Heads turn and people murmur as he walks into the weight room and strips himself of an oversized gray ski jacket. He plugs in his ear buds to the latest rap singles and chalks up his hands in preparation for today’s routine. An intimidating 225 lbs are slid with ease onto the barbell which in minutes will be high above the heads in the crowded weight room.
“I usually just work for strength and power,” said senior double math and physics major and chemistry minor Michael Fridman.
Rule number one: do not under any circumstances disturb Michael Fridman during a workout. He gives himself only one off-day a week, which means the second that the music goes on, it’s go time.
Many consider Michael Fridman to be bionic. His ability to drink copious amounts of alcohol with the only repercussion being a sore liver, on top of his gift of being able to easily consume fifteen thousand calories on bulk-up day are only two rumored traits of the superhuman sensation. Despite the inconceivable reports that have students murmuring, all rumors stem from a truth.
“The craziest things aren’t really rumors, they’re stories.” said masters of public administration graduate student and former roommate to Fridman, Sam Fandrich. “Everyone that knows Mike has a story they tell about how much he can eat, or drink, or how much he works out.”
24 year old Fridman can and will drink anyone under the table. His body processes alcohol differently which means he can drink up to three handles without feeling even remote effects. Going shot-for-shot with the invincible is strongly discouraged. The prodigy makes a reputation for himself by giving everything he attempts his 100%. Fandrich was able to witness Fridman’s success firsthand.
“He gets up early every day and goes to the gym where he lifts more weight than anyone there. Then he attends the hardest classes and gets better grades than anyone there. And then he goes out and everyone wants to hang out with him.”
As soon as Mike completed his three years of service in the Israeli Defense Force he enrolled in Pace as a biology-chemistry major and later decided to double major and added physics to the agenda. The golden child wasn’t satisfied with his immaculate GPA so he challenged himself by switching over to his current double major in math and physics with a minor in chemistry. He is currently a member of the international Golden Key Honors Society, an elite club for Pace’s finest students.
Fridman excels in every possible area, even meal consumption, which brings us to rule number two: all meals are to be eaten without interruption, rather, a bulk-up-day meal, for concentration purposes.
“It started as this crazy diet where I would try to go reach an intake of twenty thousand calories per day,” said Fridman, whose thick Russian accent makes him sound like The Terminator. “The other days were three thousand calorie diets, which for me is basically starvation.”
Why would anyone want to put themselves through that crazy diet? People have resorted to bizarre eating habits in hopes of losing weight or achieving some sort of goal. Fridman, however, just wanted to challenge himself because he clearly already has everybody else beat.
Rule number three: do not interrupt Fridman while he is in the pool.
The Israeli warrior took no time in proving that he is indeed the Poseidon of his time. Fridman broke records at his very first swim meet and currently holds Pace’s highest record in the 100 and 200 free styles as well as in many of the relays. He attained captainship his sophomore year in 2011 and held the position through his junior year.
“The guy definitely impresses everyone he meets,” admitted Fandrich. “His drive is what impresses me the most, he does everything at such an advanced level.”
Mike is one of the few people that has a knack for just about everything he tries his hand at. Whether it be molding his body to fit the qualifications of a statue in Metropolitan Museum of Art, sucking down unwieldy proportions of food because he feels like it or proving that he is in fact a merman, there is no doubting that Pace has acquired itself a superhero.
“My favorite crazy mike story is when the weight fell on his head at the gym,” said Fandrich. “I think that proves he’s a robot.”
Fridman most cherishes his American family – the brothers of Alpha Chi Epsilon, of which he is the new member educator and well as risk manager, and the sisters of Alpha Lambda Sigma. Post-graduation Mike has free range of almost any field he wants, considering his majors and leadership positions cover just about all of them.
If you want to get a chance to know the sensation himself when he’s not swimming, or eating, or achieving obnoxious success in the most rigorous of courses, just wait outside of the bar because somehow, he finds time to party too.
Rule number four: no autographs please.