Photo used with permission from Aesthetic Lens and Co.
news and announcements
Congratulations Lira!
Barbell Barkada athlete Lira Bordoley is doing a summer internship evaluating liabilities to collegiate athletic departments around the country! Way to chase your dream, Lira!
Congratulations Christina!
Barbell Barkada career mentee and executive board member Christina Fraser was accepted to the prestigious Penn State Law School! We are so proud of you Christina!
Congratulations Savannah!
Barbell Barkada athlete Savannah Long is taking on a summer internship at Lear working in Continuous Improvement and Operations! Amazing work, Savannah!
WHAT IS BARBELL BARKADA?
NETWORKING
ACCESS
EDUCATION
Networking
Connect with female powerlifters of all ages, experience levels, and career expertise who can answer questions, offer advice, and introduce you to their professional contacts.
Access
Our free-for-mentees coaching program and equipment library make strength and confidence accessible for everyone.
Education
Learn more about careers you're interested in and strategies for success. Hone your technique, programming, and safety skills with our seminar series.
event calendar
7/20 - 7/21
2024 USAPL Tournament of Power
F3 Fitness, Dearborn Heights, MI
9/21
2024 USAPL Panther Showdown
Davenport University, Grand Rapids, MI
OCT 2024 TBD
Youth Girls Lifting WorkshoP
Ann Arbor, MI
11/2-11/3
2024 USAPL MI State Championships
Umbra Strength, Shelby Twp, MI
BARBELL BARKADa ATHLETE Savannah long, UMICH CLASS OF ‘24 AND FUTURE DATA SCIENTIST
Stop by our info table at upcoming events for free stuff, lifting and career tips, cool merch, fun prizes and more. Join us to volunteer or just hang out with our awesome squad!
Photo used with permission from Chloe Amanda Photography
Take up space and discover your potential
Confidence in the gym is confidence in the workplace—success starts with a barbell and a dream. Join our mission to teach young women how to take up space in the gym and gain the confidence to take on the world.
SHOP
Proceeds from our merchandise shop go directly to organizational costs, free educational events and funding our mentees’ professional and powerlifting pursuits.
JOIN
Find a mentor. Become a mentor. Opportunities to get involved are endless, so become a part of our vibrant community today!
GIVE
Want to make a difference but short on time? Your generous support paves the way for future sponsorships and life-changing scholarships!
CAREER MENTORSHip
“If I hadn’t met Gen through Barbell Barkada, I would not have the support I need to apply to law schools with stats ‘out of my reach’...Thanks Gen and Barbell Barkada for helping me make my dreams-powerlifting and professional-come true!”
CHRISTINA FRASER, UIUC CLASS OF ‘24, FOUNDER OF ILLINI BARBELL AND FUTURE LAWYER
Gen and Christina matched due to Christina’s interest in the legal field and Gen’s experience as an Asst. Attorney General and now Asst. Director of Admissions at MSU Law. They call monthly to talk about law school, legal careers, and of course, powerlifting! Christina attributes much of her confidence applying to law schools and pursuing her dream of being a lawyer to Gen and all her kind words of encouragement.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Fill out the
interest form!
A Barbell Barkada executive will pair you, via email, with a mentor in your field of interest.
Reach out to your mentor and make a connection!
STUDENT ATHLETE MENTORSHip
We get it. School and powerlifting costs can add up, but Barbell Barkada offers free coaching services, including in-person, virtual, and meet day coaching by staff coaches for approved mentees.
Photo used with permission from Aesthetic Lens and Co.
BARBELL BARKADa ATHLETE ARIANNA PAA, MSU CLASS OF ‘24, MSUPL SECRETARY AND FUTURE PHYSICIAN
OUR STORY
Long before they were colonized by the Spanish, my ancestors were voyagers who sailed the high seas in swift outrigger ships called barangays. Through wars, raids, and perilous journeys, members of the barkada—“boatload”— fought and died for each other, forming a tight-knit community closer than even blood ties. When they settled the archipelago which would become the modern-day Philippines, each barkada became a village, and remain the smallest division of Filipino society even now. Your barkada are not just the friends you hang out with, your crew, posse, gang—it is a chosen family with long-lasting bonds that transcend the strict definition of kinship. Barkadas teach interdependence, cooperation, and solidarity, shaping individuals for adult participation in their communities at large.
I’m Kat Muraglia, MD, PhD and I’m the founder of Barbell Barkada. We are a community resource available to young women of all levels of career and powerlifting aspirations.
I’m a doctor, scientist, powerlifter, coach, and mom—and every step of the way, I’ve relied upon mentors, professional networks, and close-knit communities to help me get to where I am today. The women I have met over the years in the sport of powerlifting span an incredible breadth of career paths and are thriving and succeeding in fields that once excluded them: medicine, engineering, science, business, finance—just to name a few. I’m even fortunate to have met several female small business owners who are supported and championed extensively by their gym community.
Barbell Barkada is the bridge between these incredible women and the young women just discovering their strength on and off the platform, through thoughtful matching of mentors and mentees who share their career or skill interest. Mentors can be as involved as they are able: a training partner, a coach, a friend, or even just connecting with someone making a career choice over text, phone, or IG. Through the skills and confidence they gain through powerlifting, we will foster a new generation of women unafraid to assert themselves and take up space in largely male-dominated career fields.
Mentorship is not the only way to support our cause. We need event volunteers, business and marketing savvy, legal counsel–all the things that go into a successful organization. Fundraising is another integral part of helping us move forward; all proceeds from your monetary gifts and merchandise purchases go towards startup costs of the organization, legal fees, our free-for-mentees coaching program, events, sponsorships and prize packages, and our ultimate goal of mentee scholarships.
We depend on YOU to spread the word and broaden our network to every corner of the world. Is there a strong, successful woman in your life who would be willing to help a young woman navigate the gym or learn more about a potential career? How about a bright young woman looking for career mentoring, powerlifting coaching, and/or a community to call home? Send her our way! There’s always room for one more.