Some area residents have turned lifting weights into a recreational yet competitive sport, including Cottonwood resident Adam Greely.

Greely, 35, works as the director of sales at a hotel in Sedona but is a powerlifter for Rec-N-Cru in his free time.

“It’s something I like to do for fun,” Greely said. “I do it for the mental and physical health aspect, and it’s a way to challenge myself.”

Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three events: the squat, the bench press and the dead lift. Powerlifters compete at meets based on weight class and combine the total number of pounds of the three events for their total score.

“It’s simple. It’s all up to you,” Greely said. “Your goal [as a powerlifter] is to push yourself. You can have all the world records, but if you don’t break your own record, there is no gratification.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, June 27, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.