Last seen in 2020, the Carleton University Powerlifting Club has reemerged and is aiming to reshape the strength training landscape on campus.
With goals beyond lifting heavy, the revitalized powerlifting community hopes to lift spirits and foster a community.
Houd Arar, president of the club, has been involved in powerlifting for three years and decided to restart the club after receiving student interest.
“Lifting is a good way to encourage each other and to form a group that we’re comfortable with so that we can talk beyond just powerlifting,” Arar said.
After a Reddit post on July 28 garnered significant interest, the club applied for certification from the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) receiving approval within 10 days of its submission.
The club intends to split members into two pools: One for beginners and another for those meeting minimum strength standards for competing in organizations such as the Ontario Powerlifting Association and Canadian Powerlifting Union.
The tentative plan, Arar said, is to hold regular training sessions for experienced lifters and occasional sessions for beginners, with an emphasis on strength progression for all members. Arar also said the club hopes to gain access to the varsity gym due to overcrowding issues in the athletics gym.
The club welcomes individuals of varying strength levels but prioritizes commitment and long-term involvement for members, emphasizing the potential for significant strength gains over a four-year university journey.
To Arar, the club serves as a means of combating loneliness, following the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said there’s a mental health aspect to powerlifting, providing a space for healthy competition and camaraderie among members.
“I think that people got a bit detached from each other—including myself, I became so comfortable with being alone and not going out into the world,” he said.
Jennifer Evans, a Carleton history professor and powerlifting medalist, said she likes the diversity of the powerlifting community in terms of gender, age, strength and background.
“I like working to be stronger, especially as a woman,” Evans said. “I think it’s great to feel strength and to think about building muscle as opposed to sort of getting smaller.”
Evans emphasized the importance of balance and having fun while pursuing fitness goals, as well as avoiding extremes like excessive diet control.
Jose Atienza, a club member, mentioned overcoming body dysmorphia when moving up a weight class. He advised newcomers to “worry about weight categories later,” highlighting the importance of maintaining or bulking up to gain strength.
So far, Arar said the club has generated significant student interest, as evidenced by a crowded booth on Sept. 5 at Carleton’s Club Expo that included a friendly pull-up competition.
When it comes to the future of the club, Arar doesn’t plan on slowing down.
“This is just the beginning. We want to grow into a very big and well-known club within Canada,” he said.
Featured image by Houd Arar.
