The Student Recreation Center hosted its first bench press competition on Tuesday, March 8. Of eleven competitors, Keith Williams took home bragging rights for best overall performance.

University of North Alabama student Maurice Calhoun developed the idea for the contest two weeks prior to it and contacted SRC fitness coordinator Glenda Richey.

“The competition was designed to promote health and fitness,” Calhoun said. The competition was open to all Mane card holders and SRC members.

The event began with initial weigh-ins. Each participant was required to warm up before completing a lift for the tournament.

UNA junior and contestant Daniel Garrett said, “You should always warm up to avoid injury.”

Garrett had been training prior to the competition with fellow contestant Cory Brooks. They both have been working with Steve Herring, a personal trainer in the Shoals community, for the past seven months.

Some contestants didn’t have training previous to signing up. Williams said that he had not been working out. That factor didn’t stop him from winning his weight class, lifting 380 pounds.

Not only was it the SRC’s first competition, it was also the first for some of the participants. “We entered [the contest] because it would be fun to compete with our peers,” Brooks said.

While waiting for their turn to lift, contestants would listen to their iPods while focusing on their next move. “You’ve got to have motivation,” Brooks said. “We have our music going and our mental mindset in the zone, but it’s always better to have someone there.”

Throughout the competition, participants would encourage each lifter, yelling motivational words to keep him focused.

During a lift the contestants were required to keep their entire backside on the bench. If that requirement was not met, they would be disqualified from competition. A contestant must have also avoided bouncing the bar off his chest or allowing the bar to sink into his chest.

Disqualification resulted in the inability to compete in remaining rounds of competition. “Don’t make excuses, make improvements,” Garrett said.

Spectators were permitted to watch and motivate the competitors. UNA student and spectator Tim Hunt jokingly said he was the life coach for his friends who were lifting weights.

Other contestants included: Roderick Sewell, Albert “Cali” Russell, Trent Standridge, Thomas Peavey, Michael Cooper, Lee “Kuntry” Clark and Quintin Milton.

The next bench press competition will take place on the second level of the SRC Tuesday, April 12.