Weight Trained Sullivan Award Winner Randy Matson - Spec Gammon (1968)

 Strength & Health July 1968

The last time we looked in on James Randel Matson, he was a fledgling sophomore at Texas A&M University who, on April 30 of 1965, had hurled the 16-pound shot a prodigious 69 feet, three-fourths of an inch, the greatest put ever made. That was some three years ago and Matson attributed his success to weight training more than anything else. Today Matson has completed his track eligibility at the oldest land-grant school in Texas but still is in school, completing work toward a bachelor's degree in business while starting work toward a Master’s Degree in marketing. 

During that span of time – from April, 1965 to now – Matson achieved even greater fame with the 16-pound shot and vaulted into the limelight with the discus. To date he is the only man ever to hurl the shot 70 feet or more. He has done that six times. Twice he hit an even 70 feet, twice he hit 70-5 ½ , once he threw 70-7 ½ and once he threw 71- 5 ½ , now the recognized and accepted world record. That tremendous throw came on April 22^nd, 1967, at College Station during a quadrangular meet on a day that previously had been designated “Randy Matson Day” by university officials. 

The first time he soared across the 70-foot barrier was back when he was a sophomore, on May 8, 1965, in the Southwest Conference Meet, at College Station. He hit 70-7 ½ that afternoon. Some thought it was a fluke and that no one ever again would reach 70 feet. 

Others, including 1964 Olympic Champion, Dallas Long, predicted that Matson eventually would hit 72 feet. Thus far they haven’t been far wrong. Matson on April 8, 1967, fashioned the greatest weight double in history. On that afternoon, at College Station, he threw the shot 70-0 and 70-5 ½ twice and then, a little later, he hurled the discus 213-9 ½ , a mere two inches under the current world record. That throw game him the NCAA and American discus records. 

Matson today is no larger than he was as an Olympian in 1964 or a fledgling sophomore in 1965. Why, then, has he improved? He still has basically the same technique he acquired and perfected as a schoolboy at Pampa, Texas. The answer is simple: Weight Training. 

“Once you acquire the correct technique and speed, the only way you can improve is by getting stronger,” Matson explains “And, to get stronger you must concentrate on weights.” The giant 6’6 ½” , 260-pound Texas Aggie is by no means a super strongman. There are many who can lift more. But his speed, coordination and long arms, supplemented by his strength have made him a world champion. He has improved quite a lot in weightlifting. The progress is shown below in the bench press:

 Fall of 1963 – 230 pounds

Easter of 1964 – 280 pounds

Summer of 1964 – 310 pounds

March of 1965 – 345 pounds

April of 1965 – 360 pounds

April of 1967 – 425 pounds

These days Matson picks and selects certain meets in which to compete since his college eligibility has expired. He is aiming at the Olympics in October and wants to reach a peak at that time. He has two meets scheduled in April, the Texas Relays and the Kansas Relays. He may not compete in May but he’ll be busy during June as the Olympic Trials get underway. 

Though he won’t be competing, Matson won’t be idle. He’ll be in the weight rooms at Aggieland, three to four times a week. When there are no meets on his schedule, his weekly training goes like this: Lift weights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, throw the shot and run springs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Occasionally, he’ll omit one day of throwing and lift weights that day. The week of the meet, he’ll lift weights on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and throw the shot and run springs on Monday and Wednesday. He’ll rest on Friday prior to a Saturday meet. 

Matson varies his weight training program. On a day that he works on the bench press, he may start at 225 pounds for 8 reps, go to 300 for 5 reps, 350 for 4, 375 for 2, and then 400 for two or three sets of one. Or, he may stay with 350 and do three sets of 5 reps. On the power cleans, he does three sets of 6 reps at 225 pounds. On the incline bench press, using a barbell, he’ll start out at 225 with 5 reps, then do 4 reps at 245, 3 reps at 275, and one at 300. Some days, he’ll just do 3 sets of 5 at 245 pounds. 

Nearly every week he does dead lifts (rapidly), 3 sets of 6 reps at 300 pounds. On the full squats, he’ll usually work up to a single with 505. Partial squats (quarter squat, then up to a toe raise done rapidly) start at 315 for 6 reps, 405 for 4, 450 for 2 and 475 for one. 

Next to weight training, Matson credits his wife for much of his recent success. “First of all, she’s a wonderful cook and next, she always insists that I keep up my training schedule when I feel inclined to goof off.” Matson was married to his high school sweetheart, the former Margaret Burns of Pampa, during the summer of 1966. A graduate of Abilene Christian College, Margaret is an elementary school teacher in Bryan, Texas. 

Combining his wife’s cooking with his steady diet of weight training, Matson hopes to be around 270 pounds when the Olympics roll around. Whether he’ll go for a double in the shot and discus is debatable. His first love is the shot and if discus training begins to interfere with his shot in any way, he’ll drop the discuss. 

Matson is certainly no muscle-bound giant. He played varsity basketball at A&M in his sophomore season and was a second-team All-Southwest Conference selection along with being named “Sophomore of the Year”. More proof for the dubious coaches that athletics and weight training can go hand in hand. He already has been drafted by the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL to play pro football and will talk with them after the Olympics. In all likelihood there will be pro basketball offers too. 

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