Murrieta resident Ray Anderson was once just a scrawny kid from the outskirts of Chicago, and now at age 67, he is in the AAU Sports Hall of Fame. Growing up, Ray was picked on because of his size. He describes himself as gangly, skinny and weak before finding an outlet that helped him on his lifelong journey of health and fitness. That outlet became lifting weights, and it took him to places he never could have imagined.
Anderson has dedicated his life to lifting for nearly six decades. It all started at the age of nine years old with a pair of ankle weights that his older cousin gave him to curl and press. After a few workouts, he was hooked. Ray developed a hunger for more and begged his parents to buy him a set of weights. After months of asking, his parents finally bought him his first weight set. Ray would train morning, noon and night.
“I didn’t get into the iron game for titles, trophies, awards or accolades,” Anderson said. “I did it for me.”
While he was growing up, Anderson’s confidence grew the more in-shape he got, and after a couple of years he decided to play competitive sports. His athletic career led him to compete in powerlifting, weightlifting, feats of strength, bodybuilding, football, wrestling, track & field, swimming, baseball, martial arts and MAS Wrestling. Once he started high school, he became a three-sport athlete competing in football, wrestling and track & field and lettered in all three sports at Argo Community High School.
It was the naysayers in his life that truly fueled his fire early on. The ones who thought that he was too weak, too small, not smart enough. That motivated him to prove them all wrong. Anderson felt like he had so much to prove to himself growing up and feels like if he never found the iron, he would’ve wound up in jail or even, possibly, dead. According to Anderson, his mindset for lifting weights saved his life and gave him a sanctuary. Lifting was the one thing that he had control of in life.
“I didn’t have to speak, I didn’t have to listen, I didn’t have to think, I didn’t have to care, I didn’t have to feel,” he said. “All that I had to do was lift whatever was in front of me. It was so much simpler, so much more satisfying than my life outside. I simply had to lift.”
College is where Ray really wanted to delve further into mastering his workouts. His strength was developing to where he wanted to compete in powerlifting, which is when he became an active member of AAU. Over the years with AAU, he has developed a curriculum for certification of trainers/coaches, became a business owner, manager, and so much more. This includes being the owner and trainer of his MAXT Sports Academy and Team MAXT Strength Sports in Murrieta.
Anderson spent many of his years bringing dozens of athletes into the AAU Strength Sports world (including MAS wrestling) and has strongly encouraged his athletes to participate in all types of competitions. Ray wants the best from his students because he is a firm believer that the challenges he encountered and the lessons that he learned along the way contributed to who he is today. An uncle of his, who was his father figure and mentor, had a saying.
“There are three things in life that you can do, he said, ‘Lead, follow or get the heck out of the way’ and I chose to lead and did it my way,” Anderson said.
One word that Ray continued to live by his whole life was, conviction, which to him means the deepest, obsessive and burning desire to accomplish anything.
“With conviction there are no excuses, only results,” Anderson exclaims.
At this point in life, 57 years after his first lift, Ray has competed in numerous powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman competitions and has set over 52 World and National records in the 220- and 275-lb. classes (AAU FOS). His feats, not only in AAU, but in life, have led him to the AAU Strength Sports Hall of Fame, where he was inducted at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, NV, in April of 2021.
“It was truly an honor to receive this award,” Anderson said. “I am so blessed and humbled and privileged to be included in the Hall of Fame with the great athletes who came before me. In my wildest dreams I never imagined that I would reach this level in my life.”
In his induction speech, Anderson said it’s been a long and rewarding journey in so many ways. “I am stronger physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially with gratitude and abundance. I have met some of the most amazing, giving and athletic people along the way. I have competed with some of the best and have made lifelong friendships. This award is the second-best accomplishment in my life. The first being the birth of my daughter, Hannah.”
Anderson says his family thought that he was going through a phase when he started lifting weights. “They said that I would grow out of it.” He certainly did prove them wrong. With a new purpose in life these days, Anderson’s drive comes from paying it forward, mentoring and coaching to the best of his abilities.
“I want to share what I experienced,” Anderson said. “I also want to pass the torch on to my grandsons, who I hope that one day will continue with my legacy.”
When not competing or coaching, Ray holds a position with AAU as their Feats of Strength National Chairman. Anderson and his team have now hosted and volunteered thousands of hours for numerous sports camps over a few decades for speed and strength training, for all sports, all ages and all levels of ability. They have worked with high schools, middle schools and elementary schools and are well versed in developing and monitoring physical fitness programs. Anderson has also enjoyed working with and coaching Pop Warner and Junior All-American football teams and is the former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Rancho Christian and Lakewood High Schools.
“We all have a journey in life and along that journey there will be many challenges and accomplishments,” Anderson said. “There will be good times and bad, highs and lows, the bitter with the sweet. Whatever your journey is, whatever your passion may be, don’t let anyone ever tell you that you can’t do it. Keep that conviction, never give up, never quit, and most importantly enjoy the journey.”
On Saturday mornings, Anderson and his staff hold open workouts specifically for athletes of his Team MAXT Strength Sports doing strongman training for AAU Strength Sports meets, but it is also open to all athletes of varied interests. Ray trains athletes daily in person, and online, and will even meet up locally for anyone that wants to train outside of the gym.
To get in to contact with Ray Anderson, who trains out of Metroflex gym in Murrieta, call 951-252-5627 or email: maxtstrength@gmail.com. Visit www.mbfitnessusa.com/pages/maxt for more information.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
