I was recently lucky enough to have lunch with Fred ‘Dr. Squat’ Hatfield. Best known for his world record squat of 1,014lbs set in 1987 at the age of 45, Fred was also the founder of Men’s Fitness magazine, and the International Sports Sciences Association. In addition, he’s written over sixty fitness related books, and has trained countless athletes at all levels.
After my lengthy conversation with him about all things training, I came away with 3 huge takeaway points. These are the things he told me were most responsible for his incredible weight training success.
1. Science is the guiding light.
Dr. Hatfield explained that his training was always based in science. Based is the key word. He would take basic scientific principles and through trial and error expand upon them himself. Sure, the guys in the lab coats are smart, but how much do they squat?
If he found a method that worked for him and his clients, he would use it… even if it wasn’t scientifically proven. Science was the car, but Hatfield was the driver. If you do something in your training that is not completely backed by the pencilneck lab coats but works for you… who cares! You know your body better than anyone.
2. Leave No Stone Unturned
To be successful you must have every aspect of your training on point. From diet, to periodization, to recovery. Hatfield was able to achieve his feats because he utilized every technology and modality in his training. He researched and experimented with different lifting techniques and exercises, he had every single ounce of food and drink accounted for, and he used a wide array of recovery techniques. The man left nothing to chance.
3. Total Devotion to Your Goal
The last important point is a pretty obvious one that we all THINK we do… but do we really do it? Fred intensely preached the importance of single minded, all-out devotion to your goal. This means you have to be selfish. So, your girlfriend wants to go out for a night on the town? Too bad, you have to squat heavy tomorrow.
You have to be willing to push aside your wants and desires. You have to be extremely selfish to reach the pinnacle of your ability. This can put a strain on your personal relationships, but how bad do want to achieve your goal?
Fred Hatfield is one of the smartest people ever in the fitness industry. He has tons of books on Amazon.com and I would recommend you pick some of them up to further enhance your training performance and better achieve your goals.
