Breaking Down Barriers with Derrick Johnson of The Kings of Weightlifting

Uncharted Performance

For episode 90 we are joined by national champion, international team member, record holder and Level 5 senior international coach for USA Weightlifting, Derrick Johnson. He has produced national champions, team titles, world team members, and a Olympian but that is just scratching the surface. He takes us on a fascinating journey from growing up in around poverty and crime in St. Louis to rolling the dice, starting over and reinventing himself in Los Angeles and opening the amazing non-profit providing opportunity and access to the great sport of Olympic weightlifting, The Kings of Weightlifting. Our conversation is littered with “firsts” and breaking down barriers starting with his recent trip to compete in Iran where he took gold. But that is now, Derrick has gone through multiple injuries, heart break, devastation, steady use of pain killers, and more pain and trauma. Through it all however, he has continued to work on himself and maintain the best mindset for himself and those he coaches by reminding himself of what is good. His is a story that he is writing himself, and it is far from over.