Fight like a girl? If you insist.

By Madison Ruffo

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – With Women’s History Month coming to an end, the time is perfect to highlight the Niagara University Women’s Health and Fitness club. This popular club strives to give young women a chance to make themselves healthy and stay active in a comfortable environment.

Women’s Health and Fitness was launched three years ago by Jasmine Hintamin, and is currently led by junior, Jade King, along with her officer core consisting of Annah Cullen as Vice President, DaShawna Levert and Emily Wilbur as co-treasurers, and Kayla Kolacz as secretary.

They hold a large range of events such as kickboxing every Monday at Fight-Sport Training Center, private yoga lessons once a month, classes with the Buffalo fitness club BikeorBar and an upcoming trip to Panama Rocks toward the end of April.

Recently, they also took a self defense class at Fight Sport, where the women learned techniques to use in a variety of scenarios in case of an attack.

“They’re all very accepting, its very comfortable being around a bunch of women, and no one’s going to judge you,” said member Olivia Faulkner.

One of the highlights of the club is that they go beyond just improving and encouraging physical health. They also hold meetings that focus on mental health where they make crafts and plan other stress-relieving activities.

“It’s a wonderful place to make new friends, try something different and new and focus on becoming a healthy and happy you!” said King. “We accept everyone no matter their fitness level and try to encourage everyone to try their best and be the best version of themselves they can.”

One might wonder why only women?

“Sometimes it can be uncomfortable to work out around men,” said King. “They sometimes add a certain stigma where you need to feel cute to appease them where as being around all women you don’t have to care and [can] really let loose.”

Women’s Health and Fitness has booths at every club fair for anyone looking to join the club. If you missed them there, you can email Jade King at jking@mail.niagara.edu or send a message to the club’s Facebook page at NU Women’s health and fitness.

Feature image by NU women’s health and fitness at http://www.facebook.com