The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character." – Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Weightlifting club is home to a diverse group of people united by one common interest: picking heavy things up and putting them down again (sometimes in elaborate ways). This comes in many forms, including Powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, CrossFit, and Bodybuilding; however, we welcome all who have an interest in getting stronger.
Competitions
Lifters in the club routinely travel nationally and internationally for competitions. In 2018, our women's Powerlifting team travelled to Pilsen in the Czech Republic to bring home gold in the World University Powerlifting Cup, and in 2019, both our men's and women's teams competed in Tartu, Estonia, with our women's team achieving second place. There are multiple opportunities to compete throughout the year at a Scottish (i.e. Scottish Unis) or British-wide (i.e. BUCS) level. We're incredibly proud of our women's Powerlifting team for being awarded with GUSA Team of the Year for 2019-2020, and our club winning the GUSA Club of the Year in the 2021-22 academic year! You will often find members tagging along to competitions simply to support their friends. We also host our own mock meet competitions to give you a taste of the competitive atmosphere and experience.
Recreational
A key point to note is that we do not require any of our members to compete to join the club (however, should you choose to, we will encourage and support you all the way!). Therefore, you can absolutely join without the intention of competing. From training in a safe space during our coached sessions, to hitting the gym with other club members for extra encouragement, GUWC wants to emphasise how great lifting is for mental and physical wellbeing.
Training
We host two types of coached sessions per week: One dedicated to Powerlifting, and one dedicated to Olympic Weightlifting. We also have open sessions which are for any member of the club who wants to lift in an encouraging atmosphere. Training is held in Studio 1 of the Stevenson building. See the Club Sport Training Timetable for training times
Socials
At GUWC, we don't just train together; you'll also find us at the club's weekly socials. These include movie nights, pub-crawls, pub-quizzes and the end-of-year ball. Our socials are a mix of sober and non-sober events, to make sure everyone feels welcome. We also always have a sober committee member at socials, and announce them before the event.
Joining
The shared passion of everyone in the club makes GUWC a large but close-knit community. We want nothing more than to see each other improve, and there is always room for new members, whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced lifter. To join GUWC, first secure gym membership and then join online or contact us for further information.