Orignially posted by:  RGJ.com

Roy Eriksen has done and continues to do many things for others.

The Sparks resident has been a teacher and football coach at five high schools. Since retiring, he has become a marriage and family therapist and counsels others on overcoming addictions.

“I work with a lot of people who have pretty serious problems,” Eriksen said. “I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of helping people.”

But there is one thing Eriksen does for himself: Powerlifting.

And so there the 66-year-old was last month in Las Vegas, hoisting 425 pounds above his head to set a new world record. Eriksen’s deadlift mark was one of four world records he set in the Men’s Masters, 60-64, category at the World Powerlifting Championships.

The third oldest competitor in the event, Eriksen also set records in the squat (507 pounds), bench (297) and combined total (1,129).

“I had never competed internationally before,” Eriksen said. “It was cool to be around those kind of athletes.”

Eriksen, who already held the American records, was just as laid-back and humble about his performance.

“I don’t know what it means,” he said. “Powerlifting is not recognized as a major sport. For me, it’s really a personal challenge in terms of my health and taking care of my body. Powerlifting is my chosen way of doing that. If I wasn’t competing, I wouldn’t have that drive to go to the gym.”

Eriksen’s son and frequent workout partner, Trinity, says his dad’s performance on the sport’s biggest stage meant more to Eriksen than he often leads on.

“It’s been one of his goals for a long, long time,” said Trinity, a Yerington police officer who took fourth in the open division at the U.S. Championships in Los Angeles in July. “It means a lot to him, he just doesn’t show it.

“I think it’s awesome. People look at him and think there is no way he could squat 500 pounds or bench 300 pounds.”

But Eriksen, at 5-feet-3 and 220 pounds, lifts that much.

His first competition was of the AAU variety in 1967 on the Nevada campus. After college, the Sparks High graduate taught physical education and coached football at Battle Mountain, Ely, Boulder City, Eldorado in Las Vegas and Sparks until 1985.

He got back into powerlifting again in his early 40s and hasn’t looked back.

“Powerlifting is like a bug,” he said, “once you get into it …”

But when Ericksen, who turns 67 this month, isn’t working out at American Iron Gym or in Trinity’s garage in Yerington, he is working with troubled individuals in the Reno-Sparks community or on the Yerington Paiute Tribe Colony.

While he doesn’t recommend patients take up powerlifting, he does point out that going to the gym or for a run can’t hurt.

“Exercise is great from stress management,” Eriksen said. “I encourage people to find an outside hobby to help them get through whatever it is their trying to work through.”

As for his own personal challenge in the sport, Ericksen already is making plans to compete in next year’s World Championships in London.

“I’m still competing at a high level for my weight class. I’m still getting stronger,” he said. “I want to see how good I can be for how long.”

This entry was posted on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 11:23 am and is filed under Powerlifting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.