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Herculean feat

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By C. MARTINEZ-BRANDON

martinez@crescent-news.com

Even during his days as a high school football player with the Liberty Center Tigers, no one could question Jay Fry's heart and desire.

At just 5-8, 140 pounds, Fry worked and willed his way to becoming a three-year starter. But Fry didn't spend his time as a running back, or as a wide receiver, that was too far away from the action.

Fry was a lineman ... yes a lineman.

But don't think Fry's size kept him from being physically dominated. And don't think this tenacious guard was pushed around and out muscled. In fact, Fry took it as a personal challenge to be quite the opposite.

That was the 1996-97 school year. Now, Fry is closer to 200-pounds and a competitive powerlifter. But it's what Fry learned in "Tiger Country" that has literally made him the strongest man in the world.

On April 18th at the Ironhorse Classic in Columbus, Fry bench pressed an unprecedented 750 pounds.

The bench press is a lift where competitors lie face-up on a bench and then lower weight down to their chest before returning the weight to the original position by extending their arms.

The Herculean feat of lifting more than four times his body weight gave Fry the world record for a man weighing 181 pounds. And accomplishing the feat gives him the best-ever bench-to-body weight ratio and the title of world's strongest man.

"The worst thing about being able to bench 750 is no one believes you," joked Fry. "You know, guys will ask you: 'Hey, what to do bench.' I tell them and no one believes me, it's kind of a curse. So I just started telling everyone I can do 225 (pounds) for a set of ten and they accept that.

"But I've accomplished my goal and that's a good thing," added Fry. "Now, my next goal is to do 780 (pounds) at 198 (pound weightclass)."

When you're already the strongest man around, why want more?

For Fry, it's all part of his make-up.

His bench-press quest started just five years ago and now with no-one close to his 181-pound mark, Fry is looking for another brass ring. And by going up a weightclass, Fry saw a couple of opportunities.

First and foremost, the student wanted to overtake the teacher.

"At Westside Barbell, where I train in Columbus, there is a wall of records," explained Fry. "Male and female, the records from everyone in every weightclass is on that wall. And my idol George Halbert, the guy who got me started, benched 766 (pounds) at 198. And it was my goal to take him off the board."

And Fry did just that a few weeks ago.

Fry topped his mentor with a 770-pound bench on May 30 at a meet in Circleville. But Fry's not done at 198, now he's shooting for 780-pounds to become the first person to bench four-times their weight during competition in two different weight classes.

The smart money is on Fry.

The Liberty product attributes his desire and drive to compete along with his winning attitude to his days in the orange-and-black.

"I don't think I'm better than any body else," pointed out Fry. "I've just dedicated my life to it. I've spent five years of my life training and working to get strong. I know the reason why the guy who is second in the world is 75 pounds behind me. It's because he hasn't done it as long. I tell everyone if you can dedicate your life to something, you can be great at it.

"When I was at Liberty Center, we lived, breathed and died football," Fry added about his younger days. "Coach (Rex) Lingruen and coach (Tim) Spiess brainwashed us, every day they'd ask: 'Let us hear you say winner!' They'd tell us we were winners and we told ourselves we were winners. If you have that philosophy, nothing is going to stop you."

Fry added that he and fellow offensive guard Lance Kern, who only weighed 150 pounds, made it their mission to show that their size did not limit what they could do. They convinced themselves and everyone in their path that no one could beat them. And by the time they graduated, the duo had helped Liberty to 21 victories in three seasons. And personally, Fry gave a glimpse of his future by hitting the 315-pound bench press mark as a senior.

For the Tigers, one year later, even though Fry and Kern had moved on, the foundation they left behind helped the Tigers claim the Division V state football championship.

But don't think that football and the weightroom define Fry.

Despite spending more than an hour a day, six days a week perfecting his bench-pressing craft, it's not all he is. And despite being a football hero, it's not the only sport that Fry has poured his heart and soul into.

After leaving Liberty Center, Fry graduated with a pair of degrees (mechanical engineering and computer added drafting) from Northwest State Community College. His degrees have led him to work for CTL Engineering outside of Columbus where he's a supervisor.

"I'm so fortunate," said Fry. "So many guys, their life is lifting. My hobby is lifting and I'm fortunate to have a job that supports my hobby. And when I'm done lifting, I know I'll have something to fall back on."

In the sporting arena, Fry went from the football field to the gym.

Fry admitted that as a little kid he was always flipping and tumbling and walking on his hands in his front yard. And after graduation he spent several years coaching elite-level gymnastics.

"I got into the coaching aspect of it because I like working with kids," said Fry, who currently is helping people worldwide with fitness through powerlifting on his website www.jayfry.com. "And it (coaching gymnastics) sort of fell into my lap. I learned a lot from it, in fact I'd work out with them."

With world records on his mantle, Fry is one of the rock-stars of competitive power lifting. He's been featured in magazines and on the internet and chat rooms are a buzz with his accomplishments.

Now, he hopes to keep the talk going by raising the bar again in August when he'll compete at the world's biggest powerlifting Pro-Am in Cincinnati. But no matter where the sport takes him, he's not trying to be something he's not. Instead, Fry continues to just get the most out of himself.

"(When I coached gymnastics) I learned you don't need size to be strong and that functional strength doesn't mean getting big and bulky," ended Fry. "And I know that I'm not going to be able to lift as much as some 300-pounder ... doing things the right way means everything. For me (doing things the right way) it's the difference between breaking a world record and breaking your arm. It's about the right technique and listening to your body. It's about practice, lots of practice, and listening to your coaches, your teammates or your training partners"