BARBELLS & BADASSES RETURNS: CELEBRATING WOMEN’S STRENGTH AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE
FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF OUR FIRST BARBELLS & BADASSES EVENT IN 2025, WE WERE DELIGHTED TO BRING IT BACK TO ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH FOR A SECOND YEAR. ONCE AGAIN, WE WELCOMED WOMEN FROM ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY INTO THE GYM FOR A FREE, WOMEN-ONLY STRENGTH TRAINING EVENT THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER EXPERIENCED LIFTERS, THOSE DEVELOPING THEIR CONFIDENCE WITH WEIGHTS AND PEOPLE LOOKING TO EXPERIENCE ATHENA FOR THEMSELVES.
BARBELLS & BADASSES HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WOMEN FEEL COMFORTABLE LEARNING, CHALLENGING THEMSELVES AND ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER. SEEING THAT SAME ENTHUSIASM RETURN FOR OUR SECOND EVENT WAS A PROUD MOMENT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKES ATHENA SUCH A REWARDING PLACE TO TRAIN.
BRINGING BARBELLS & BADASSES BACK FOR A SECOND YEAR
WHEN WE FIRST INTRODUCED BARBELLS & BADASSES IN 2025, WE WANTED TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN TO EXPERIENCE STRENGTH TRAINING IN AN ENCOURAGING, WELL-SUPPORTED ENVIRONMENT. THE RESPONSE TO THAT FIRST EVENT GAVE US EVERY REASON TO BRING IT BACK, AND WE WERE EXCITED TO WELCOME ANOTHER GROUP OF WOMEN THROUGH OUR DOORS IN 2026.
THE FORMAT REMAINED FAMILIAR, WITH PARTICIPANTS COMING TOGETHER FOR A DAY OF COACHED LIFTING, SHARED EXPERIENCES AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM.
KEEPING THE EVENT COMPLETELY FREE AND OPEN TO BOTH MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT APPROACH. WE WANTED WOMEN WHO WERE ALREADY COMFORTABLE TRAINING AT ATHENA TO ENJOY THE OCCASION ALONGSIDE THOSE WHO MIGHT BE VISITING OUR GYM FOR THE FIRST TIME.
YOU CAN READ ABOUT HOW IT ALL BEGAN IN OUR PREVIOUS BLOG, REDDITCH GYM CELEBRATES BARBELLS & BADASSES EVENT SUCCESS.
WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN ON THE GYM FLOOR
ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING PARTS OF THIS YEAR’S EVENT WAS WATCHING THE ENCOURAGEMENT BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AS THEY WORKED THROUGH THEIR LIFTS.
AROUND THE SQUAT RACKS, BENCHES AND DEADLIFT PLATFORMS, WOMEN WERE SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER, WATCHING EACH OTHER’S ATTEMPTS AND SHARING IN THE SATISFACTION OF COMPLETING A CHALLENGING MOVEMENT.
THAT KIND OF ATMOSPHERE CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO SOMEONE’S EXPERIENCE OF STRENGTH TRAINING. WALKING INTO A GYM CAN FEEL DAUNTING WHEN YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE EQUIPMENT, UNSURE ABOUT YOUR TECHNIQUE OR CONCERNED THAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THAN YOU.
HAVING PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO ARE HAPPY TO OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT AND CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS HELPS CREATE THE CONFIDENCE TO KEEP LEARNING.
OUR RECENT INSTAGRAM POST TOUCHED ON SOMETHING WE SEE REGULARLY THROUGH COACHING: MOTIVATION AND CONFIDENCE NATURALLY CHANGE OVER TIME. SOME DAYS TRAINING FEELS PRODUCTIVE AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO COME TOGETHER, WHILE OTHER DAYS REQUIRE A LITTLE MORE PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE.
BEING PART OF A SUPPORTIVE TRAINING COMMUNITY MEANS HAVING PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THOSE EXPERIENCES AND WANT TO SEE YOU SUCCEED.
BARBELLS & BADASSES PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THAT COMMUNITY IN ACTION.
BUILDING STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE THROUGH COACHED LIFTING
THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, PARTICIPANTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTISE A RANGE OF STRENGTH TRAINING MOVEMENTS, INCLUDING BARBELL SQUATS, BENCH PRESSES AND DEADLIFT VARIATIONS.
OUR COACHES WERE ON HAND TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE, HELP PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THE EXERCISES AND SUPPORT THEM AS THEY WORKED THROUGH THEIR LIFTS.
EFFECTIVE STRENGTH TRAINING RELIES ON DEVELOPING GOOD MOVEMENT SKILLS, UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CONTROL A LOAD AND GRADUALLY INCREASING THE DEMANDS OF TRAINING AS YOUR ABILITY IMPROVES. HAVING ACCESS TO COACHING HELPS PEOPLE BUILD THOSE FOUNDATIONS WHILE DEVELOPING THE CONFIDENCE TO USE EQUIPMENT THAT MAY INITIALLY FEEL UNFAMILIAR.
EVERY PARTICIPANT ARRIVED WITH THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AND ABILITIES, SO THE FOCUS WAS ON PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATE CHALLENGE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL.
