Are “swolemates” real?
The LSU Girls Gains club hosted its second annual gym buddy speed-dating night this past Tuesday at the UREC. The event was a way to bring together students who are interested in all things health and fitness at LSU. The goal was to find a “swolemate” or a workout partner.
The dating game started with all of the participants lined up in two rows, facing each other. Every 30 seconds the participants rotated to get to know all the fellow attendees. After each person had a conversation, the students were encouraged to pair up with their most compatible date. Hopefully, this was someone they had not known prior to the event.
The next way to find their perfect “swolemate” was through a series of workout challenges with the partner they chose. These challenges tested the strength and compatibility of all the couples. The pairs started by deadlifting and squatting their partners to show off their strength. Other fun challenges like wheelbarrow races and trust falls were also done to break the ice between the “swolemates”.
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The couples were scored on their form and ability to lift their partner. Those who completed the activity correctly would move on to the next round. The club officers demonstrated to show the members and newcomers how to score the most points in each round.
Political Science senior, Christiana Williams, is the president and founder of LSU Girl Gains. The workout-guru explained how the event was not just an opportunity to find love, but also a way for gym-goers to meet new friends.
“As a gym girlie it can be hard to meet other gym friends when you’re busy,” Williams explained. “We’re trying to help create a community of friends at the gym.”
The trust fall challenge allowed the executive board to decide which pair had grown the most trust between one another.
The winning pair was Alexis Stephens, psychology junior, and Kadence Preston, international relations freshman. The two received some Valentine’s Day treats as their prizes including heart shaped boxes of chocolate and energy drinks.
The LSU Girl Gains club meets every Tuesday and has over 40 members. Its normal meetings are usually focused on fitness and promoting female weightlifting; however, all genders are welcome to join.
“We have meal prep days and our meetings are usually healthy lifestyle focused,” Desiree Bojorquez, secretary of the Girl Gains club said. ”We try to keep it fun by hosting events and not just having meetings.”
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Other executive board positions include the director of marketing and event coordinator. The mission of the club is to empower women and provide support to any level of gym-goer. Whether the girls practice a new workout or work on their form, they are bound to boost the confidence of the members’ workout routines.The next meeting is the week following Mardi Gras, and it will be a personal record day. The group has one PR day every semester, hoping to see improvement in each member.
The “Find Your Swolemate” speed dating night is not the only exciting event the club has to offer. There are other several fun events throughout the semester that Girl Gains has to offer. The next one is a leap day Olympics, which will be held at the end of February. Details can be found on the club’s Instagram or LSU Tigerlink.
