It will be an uplifting experience for many in Dunedin over the weekend, although they will be lying down on the job.
The Otago Weightlifting Club, one of the oldest in the country, will today host the national bench press championships, which will be followed by a separate competition focusing on record-setting tomorrow.
Big lifts will be recorded, with some competitors able to lift three times their body weight.
The competition tomorrow will be focused on setting records in the bench press, the squat and the dead lift.
More than 30 lifters will be at the bench press championships but, strangely, no-one from Dunedin has entered.
There are more than 25 lifters in Dunedin but a mixture of injury, other priorities and form has led to none of them fronting up.
Veteran Otago lifter Bruce Park, who has set world records in his age group, is carrying an injury and is not competing.
The only lifter from the South competing is Andy Mahon, of Invercargill.
He should, though, be one to watch, having racked up some big weights over the years.
One lifter sure to be under the spotlight is Andrew Thomas, of Christchurch, who has the ability to lift three times his body weight, lifting more than 200kg while bench pressing.
Lifters are coming from Kaitaia to Invercargill for the championships. Lifting starts at 4.30pm today.
Competition co-organiser Phil Murphy said each competitor got a total of three lifts.
That could make it an interesting tactical competition as each lifter tries to leave his best lift for last, yet not start out on a too light or too heavy a weight.
Tomorrow's event will be more about looking to set provincial and national records.
With referees present for the bench press championships, it was thought to be a good time to set records. Fully qualified referees have to be present for records to be valid.
All competitors are subject to drug testing.
Competitors have to be registered for six months - when they can be drug tested at any time - before they can compete.
