For a little over three years, a Womxn’s Barbell Club has been providing a safe comfortable space for women, non-binary and Trans women to learn strength training techniques. This holiday season, they’re getting the gift of inclusion in a place where judgment can easily take precedent.
Local certified strength and conditioning specialist, Lis Saunders, said in an interview with the Georgia Voice that she often found herself the only woman lifting in a gym.
“I wanted to create a space where more women and non-binary athletes could learn good techniques and lift together,” Saunders recalled.
It’s not uncommon for the gym to be the cause of gymtimidation for many women who want to get into strength training or to shed a few pounds. In 2016, the Womxn’s Barbell Club was formed to take the gymtimidation stigma away. That first year, Lis said that there was a mix of women who came out to learn to lift weights ranging in ages 18-60 years old. “Some had experience, some were first time lifters and others didn’t like what the mainstream powerlifting federations had to offer, but they liked that I offered something different,” Lis added.
Sid Chambers started attending sessions with the club in December 2017. Sid found the club while doing a search on Instagram. “I had never lifted weights,” she said of her workouts that consisted of squats using a Smith Machine and deadlifts using dumb bells. “I wanted to try something different,” she said of becoming a part of the group.
Despite her lack of experience, Sid said she didn’t let that stop her. “That first session, I couldn’t squat to depth, and I had improper form,” she recalled. But, after a year Sid said she noticed she was not only becoming stronger physically but also mentally, and this helped how she handled other challenges that arose in her life.
“I met so many different people,” Sid said of the club. “There were ranges of strength levels,” she added of the empowering group. “It’s a lot of inspiration in the group.”
For another member, Nikki Thomas, she came across the group in a Google search looking for powerlifting groups in Atlanta. “I was looking for some community around lifting after my first lifting gym closed,” she said. Nikki who had a couple of years of lifting experience was happy to find the group, and it offered just the camaraderie she was looking for.
Despite the various levels of strength experience, Lis said the group is beginner friendly. For women who may be apprehensive about getting into strength training, she assured there are no reasons to be afraid of giving it a try. “Do some research in your area and invest in one or two sessions with a coach,” Lis suggested. “If anxiety is keeping you away from going to a gym, find a trainer who will come to you or who offers private group sessions or has a garage gym.”
Nikki said she regularly invites female-identifying people to the group. “I always tell them it’s a welcoming, easy place to learn or practice,” she added. “It’s a great place to be able to work on skills in a no ‘gym bro’ place. It’s really important for people who aren’t traditional gym people – as I say “gym bros” – to have a space to learn and practice strength sports.”
Like Nikki, Sid encourages women to give the Womxn’s Barbell Club and strength training a try. “You’ll never know what you can do,” Sid encouraged. “Don’t be scared to fail and to come and know nothing, but be open and be teachable. Trying new stuff can be fun.”
According to Lis, the group often begins with warm up and her teaching some mobility work before getting into lifting. The goal is to teach techniques that they could take away and do on their own.
While some only want to get stronger for themselves, others have a desire to compete or participate in strength events. One such opportunity is a Squatlanta, a fundraiser presented by the Womxn’s Barbell Club, held Nov. 9. The event was open to anyone and participants could back squat, front squat and overhead squat. Lifters raised money based on the amount they planned to lift. The group’s goal was to raise $3,000. Proceeds from the event will go to Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates.
The club meets a few times a month. At the group’s beginning, they met on Tuesdays then changed to Sunday and now Lis said they now offer sessions on Saturday and Sunday at noon twice a month. The fees were made optional and participants can pay what they can afford – from $0-$20. Lis said the fees were made optional because “strength training should be accessible to everyone.”
For more information on the Womxn’s Barbell Club, you can get more information and contact Lis via Instagram at womxnsbarbellclub and you can also contact Lis via her website www.teamlissmash.com.