and shiatsu teacher. He also provides workshops for TIN and queer persons on topics around transitioning, health and body.

Noah (he/him) Noah (he/him) is a cross-disciplinary trainer at Seitenwechsel and an aspiring sports therapist. In his work, it’s important to Noah to create spaces where people feel comfortable and can deepen their connection to themselves and their own strength through movement.  
"I’ve always enjoyed sports, but I often felt uncomfortable in many of these spaces due to the prevailing body and gender norms. That’s why it’s especially important to me to create offerings within the TIN community where we feel safe enough to embark on a curious journey of discovery with our bodies. Moving together often feels like a simple form of connection to me, where we don’t need many words to feel connected."

Start: Saturday, 26 April 2025
Time: 11:00–15:30 
Meeting point: Kreuzberg. The exact location will be sent after registration.
Languages: English
The training sessions are open to all levels!

You have top surgery coming up and want to prepare your body as best as possible?
Moving the body on a regular basis is a good support for this because it stimulates blood circulation und helps the body to heal more easily afterwards.
In this workshop we will do specific exercises that support mobility of the chest and strengthen your muscles. We will do movements, stretchings, fitness- and breathing exercises that prepare your body for surgery by stimulating bloodflow and loosening fascia. The exercises are designed in a way that you can repeat them as part of your own movement routine at home. Additionally we'll talk about a few aspects of post-op care.
There will also be time to chat, ask questions and get to know each other.

Workshop is set for 4.5 hours, including a 30 minute lunch break. You are of course also welcome if you don't have a surgery date yet, but are interested in the exercises and the exchange with others. The exercises will help you to prepare your body, regardless of how close or far in the future your top surgery is. Anything your body learned is available again even after some time!

Open to every body, physical fitness is not required.
 

To sign up!

Start: 19.03. (bis 09.07.2025) - 15 appointment
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Meeting point: Rosa Parks Elementary School, Kreuzberg
Languages: German
The training sessions are open to all levels!
You can join the course on the following start dates: 19.03, 30.04., and 04.06.2025

In this course we will use playful elements, mindfulness and strengthening exercises to give you space to explore your own body, strengthen it and experience it (in a new way).

Whether in transition, around an operation or just like that - this course is for all TIN who are interested in conscious movement, fitness and body awareness.

Feeling your own body can be a challenge and a desire at the same time.

Approaching this together in a group and through exercise can make the whole thing easier. Conscious movement and breathing address our parasympathetic nervous system and thereby support a feeling of more connection and calm in the body.

We do exercises and movements together that train coordination, support body awareness, loosen the fascia and strengthen the muscles. We'll show you how you can support this through breathing and with your awareness.

You do many exercises using your own body weight. For some exercises we use small aids such as tennis balls, bars or resistance bands for support.

In addition to individual exercises, the range of exercises also includes exercises in pairs and small groups.

That's why a familiar framework is important to us.

Therefore you can join the course either on the 1st, 6th and 11th
Date: 19.03, 30.04., and 04.06.2025

We would also like you to participate regularly. Previous experience is not necessary. All fitness levels are very welcome.

To sign up!