FOR SOME, THAT MIGHT MEAN REFINING A TECHNIQUE THEY HAVE PRACTISED FOR YEARS, WHILE OTHERS MAY BE LEARNING HOW TO PERFORM A MOVEMENT CORRECTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THE SHARED EXPERIENCE ALLOWED EVERYONE TO TRAIN TOGETHER WHILE CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARDS THEIR OWN GOALS.
A WELCOMING EXPERIENCE FOR MEMBERS AND NEW FACES
ONE OF THE REASONS WE VALUE BARBELLS & BADASSES IS THE OPPORTUNITY IT PROVIDES TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OUR EXISTING MEMBERSHIP.
FOR OUR REGULAR MEMBERS, EVENTS LIKE THIS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY TRAINING WITH A WIDER GROUP, SUPPORT OTHER WOMEN AND SHARE THE ENVIRONMENT THEY HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THROUGH THEIR OWN SESSIONS.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER TRAINED AT ATHENA BEFORE, THE EVENT PROVIDES A CHANCE TO MEET OUR COACHES, EXPLORE THE FACILITIES AND EXPERIENCE THE ATMOSPHERE OF A COACHED STRENGTH TRAINING SESSION.
WE KNOW THAT CHOOSING A GYM CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT DECISION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE BEGINNING YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY OR RETURNING TO EXERCISE AFTER SOME TIME AWAY.
BEING ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE GYM FIRST-HAND, ASK QUESTIONS AND SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE TRAIN CAN HELP SOMEONE DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE AND HOW THEY MIGHT BEGIN WORKING TOWARDS IT.
WHY BARBELLS & BADASSES MATTERS TO ATHENA PERFORMANCE
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING GYM, WE SPEND MUCH OF OUR TIME HELPING PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH STRUCTURED TRAINING, TECHNICAL COACHING AND CONSISTENT PROGRESSION.
BARBELLS & BADASSES GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THOSE PRINCIPLES TOGETHER THROUGH A DEDICATED EVENT THAT CELEBRATES WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN STRENGTH TRAINING.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL CONFIDENT USING OUR FACILITIES, COMFORTABLE ASKING QUESTIONS AND SUPPORTED AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS. THAT APPROACH IS CENTRAL TO HOW WE DELIVER OUR REGULAR STRENGTH & FITNESS CLASSES, SMALL GROUP TRAINING AND PERSONAL TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THE SUCCESS OF OUR SECOND BARBELLS & BADASSES EVENT HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY REWARDING BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT WE WORK TO MAINTAIN EVERY DAY.
SEEING WOMEN ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, CELEBRATE THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND ENJOY THE PROCESS OF GETTING STRONGER IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HOPED TO ACHIEVE WHEN WE FIRST INTRODUCED THE EVENT.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE BARBELLS & BADASSES 2026 POSSIBLE
WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERY WOMAN WHO JOINED US FOR OUR SECOND BARBELLS & BADASSES EVENT, ALONG WITH THE COACHES AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THE DAY POSSIBLE.
THE ENERGY, ENCOURAGEMENT AND WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER MADE IT AN OCCASION WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD TO HAVE HOSTED.
AFTER TWO SUCCESSFUL YEARS, BARBELLS & BADASSES IS BECOMING A MUCH-LOVED PART OF OUR ANNUAL CALENDAR, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BRING WOMEN TOGETHER THROUGH STRENGTH TRAINING.
CONTINUE YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE
IF BARBELLS & BADASSES HAS INSPIRED YOU TO START LIFTING WEIGHTS, RETURN TO REGULAR EXERCISE OR DEVELOP YOUR EXISTING STRENGTH TRAINING, OUR COACHES ARE HERE TO HELP YOU TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH, WE OFFER STRENGTH & FITNESS CLASSES, SMALL GROUP TRAINING AND PERSONAL TRAINING, WITH COACHING THAT CAN BE ADAPTED TO YOUR EXPERIENCE, ABILITY AND INDIVIDUAL GOALS.
VISIT US AT UNIT 3B PHOENIX WORKS, WINDSOR ROAD, REDDITCH, B97 6DJ, CALL 07494 417682 OR EMAIL INFO@ATHENAPERFORMANCE.CO.UK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TRAINING WITH US.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS BARBELLS & BADASSES AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE?
BARBELLS & BADASSES IS A FREE, WOMEN-ONLY STRENGTH TRAINING EVENT HOSTED AT ATHENA PERFORMANCE IN REDDITCH. IT BRINGS WOMEN TOGETHER TO EXPERIENCE COACHED WEIGHTLIFTING, DEVELOP THEIR CONFIDENCE AND ENJOY TRAINING WITH A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.
IS BARBELLS & BADASSES FREE TO ATTEND?
YES. BARBELLS & BADASSES IS COMPLETELY FREE AND OPEN TO BOTH ATHENA PERFORMANCE MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS. THE EVENT IS DESIGNED TO MAKE STRENGTH TRAINING ACCESSIBLE TO WOMEN WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE.
HOW OFTEN DOES ATHENA HOLD BARBELLS & BADASSES?
BARBELLS & BADASSES IS CURRENTLY AN ANNUAL EVENT. FOLLOWING ITS SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION IN 2025, ATHENA PERFORMANCE BROUGHT THE EVENT BACK FOR A SECOND YEAR IN 2026. KEEP AN EYE ON OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT FUTURE EVENTS.
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