Frequently Asked Questions

What is powerlifting and weightlifting? Is there even a difference?

Powerlifting is what most people think of when they think about getting stronger. Powerlifters compete in the squat, bench and deadlift. Weightlifting (sometimes called olympic weightlifting) competes in two lifts - the snatch (floor to overhead in one movement) and the clean and jerk (floor to overhead in two movements). At Warwick Barbell we support people looking to improve at either sport, whether just for fun or if you're looking to compete. 

Weightlifting (left) and Powerlifting (right)

What are the benefits of joining Warwick Barbell?

Asides from making friends and having some great socials, there's plenty joining barbell can do for your training. During training sessions we have our resident British Weightlifting L2 coach Alex Musker. We also have partnerships with several equipment and supplement companies such as Strength Shop, MyProtein and SBD and can get discounts up to +30%. We host informative talks and seminars from members and external speakers including Team GB powerlifter Cat Smith. These can be on topics ranging from improving confidence, improving your bench or prepping for competitions. If you're looking to put any of this into practice, we also hold an internal powerlifting meet once a term, and encourage as many people as possible to take part!

Do I have to be strong to join? Do I have to compete?

Not at all! Whether you're a champ or you've never set foot in a gym, the only thing that matters to us is that you want to get stronger. You don't have to choose between powerlifting or weightlifting or any other exercises, and you don't have to compete if you don't want to - Warwick Barbell is for everyone wanting to get stronger. That being said, we hold internal meets which we encourage getting involved in, it's a really fun atmosphere to max out lifts in with a lot of cheers and support.

What do I need to bring to training sessions? Do I need all the equipment recommended?

Not at all! So long as you're in gym appropriate wear, you're welcome to join us at any session. 

For weightlifting and powerlifting, if you are a beginner or you don't want to spend money on specialist shoes, we strongly recommend wearing flat shoes like converses as they're a little more stable for lifting in. Other options can be found in our "Equipment" article.

Other than that, no other equipment needed! If you're looking to buy more equipment, you can ask members, check our sponsors & partners or our equipment article. 

I'm a girl, is weightlifting/powerlifting for me? Will it make me bulky?

All women are welcome, we have plenty of women in our club, and our women are doing fantastically! Our women's powerlifting team did great at uni champs, and two of our female 18/19 exec members even won medals there! And on the weightlifting side we also home the u59 English Junior Champion.

About getting bulky - for the most part this is a myth. Gaining muscle is a slow process and very difficult for women to become 'bulky', and ultimately if you don't love how strong you're getting, since it's a gradual process, you can always take a step back.