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UCLA Powerlifting Sees an Insurgence in Female Participation
Lily Wu (Front Row, Left) and Floremae Pidut (Middle Row, Right)

UCLA Powerlifting Sees an Insurgence in Female Participation

BY VINNY LAVALSITI
UCLA Comp Sports Beat Writer
 
Entering the powerlifting arena can seem daunting.
 
Especially if you are a woman.
 
UCLA club powerlifting has seen an increase in its female participation over this past year. After listing just a few women on the roster a year ago, there are now 13, six of which come regularly.
 
Men have historically dominated the powerlifting weight room. However, over the past several there has been an insurgence of women slapping on the chalk, deadlifting, back squatting and bench pressing.
 
Female powerlifter and third-year cognitive science major Lily Wu said she believes insecurities of looking too muscular have prevented some women from participating.
 
"Girls are so used to hearing they should be small and all they should do is cardio," Wu said. "Girls are afraid of getting big (because of that). When you start lifting, you realize you just get really strong and you don't really (bulk)... (Powerlifting) is a good way to feel confident."
 
Fellow powerlifter and fourth-year biology major Floremae Pidut said powerlifting is a great way to get that toned body.
 
"It's going to carry through with the lifts," Pidut said. "They're scared because of the misnomer of 'You're getting big because of the bodybuilding aspect.' (...) (Women are) a little more afraid because there are less females in the lifting section of the gym."
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Floremae Pidut (left) and Lily Wu (right) in the John Wooden Center post-workout.

Wu and Pidut are both working toward meeting personal goals at Collegiate Nationals in April, but their motivations for beginning powerlifting are much different.
 
"I just started gymming randomly with my guy friends," Pidut said. "I wanted to increase the weights, but I didn't know how to do it properly – (I said) 'Oh wait – there's a sport for this?' So I went to check (powerlifting) out and I fell in love with it."
 
For Wu, it's because of a trap a lot of UCLA students find themselves falling into: too much De Neve Late Night.
 
"I started going to the gym because of Freshman 15," Wu said. "I would do cardio every day – three miles a day. Eventually, it got really unsustainable… I saw people lifting weights and on Instagram, I saw female lifters and it looked pretty cool so I wanted to try it."
 
One of those female lifters on Instagram is UCLA's very own and Wu's idol in the powerlifting game, Abby Looi.
 
Looi revisits the UCLA powerlifting club to offer pointers and has donated some of her equipment in the past.
 
Wu is currently at 315 pounds for her deadlift – her favorite lift – and is shooting to tack on another 85 pounds. Pidut is just 10 pounds away from meeting her goal of 135 pounds on the bench press.
 
Pidut said she's enjoyed seeing the progress of the female powerlifters.
 
"I'm surprising myself (with the weight I lift)," Pidut said. "Seeing other girls it's like 'Whoa, we can get (our lifts) this far strength wise.'"
 
A lot of that progress is a result of female comradery and encouragement inside the Cave – the powerlifting club's workout spot.
 
"A lot of us like to talk, especially through a workout," Pidut said. "For us, it's important to have a lot of females around you lifting because it encourages you to push harder and not having to compare yourself to the men."
 
Wu, Pidut and the rest of the powerlifters meet outside of the weight room to encourage each other as well.
 
"It carries over other aspects of school besides sports," Pidut said. "It's also the comradery in terms of studying… Life issues, we just talk about it."
 
If you're on the fringe about starting to lift heavier weight, whether male or female, the powerlifting club is a great place to go for a supportive atmosphere.
 
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