by Asher Hirt ’25
February 14, 2025
If you have ever walked into the USN Fitness Center, chances are you have seen a determined Xavier Mayfield ‘25 shattering another personal record.
Mayfield has accomplished what most gym enthusiasts can only dream of–joining the elite 1000-pound club. This achievement calls for a combined total of over 1000 pounds across the bench press, squat, and deadlift, which is no small feat. Most people cannot accomplish this in their entire life, while others can get there at the peak of their athletic performance around the age of 25 or 30. Mayfield, on the other hand, accomplished this his sophomore year of high school and has not looked back.
“I hit 315 right after retreats before the end of 2024 on the bench. I squatted 405 at the beginning of the [sophomore] year and I last deadlifted sophomore year, when I hit 425,” Mayfield said.
For Mayfield, the journey to developing this strength began in North Carolina, working out alongside his older brother, who has been a personal trainer for 15 years.
“I used to visit him over in North Carolina a lot. Started working out with him down there. I’d say my brother is my inspiration,” Mayfield shared.
Those early sessions with his brother laid the foundation for his passion, but the road to success in Mayfield’s weight lifting journey did not go without its obstacles.
“It was the summer going into sophomore year and I was squatting and I went down and heard a pop. I ended up tearing my meniscus, and I was on crutches for two months after that and wasn’t allowed to do anything in the gym for five months,” Mayfield recalls.
The injury sidelined his physical activity but not his mindset around the gym and, as soon as the doctors said he could he was back in the gym.
“Lifting weights helps me with stress and is a way for me to stay level-headed,” he explained. “I was not gonna stop lifting after the injury because it is something that I enjoy.”
Mayfield’s strength comes from his grit to fulfill his workout plan, where he follows a six-day split rotation.
“I have had a similar workout routine for the past couple of years,” Mayfield said. “Usually, on Monday, I will probably squat and do a lot of iterations of squats. On Tuesday I will do bench, dumbbell bench, push-ups, and dips. Wednesday I do lat pulldowns, pull ups, and lat rows. Thursday I will usually hit legs again and Friday is designated for cardio where I jump rope and bike.”
For those looking to follow in his footsteps, Mayfield emphasizes one thing.
“The way to improve in the gym is to just stay consistent with what you’re doing,” he said.
He advises there’s no secret hack, just a commitment to showing up and putting in the work.
As Mayfield finishes his final year at USN, he leaves behind a lasting legacy in the gym and sets the bar high for anyone daring to chase his records.
