When a stranger steps into the weight room, it’s loud. It’s busy. It’s incredibly stimulating. Clashing and clanging, weights thundering to the ground, and people have to yell at one another to be heard. From an outsider’s perspective, it’s intimidating. However, for many lifters it isn’t as aggressive or unwelcoming: it’s the opposite. They find fellowship by the pound.
Kat Mann, senior and track and field member, finds the weight room to be an upbeat place.
“It’s all very positive. I think the fact that everyone’s trying to [make] themselves better makes it a stronger environment,” Mann said. “You see them trying to get better, so in my mind I have to do better too, because we’re gonna get better together.”
Although she lifts to prevent injuries during her sports by building up muscle groups, it also helps Mann relieve stress. “It takes so much stress away from your body and mind,” she said. “I’m more relieved.”
She isn’t the only one lifting for stress, either.
Coach Andrew Carter suffers from seasonal depression, and lifting helps both his mental and physical health. As one of the teachers for the Introduction to Weight Training class, he knows partners in the weight room bring more than safety to the class. Instead of choosing spotting groups for them, he lets his students pick their own.
“[Spotters], if they’re someone that you trust, can help motivate you to be comfortable,” Carter said. “If I’m trying to do a new lift, it [would] allow me to try to push myself harder than I would by myself. There’s also someone that could be motivational verbally for you.”
Many people enjoy encouragement in general, and it’s not uncommon for partners or small groups lifting together to give words of encouragement. Ranging from screaming about how close someone is to their new maximum to softer, quieter support, there’s a strong sense of camaraderie in the weight room.
For junior Luca Anconetnani, working out with his friends fosters competition — friendly competition.
“Someone that’s closer to you can motivate you on a more personal level,” Anconetnani said. “That can build a bond between two lifters that compete and grow their physique.”
As a football player who works out with his teammates, Anconetnani’s existent relationships with his weight room partners help strengthen that bond. They work as a team inside and outside of the weight room, and help push one another to greater heights.
“It’s a lot of high energy — it’s very hype. It’s a good feeling,” Anconetnani said.
For many lifters, it’s not just about gaining strength. Relationships in the weight room can elevate that experience. Friendly competition, support, comradery and encouragement. After all, that’s where fellowship comes by the pound.
“If someone’s having a really bad day and you’re trying to encourage them by lifting weights it can make someone’s day better; they can feel more positive about themselves,” Mann said.
