SPORTS

& STRENGTH POWER

Several student organizations offer a variety of ways to stay active and find a niche in fitness.

BY EMMA STEFANICK | PHOTOS BY ANDREW THOMPSON

FINDING YOUR FIT: CHAARG With over 200 members, Ohio University’s CHAARG chapter is one of the most popular fitness groups on campus. CHAARG, short for, “Changing Health, Attitudes + Actions to Recreate Girls,” is a female health and wellness organization that strives to help women “find their fit” on college campuses across the U.S.

“The whole point of the organization is to help people along their fitness journey and find their favorite way to sweat,” says Lexi Garvey, a sophomore studying integrated language arts and OU CHAARG’s vice president of membership.

Every week, the group has several events including a full group workout that is open to all members, a small group workout of eight to 10 girls catered to their individual schedules and socials for group bonding, an important aspect of the CHAARG community.

“CHAARG is here to just make people feel like they have a little solidarity and guidance,” Garvey says. “And so it helps you, in my opinion, feel like you’re not alone.” For the first three weeks of each semester, CHAARG hosts info sessions and free trial workouts for anyone interested in joining. Memberships can also be purchased both before and after recruitment. It costs $47 per semester, and Garvey suggests trying the organization for one semester in order to get the full experience and understand the meaning behind the organization.

BUILDING MUSCLE, BUILDING CON- NECTIONS: OHIO BARBELL CLUB Despite competing in national tournaments across the state and being predominately male, the Ohio Barbell Club has no requirements to join other than an openness to learn and a positive attitude. The weight-lifting club welcomes people from all backgrounds and with all levels of experience.

“We’re more than happy to teach, more than happy to learn, as long as you’re more than happy to work on it,”

says Caleb Moore, a senior studying nursing and the vice president of the Ohio Barbell Club.

The club focuses primarily on competitive weightlifting, specifically powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting, and competing in United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) tournaments throughout the year.

In addition to tournaments, members have the opportunity to work at the meets and grow within the sport — some even become judges. The club also has a partnership with Columbus Lifting Company, who has been a sponsor of the Ohio Barbell Club.

“The focus of the team outside of competition is to foster a good training environment, to bring some intensity, to bring a lot of years of training knowledge to the table in order to help the members be safe in the sport, get them on a program and help them progress,” Moore says.

Moore adds that the best way to get involved with the club is to come to a practice and converse with the club’s current members. For more information about the organization and meeting times, contact the Ohio Barbell Club via Bobcat Connect.

EN-GARDE... PRET... ALLEZ: OHIO OLYMPIC FENCING CLUB The Ohio Olympic Fencing Club works to instill fun in the sport of fencing. The three styles of fencing—sabre, epee and foil—are the same forms which can be seen during the Olympics every four years.

The Ohio Olympic Fencing Club participates in competitions at other schools in Ohio and bordering states in addition to hosting competitions biannually on campus. Despite the seemingly intense nature of the club, Helen Stec, a sophomore studying neuroscience and the club president, says practices are enjoyable and relaxed.

“By no means do we expect anyone to go to every practice because we meet three times a week,” Stec says. “As long as you gained something and you had fun, that’s what we go for.”

Tori Dorne, a senior studying integrated media; Hailey Mullin, a freshman studying chemical engineering; and Shannon Reel, a freshman studying marketing and entrepreneurship, try Strong by Zumba for OU CHAARG’s sample Weekly Workout.

(TOP) Grace Platek, a senior studying nursing, ensures she has proper form before engaging in an intense lifting move.

(BOTTOM) The Ohio Olympic Fencing Club meets three times a week and trains members in sabre, epee and foil.

The club has a fee of $30 per semester, or $15 if you bring your own equipment, and they provide the opportunity to try a few fencing lessons before committing fully. The club also allows potential members to practice with its equipment free of charge before committing to buying their own. After joining, members will be trained in three styles of fencing.

Having a connection outside of fencing and creating an impact in the Athens community is also important to the group. The fencing club participates in Student Advancement Seminars (SAS) that club sports host, where members are welcome to come and learn more about different topics all focused on bettering themselves. They also attend the annual Relay for Life event during the spring semester every year to complete service hours. “It’s definitely helpful because you get to meet new people and it’s a very unique sport,” Stec says. “It’s less physical, so unlike football or basketball where there’s a lot of physical nature, it’s more mental. There’s still physical aspects, but it’s more like a game of chess with swords.”

In order to participate in the fencing club, members are required to fill out an assumption of risk form, but aside from that, potential members simply have to show up and try it, Stec says. b

Fencing Styles

SABRE

Played fast and aggressively Need quick thinking and reaction Points can be scored anywhere on the body from the waist up, except the hands. Points are scored by hitting the opponent with either the side or tip of the blade. • • • •

EPEE

Slow-paced Incorporates fake-outs and mind games Points are scored anywhere on the body, using only the tip of the sword. • • •

The sword weighs 27 ounces, which is more than the standard sword for sabre or foil. •

FOIL

Medium-paced Points are scored using the tip of the blade and on the torso, excluding arms, legs, neck and head. • •