This month, Campus Recreation announced a new program called Women on Weights. It is a small group, personal training pilot program designed to educate women on proper form, safety, and function of exercises for proper strength-building classes for all fitness levels. 

Women on Weights is a three-week program that begins on October 30 and ends on November 17. During these three weeks, participants will learn the ins and outs on how to properly execute a strength training routine tailored to the individual’s personal goals and needs. 

Ilayna Seibold, Graduate Assistant of Fitness and Wellness at Campus Recreation, came up with the idea of introducing the Women on Weights program from her personal experiences. This program has been wildly successful across multiple universities. 

“I think this program will give women an outlet to be comfortable with strength training since it has become apparent, when looking at the research and asking students on campus, that many women encounter challenges when attempting to establish comfort within gym environments, primarily due to the often male-dominated atmosphere,” said Seibold. 

As a prior personal trainer for Campus Recreation, Seibold noted that strength training has so many benefits for women such as decreasing the risks of chronic diseases or conditions, improving posture, boosting mental health, improving sleep quality, increasing metabolism, and strengthening abdominal muscles. 

Women on Weights “gives women a space to ask questions regarding strength training and learn how to begin if they are new or women who have experienced strength training but want to learn how to tailor their exercise to what their body needs,” said Seibold. 

The goal of this new program is to educate participants on various aspects of strength training that includes exercise techniques to perfect proper form. The trainers who will lead classes aim to provide their expertise in weight training and help encourage participants to find joy and confidence in exercising. 

“Throughout my time teaching at URI, working as a personal trainer, and now helping to lead the personal training team, I have encountered many students who have multiple questions about strength training who are hesitant to start training because they do not feel comfortable working out in our spaces,” Seibold said. With five years of training experience, Seibold noticed that women do not train exactly like men. 

“That is not to say that we can not show up and show that we are strong, independent, or capable of training like everyone else,” Seibold said. “But anatomically our bodies are stronger in the lower portion of the body, with emphasis on strengthening the back, pelvic floor muscles, legs, and abdominals to support our health now and in the future.” This is where Women on Weights can highlight these needs while providing educational resources for women. 

Like many others, Seibold loves exercising because it refreshes her mental health and helps her well-being. “I remind myself that each small step, each exercise, each workout will strengthen my muscles and joints as I get older, help me reach my goals for my mental and physical health, and allow me to combat the stressors in my head that want to take over when school is getting hectic and when life throws curveballs,” said Seibold. 

Women on Weights is a pilot program for women who need encouragement, help, or simply have an interest in learning more about what their body needs while exercising. With inspiration driven by limited amounts of resources or communities for women to feel welcome in the gym, Women on Weights will create a safe space for women. 

If any individual does not feel welcome or heard, please reach out to Ilayna Seibold, ilayna_seibold@uri.edu, to inquire about a program that is right for you, or start one of your own. 

To join the waitlist for this semester’s Women on Weights, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2tGg57xe2I85WtTuYg-5qjoo_JonSarr7f2D4e6KoWQWlZw/viewform and fill out the registration form. Additionally, if you are interested in personal training to tailor your workout needs, visit https://web.uri.edu/campusrec/personal-training/ for more information on how to get started now! 

Thank you for reading this week’s blog! Stay tuned for the next blog about some of Campus Rec’s favorite ways to destress.