We do athlete interviews every month in this magazine, and we’re always happy to do them with many of the biggest names in USA weightlifting. But it’s not very often that we get to interview a living legend. That’s exactly what Fred Lowe is.
 
Most of you aren’t historians, so you don’t know anything about him. I’ll start by blowing you away with his list of accomplishments. Fred started weightlifting in 1965, and he went on to make three Olympic Teams (1968, 1972, and 1976). There’s only a small handful of three-time Olympians in our sport’s history, and he’s one of them. He also made four World Teams, won eight National Championships, and broke multiple American records along the way.
 
Veterans of this sport will often tell you one of the most amazing performances they’ve ever seen was at the 1981 Nationals. Fred had stepped away from competition after making his third Olympic Team in 1976, and many thought his phenomenal career was over. But in 1981, he returned to the platform and won the National Championship, where he became the first US lifter in the 165 kg class to clean and jerk 400 lbs. (at the age of 34).
 
And after that, he simply never stopped. Most people don’t know this, but Fred is the only weightlifter in history to compete in the National Championship in six different decades (1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2011). That means he was still competing at the national level when he was in his sixties. And I don’t mean the masters national level. I’m talking about the REAL national level.
 
But don’t worry…he’s done okay in the masters division, too. He’s won fifteen Masters Nationals, nine Masters Worlds, and he’s been inducted into eight Halls of Fame. Folks, there’s simply nobody like Fred Lowe. His longevity in the sport eclipses absolutely everybody who’s ever done it. You could make a very strong case for him being the greatest weightlifter in American history. He’s been one of my biggest inspirations throughout my entire career, and I’m overjoyed at the tremendous honor of sharing his story with you.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc. 

I am originally from Lambertville, MI, in the extreme Southeast corner of Michigan. I currently live in DeWitt, MI, which is the Northern suburb of Lansing, the state Capitol. I’m currently teaching at the Community College in Lansing, supervising a fitness lab for adults of all ages. I’ve been on furlough since 3/16/20. I’m married to Chrisann (33 years this coming May) and she qualified for sainthood long ago. My two main sports growing up were baseball (ages 10-18) and wrestling (ages 13-17).
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?
I started weightlifting at the urging of an older cousin, Jim Bearinger, on 7/8/65. He was my first coach 1965-1967, but I got a lot of information for print sources during that time as well. The only direct supervision I had during my career was Mike Huszka’s coaching at the Duncan Y in Chicago from September 1967-June 1968. After that, I continued to draw information from numerous sources throughout my career. 
 
As far as accomplishments go, I’m most proud of representing in three Olympiads, six U.S. records, eight Senior National wins, and nine World Masters wins. Those I would consider the high points, but there are a lot of others as well. As a Master, the best meet I’ve ever had was the Pan Am Masters in Savannah in June 2001. The clean and jerk (130) and total (230) are still World Masters records after nearly 20 years.
 
Unlike most lifters, you continued to have success on the platform in your older years. Describe how your training changed as you aged into the masters division. What advice would you give to older lifters?
 
Training –that’s an interesting topic. When I was younger, my training frequency was three days per week for the first two years. The third year under Huszka, it was six days per week with an average intensity of 72%. I got married after Mexico City and during the rest of my Senior career, it was three days per week due to work, school, and family commitments. I didn’t compete 1984-1992 and decided to return only after the masters program came under PED testing requirements in 1993. As a master, I’ve always trained three days per week.
 
My advice to master lifters is the same as I give to everyone: train at a frequency and intensity that you can recover from and stay healthy with. Work hard on your mobility; you’ll need it long after your joints will tolerate doing lifts. Don’t execute poor movements just to get a few more kilos up. That’s about it.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you’ve faced, or maybe some things that frustrated you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
Pursuing anything as demanding as weightlifting is strewn with obstacles, and my career has been no different. I had to decide if the self-actualization outweighed other difficulties. For the most part, it did. I did what I did and I’m happier for it than I am sorry. As an elite level athlete, I would have profited greatly from a residential program completely dedicated to the sport. None existed at the time.  
 
Changes I’d like to see - that’s a complicated one. Firstly, total eradication of drugs from the sport would be nice. Since all this stuff began 67 years ago, you had no way of knowing who the best athlete really was. Some international lifters were no better than a clean state champion when they were off the stuff. Who was really the best? The athlete who could take one more pill or shot than someone else of equal ability?  The athlete whose body responded the best to pharmaceutical compounds? Willingness to work was never an issue in weightlifting. But who was really the best on their own? No one will ever know.  
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?
 
My goals for the remainder of my career include training moderately and competing occasionally, continuing to execute assignments as an IWF Technical Official, promote local meets, and coach others to find the fulfillment and benefit this sport has given me.
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
There’s always a laundry list of people who helped you and sacrificed along with you in pursuit of your dreams. I will actually make a list:
 
Jim Bearinger- my cousin who introduced me to the sport
 
Harland Lowe- my father who, in addition to providing a work ethic model, drove me to New Jersey in his 11-year old car so I could lift in my first Teenage Nationals
 
Chuck Never- my former brother-in-law, who drove me to Indiana for my second meet
 
Bob Gajda- 1966 AAU Mr. America, who brought me to Chicago to compete for Duncan Y and whose YMCA foundation paid my out of state tuition my third year of college
 
Mihaly Husza- 1960 and 1964 Olympian for Hungary and my coach Sept 1967-June 1968. He taught me the value of undulating programming and speed
 
Bob Hoffman- founder of York Barbell Company. He provided the only significant sponsorship during my career from 1969-1981
 
Lou DeMarco- one of the best platform coaches ever, he handled my efforts at the 1967 Teenage Nationals, 1972 Srs/Olympic Trials, 1981 Senior Nationals, and 1983 National Sports Festival
 
Carl Miller- his newsletters in 1973 were good information and his two books are excellent
 
Tommy Kono- provided an example of what class looks like in an athlete and official. His coaching tips were excellent as well. 
 
Bill Starr - the promoter of my very first meet. He later became the managing editor of Strength and Health magazine. He eventually wrote two books, both of which are excellent. 
 
Maureen McBride-Russakof- my first wife and mother of my two children. We got married young and didn’t last long. She made a lot of sacrifices.
 
Stephanie Davis- my second wife who assumed the difficult role of stepmother for my kids. She made a great many sacrifices.
 
Chrisann Lowe- my third wife. I was not competing when we got married; five years later I became a Master. She too knows this sport has many demands.
 
Casey Larose and Frederick Lowe- my daughter and son. Both competed in weightlifting,  coming to it later in their 20s. They got to find out firsthand what the big deal was. I am sure their perceptions of being my son and daughter would be worthy of a book.
 
Lastly, I have drawn, and continue to draw, inspiration from lifters of all ability levels by viewing their dedication and devotion to their pursuit of “the white moment.”  We are a very diverse group in pursuit of one thing. To me, that’s a very good thing.   
 
Fred, on behalf of everybody in the sport of weightlifting, thank you and congratulations on your career. You’re a hero to anyone who picks up a barbell and works to be successful in this sport, and we appreciate everything you’ve done. Catalyst Athletics wishes all the best to you and your family!