Before being confronted with the classic barbell insult, “Do you even lift?”, it is important to understand the intricate dynamics that go behind such a sport. Here at UNC Wilmington, the Barbell Club is booming not only in members but popularity as well.

There is no doubt that a stigma has developed around the barbell community, and more and more people are starting to participate in the cultural norm that is lifting. While men can be found in the weight room at the Student Recreation Center, women have also taken a liking to the idea of gaining strong arms and legs.

There are no credentials necessary if one wants to join the club, however there is an expectation of commitment, active participation and a focus on lifting rather than the cool t-shirt. Barbell is the kind of club you join if you want to become a professional body builder, or want to lift recreationally. It is not a club you join to train for a half marathon.

The club meets bimonthly to go over the state of the club, upcoming events, or meets that any of the members are involved in or wish to be involved in. For the most part, being an active member of the club means going to the rec center and lifting with friends on a routine schedule.

“It is a group of like-minded people who are really focused on pushing their bodies to meet the goals they set for themselves,” said UNCW Barbell Club member Caleb Bryson.

It is the sense of camaraderie between members that keeps people involved and coming back for more. Although the club members aren’t considered a team, they consider themselves a family. Barbell Social Chair Jake Dickson provided a lot of insight into the camaraderie of the members.

“There’s a lot of love between us, even though our specific interests and goals may be different,” said Dickson. “While we don’t get to bond in a competitive setting like many of the intramural sports teams, we do pretty well creating an inclusive environment.”

Members have seen a huge growth in the number of people interested in barbell, and the club has become more prevalent on campus since the release of their famous logo. The logo and subsequent t-shirts have really spread the word about barbell, since people see the shirt and wonder where it came from. The recent craze of the sport can also be related back to body image and the social construct that comes with the term, ‘the perfect body.’

“Men in particular are driven to get bigger or leaner because it’s become socially normative to want to excel in a physical activity of some kind,” said Dickson. “I think there’s a very delicate balance that needs to be struck between wanting to pursue your goals fervently, but not letting it consume your lifestyle and identity.”

While many may feel intimidated by the thought of starting to lift, everyone has to start somewhere. Members of the club are eager to help beginners start their lifting journey.

“Everyone has been very nice to me as a new member, because I always feel like I can’t lift that many weights, everyone helps me with form,” said new Barbell Club member and UNCW student Montana Dare.

The club stays on top of things by regularly updating their social media pages. If anyone is interested in joining this upcoming and interesting club, go on the social media pages, contact the officers or just go to the gym and talk to someone. Barbell Club is a great way to make friends, push yourself and find out how strong you really are.