As students were walking around this year’s Clubs Fair, some needed to do a double-take: the long-standing “Weightlifting Club” had been replaced with a brand-new, bold name—“Gym Club”—a rebrand was spearheaded by Farris Suyyagh, the club leader. At first glance, you might be thinking that this is simply a cosmetic change or an attempt to save a couple of syllables. However, there is more to this than meets the eye. The name change is meant to reflect a shift from focusing on purely weightlifting to embracing a wider range of fitness activities.

The decision to rebrand came when Farris noticed that the name “Weightlifting Club” intimidated some students who were interested in working out but didn’t necessarily see themselves as lifters. “A lot of people thought you had to be super strong or already know what you were doing to join,” said Farris, “We wanted to change that. The new name makes it clear that anyone can come in, learn, and find a workout style that works for them.” 

With the rebrand, the club has also begun to expand its offerings. In past years, the main theme of the club was simply to show up at the school weight room from time to time to get a lift in. But with this new year, the leaders of the club wanted to do more. In the first meeting this year, on September 22, members who showed up were able to discuss workout splits that best fit their interests. The meeting was a huge success, producing a riveting discussion among members. 

By reshaping its image, the Gym Club is aiming to build a stronger, healthier, and more inclusive community within the school. Anybody who has the slightest interest in showing up to a meeting or in fitness is highly encouraged to reach out to a club leader to get information. With this rebrand, who knows what the possibilities are for the new and improved Gym Club?