Frederick C. Hatfield (October 21, 1942 – May 14, 2017), nicknamed ''Dr. Squat'', was an American world champion powerlifter and PhD holder in sports sciences.
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fro
DrSquat.com
Archive link
He was also the co-founder and president of the
International Sports Sciences Association,
an organization of fitness experts which certifies personal fitness trainers from around the world. He went on to make the ICOPRO bodybuilding protein and supplements for
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the w ...
's
World Bodybuilding Federation
The World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) was a bodybuilding organization founded in 1991 by Vince McMahon. It operated as a subsidiary of his company Titan Sports, the owners of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Tom Platz announced ...
. After the promotion folded, McMahon continued to market the product until 1995.
Personal life and career
Hatfield was born in
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolit ...
, in 1942.
He graduated from
Cromwell High School
Cromwell High School is the town high school of Cromwell, Connecticut.
History
In 1811, Cromwell High School occupied the building now used as Belden Library, which is adjacent to the town hall. There were 278 students total in this year. In 1 ...
. He served in the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
where he worked with the Office of Naval Intelligence in the Philippines until 1964, when he enrolled in
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University (Southern Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State, SCSU, or simply Southern) is a public university in New Haven, Connecticut. Part of the Connecticut State University System, it was founded in 1893 and is g ...
.
Upon graduating, Hatfield earned his
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in health, physical education and recreation.
He then attended the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univ ...
, where he earned his Master's degree in the social sciences of sport. He went on to earn his
PhD in psychology, sociology and motor learning from
Temple University
Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...
in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
Hatfield held positions at
Newark State College
Kean University () is a public university in Union and Hillside, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education.
Kean University was founded in 1855 in Newark, New Jersey, as the Newark Normal School. Initially establi ...
,
Bowie State University
Bowie State University (Bowie State) is a public historically black university in Prince George's County, Maryland, north of Bowie. It is part of the University System of Maryland. Founded in 1865, Bowie State is Maryland's oldest historically b ...
, and the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
. He taught undergraduate students, and conducted research in
sport psychology. He has written over 60 books, some of them best-sellers.
[Dr. Squat](_blank)
on Bodybuilding.com His best-selling seminal work Bodybuilding:A Scientific Approach set the standard for many fitness books today. He wrote hundreds of academic and fitness articles which have been cited by experts, including Anabolic Steroids expert James Wright.
He trained hundreds of professional athletes including Mr. Olympia winner
Lee Haney
Lee Haney (born November 11, 1959) is an American former IFBB professional bodybuilder. Haney shares the all-time record for most Mr. Olympia titles at eight with Ronnie Coleman and is regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders to ever grace th ...
, Evander Holyfield, and Lyle Alzado.
He was diagnosed with metastatic skeletal cancer in 2012 and was advised by 3 doctors that he had 3 months to live. However, he told CBN News that he had tried to slow progression with a ketogenic diet and the cancer went away completely.
He was inducted in the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2016.
Hatfield died May 14th, 2017 from sudden heart failure at age 74.
Accomplishments in powerlifting
As a powerlifter, Hatfield won 2
IPF World Powerlifting Championships titles in 1983 and 1986.
At the age of 45, he set a
squat world record by lifting in the weight class, which at the time was the heaviest squat in history regardless of bodyweight.
He weighed 255 lbs.
References
External links
DrSquat.com (personal website)
Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hatfield, Fredrick
1942 births
2017 deaths
American powerlifters
Bowie State University faculty
World Games silver medalists
Competitors at the 1981 World Games