A Weightlifting Belt for Women

I worked with a team of designers to create a weightlifting belt for female beginner weightlifters. It solved two distinct needs that revolved around the need to feel confident in the gym: the need to feel strong and empowered by what they wear, and the need to look like they know what they’re doing in front of others.

Project Overview

Problem

There is a high barrier to entry into gyms for many young women. Social pressures and media lead them to feel amateur and unathletic in the gym. If these beginners do make it to the gym, they are also at higher risk of injury if they don’t have proper technique.

Additionally, the only weightlifting belts that exist are meant for powerlifters, and the only ones “made for women” are really just hefty men’s belts in pink fabric…

Process

Conducted ethnographic interviews with young women and expert interviews with professional strength coaches. Found patterns, identified findings, and drew insights to inform a design that solved the needs of our user group.

Created prototypes out of a variety of materials with different inserts, experimented with each version and gathered user feedback. Adjusted each prototype as we went, to create a final prototype.