We are creating an inclusive body-positive space for people who are often marginalized in conventional fitness settings: people who are uncomfortable in the gym, queer or transgender, big-bodied and fat-identified, and/or disabled.
Lift Up! is a collaborative project by the Gender Resource and Advocacy Center (GRAC), Campus Recreation (CREC), and Residence Life and Housing. Lift Up! aims to provide specific resources and semi-private hours within the Sparks Center. This time is devoted to centering marginalized students across the spectrums of gender and body types for an empowering experience in Sparks. This work is being done in order to center and empower the nuanced experiences of marginalized students as they attempt to approach the fitness community on campus.
Local trainer Cara Turnquist will help us debunk cultural myths of health and fitness as we "lift up" one another on a self-defined journey of positive movement!
We are offering a 6-Week Program where Cara will hold a workout session introducing fundamental workouts during Lift Up! open gym hours (Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m.), see the schedule below for more details:
Week 1 (September 25th): A welcome talk: talking about systemic oppression & how it pertains to the fitness industry. How do we feel confident in a space?
Week 2 (October 2nd): Squats & Row tutorials; Go through a fundamental workout
Week 3 (October 9th): Deadlifts & OH press
Week 4 (October 16th): Lunges & Pull Up; workout after
Week 5 (October 23rd): Core exercise/ Chest Press
Week 6 (November 6th): Review/ Questions; Squats for Social justice practice
Please fill out this form if you would like to participate in our Lift Up! 6-week program.
We will have a maximum capacity of 50 during our 6-week Lift Up programming with a local trainer Cara Turnquist in order to maintain a spacious environment for participants.