He squats on Monday, presses on Tuesday, deadlifts on Wednesday, presses again on Thursday and squats once more on Friday. And he cleans and snatches heavy twice a week.

 

“Other than that, just whatever goes,” says Rich Froning, assistant strength coach at Tennessee Tech University. 

 

“I try not to plan out a week or anything, because if I don’t get to it … stresses me out. I think that’s when I get over-trained—is when I’m thinking about it too much.”

 

As for a coach, there isn’t one.

 

“Right now, it’s Rich Froning and Dan Bailey — just bouncing ideas off each other.” 

 

Bailey, who finished sixth at last year’s Games, is Froning’s roommate and a strength-and-conditioning graduate assistant at Tennessee Tech.

 

Although winning the Games again this year would be “amazing” and “awesome,” Froning says it’s not what defines him.

 

“I don’t have to prove myself to anybody,” says the 24-year-old. "As long as I give everything I have, I feel like I’ve done all that I can.”

 

Froning says he was so nervous at the 2011 Games he slept a total of 9 hours over the three days and probably ate about 2,000 calories.

 

“The biggest competition is right here,” he says, pointing to his right temple. “Gotta beat that.”