Fred Johnson loves a challenge. He always has, he says.So when he first set foot in Loyola’s Recreational Complex as a freshman almost three years ago, he issued himself two challenges, two goals to achieve — one short-term, one long-term. The first goal, said Johnson, now a psychology junior, was simply to work out and shed some pounds.

“I was really overweight when I got here,” Johnson said.

So Johnson, who said he worked out off and on in high school, started going to the Rec Plex and lifting weights regularly. “When I first stepped onto this campus,” he said, “I walked into the Rec Plex and saw the [Loyola] weightlifting records up there. I said to myself, ‘Those aren’t that bad — I’m going to break those before I’m done here.'”

In March, with a Rec Plex employee looking on as an official witness, Johnson broke four Loyola weightlifting records. His total lifted weight of 1,330 lbs. easily broke the record. He also managed to lift a bench-press weight of 335 lbs., a squat of 475 lbs. and a dead lift of 520 lbs, a lift that shattered that record by more than 100 lbs.

“I knew he was going to break the record before he even entered the weight room by the determined look on his face,” said Ian Clark, marketing sophomore and Johnson’s workout partner. “If his back would have snapped during a lift, it would not have stopped him.”

Johnson started competing nationally in early August, when a trainer noticed his talent at a local YMCA in his hometown of Philadelphia.”She said, ‘Give it a try. You look like you have some talent.’ So I did,” he said.

Since then, Johnson has pushed his way to four weightlifting championships and has broken several records in his first year of competition in the World National Powerlifting Confederation. Johnson surprised himself by placing first in the bench press and third in the dead lift.

With new confidence, he went on to compete in the New Jersey state competition, again taking home first place in all three events — bench press, squat and dead lift.

The most recent competition, Raw Nationals, held last October in Lancaster, Penn., did not allow athletes to use any equipment, such as belts or special shirts, for the lifts.

“I don’t use equipment anyway,” Johnson said. “But in meets like the one in [New] Jersey, I had to compete against guys that were [used to] using equipment — and that can add like a hundred pounds or more to a guy’s lift.”

With his opponents suffering without their equipment, Johnson took first place in both the junior age group and the men’s open competition, and in the process set four Pennsylvania state records.

Since that meet in October, Johnson has focused on school and has not participated in any competitions — at least, no official competitions.

He continued to compete against both himself and those Loyola records until he was the only one left standing. “He’s got a lot of heart, and he won’t give up until he gets the job done — that comes from his character and desire,” Clark said.

A few years ago, Johnson said, he had no idea what he could accomplish. He takes his ability more seriously now, and he knows the only thing that can stop him is himself.

Johnson has a fierce attitude when it comes to competition and always strives to be the best. A quote from the movie “Fight Club” is on his door to remind him of what it takes to do that: “Without pain, without sacrifice we would have nothing,” it says.

Although Johnson is modest when it comes to his national accomplishments, he did admit to being proud of the Loyola records. “That was just cool,” he said.

Johnson is determined to train harder than ever for the Ohio World Championships in October, and jokes about participating in the “World’s Strongest Man” competition one day. “One of the events is the car push, where you just push a car across a parking lot,” he said. “And for whatever reason, that’s something I really want to do.”

Johnson has never had a coach or personal trainer of any kind. He uses a workout he designed for himself with updates based on progress. He works out five or six days a week for two hours at a time.

So far, he said, he has had no problems with this method, and his lifts have continued to improve.

“I am willing to sacrifice everything I have to succeed,” Johnson said.

He said that when others doubt his ability, he tries harder to accomplish his goals. “It is challenging to myself because it is me against me, but it is always fun to do what others say is impossible.”

Fred Johnson, psychology junior, works his way to more record-breaking lifts by working out in the Rec Plex. (Lane Cotton Winn)