Q and A with Craig Smith 2008 (Conversation at Arnold Classic)

[Evidence]

(E) Craig, nice to meet you and thanks for giving me the time. 2007 was a big year for you as you set a Professional Highland Games World Record in the Sheaf Toss with a height of 25'3" on May 26th. How does it feel to be the sole owner of a record like that?

(CS) Well, the heavy sheaf toss isn't thrown many places, so I don't know how much stock I really put into that record. But it's great to have it, and that broke the previous WR of 25', which I also held. I'll get another shot at it again in May at the Alma Highland Games in Michigan.

(E) How has your health been overall this past year of competition?

(CS) Unfortunately, last year was rough for me due to a torn hip flexor. It kept me from competing as much as I wanted to, and I was unable to throw some events to the best of my ability, but it kinda goes with the territory. I initially tore the hip flexor in March front squatting 500, re-tore it in July while competing, and re-tore it again in September. I've spent the offseason trying to ensure that it won't happen again, but I won’t know that until I get in a competition.


(E) Where did you start your weight training journey?

(CS) I've been lifting off and on since I can remember. It has been consistently since high school though. It started just as most people start, with various bodybuilding routines. It has slowly evolved over the last decade to what it is today. I started competing in 1999 in Strongman and Highland Games. I then turned Pro in HG in 2003 as the #1 ranked amateur in the country. I then became top 10 in the USA in 04, 05, 06, 07, and currently.


(E)Where you involved in any youth sports?


(CS) When I was young I played soccer until I got to junior high school, then I switched to football and while in high school I tore my ACL and MCL and that ended my football career. I had no desire to return after that, for fear I would be slower and unable to play like I thought I should have. In hindsight, I probably should have returned to playing, lol.

(E) I have read that even though your wife is a highly successful powerlifter, that you have stated putting on the bench shirts and squat suits were just not for you. Can you explain the difference in powerlifting training and strongman training compared to something like the Highland Games training?

(CS) Well, they are really just night and day. Equipped powerlifting has essentially zero athletic carryover. Being able to squat in a suit or bench in a shirt really only means just that. And to be highly successful at that, a lot of time is needed in the equipment. Strongman, and even more so Highland Games, is much more athletic and there are many facets of training that can and are beneficial from explosive lifting and plyos all the way to grinding deadlifts. I train to be strong and I train to be athletic.

(E) Do you feel that being married to someone like Kara Bohigian-Smith who is involved in a totally different aspect of sport is a benefit to both of you since you can support each other without being around the same events, same people, same venues, etc?

(CS) Absolutely. Kara is awesome and we greatly benefit from each other and our different experiences in the strength world. She is such a phenomenal athlete herself, having participated in a number of sports, as well as a number of strength sports. It's very nice to be able to discuss training and competition and bounce ideas off each other. There is no doubt that both of our training has gotten better as a result of each other.

(E) Craig, I see that you are a huge endorser of such exercises that display drive and power from the front of your body such as zercher squats and front squats. Can you explain the priority to train these exercises with greater emphasis than an exercise like the back squat?

(CS) Well, to be honest, those exercises actually started out of necessity for me. I have back issues that include fractured and broken vertebrae in my L4-L5-S1 area and I just can't take much spinal compression without being in pain for the next week or longer. I needed a way to squat without having to put a bar on my back and that's when I started zercher squatting. I found that the zercher squats (front squats too) really hammered my core as well as giving me the traditional back squat benefits. A bulletproof core pretty much ensures an increase in not only lifts in the gym, but athletic performance on the field.

(E) In a culture that is so dominated by professional sports such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB with huge sponsors; how do you feel you can provide more awareness to the Highland Games ?

(CS) Well, from an individual standpoint the only things you can do are to make people more aware. Once most people who are into strength sports are exposed to highland games they love them. It's finding highland games that can sometimes be difficult. We used to get our share of time on ESPN, but lack of money has essentially put a halt to that.

(E) As I'm a believer as what is always popular isn't always best, do you feel over time that more people might step up to the plate with sponsorship money?

(CS) I obviously hope so, but I’m not sure that’s in the cards. There is just no big equipment manufacturer, specific shoes worn, etc… that is usually needed for a sport to thrive with sponsorship.


(E) I'm very impressed with the sportsmanship from all the competitors involved, can you elaborate more on how you guys are truly one big family?

(CS) Highland games are really not like any other when it comes to camaraderie. Pretty much everyone from the #1 Pro on down is willing to help a fellow competitor.

(E) Most people don't realize a day of competition can be an 8-9 hr day of events for you. How do you develop the work capacity to handle such a day of sport?

(CS) The beginning of every season is usually quite a shock to my body conditioning-wise, as it’s really hard to prepare. When you start throwing in the summer heat at 9am and the last throw is taken at 5pm, it can really be brutal. I actually have to compete about three or four times before my body is used to it. I haven’t found another way around that, despite trying all kinds of various training. Those few comps are hell on the body afterwards!

Thanks Craig for giving me the time and I really appreciate it. I'm sure the readers and your fans will enjoy this as well. Kara and her fans will also be reading this with great interest as well.

[saiyanjin]

good read!

[C. Smith]

Big thanks to Evidence for actually wanting to do this, lol!

I appreciate it.

[Blut Wump]

Thanks to each of you.

[MR. BMJ]

STICKIED!!!

Awesome read guys, thanks for that, it was very nice of you both

BMJ

[C. Smith]

Thanks sai, blut, bmj!

[kook]

Nice stuff, thank you for that craig and evidence.

Can we add other questions in here for craig?

[C. Smith]

Absolutely. We can turn this thread into "Ask Craig anything..." lol!

[kara]

is it true that you exist mainly on hamburger helper, ice cream and snack cakes?

[Blut Wump]

We call that 'food' on this forum.

[C. Smith]

Originally Posted by kara

is it true that you exist mainly on hamburger helper, ice cream and snack cakes?

Yes, that is absolutely true. With a regular addition of pizza, obv.

[kara]

lol. ok, is it true that you have a female dog named roger?

[C. Smith]

Originally Posted by kara

lol. ok, is it true that you have a female dog named roger?

Yes, that is also true.

Roger, teh wunder dog. And, yes, she is female.

Sometime we call her Reggie though. Reginald P. Jones, that is.

[kook]

During competition season I thought you competed quite a bit? How often? Do you feel like recovery is not an issue? How do you treat a comp(like a training day?) or do you deload for a week, compete, then take a week or 2 off?

[C. Smith]

Originally Posted by kook

During competition season I thought you competed quite a bit? How often? Do you feel like recovery is not an issue? How do you treat a comp(like a training day?) or do you deload for a week, compete, then take a week or 2 off?

Well, i consider myself semi-retired so I don't compete near as much as i used to, but i will still compete at least 11 times this year. I had many 20+ competition seasons though, which was competing pretty much every damn weekend.

Recovery for me has not been an issue, but like i said in the previous thread from the other day, if i feel like i need a day off, i take it. I'm not so blind to think that missing one workout will set me back in my goals or anything. I don't have to stick to a set in stone plan and get it done no matter what. I know my body, and i think that allows for a good bit of flexibility in someone's training. This didn't happen instantly, and it took me many years to figure it all out, and honestly, im still learning. But now, finally, i have a good grip on what works.

And yea, a competition is a training day. It's a balls-out max effort training day. My body has no idea if im in the gym or out of the country throwing somewhere. It just knows it's getting worked. Hard.

I like to lift heavy year round, and i feel that if i don't i start to lose strength. And that plays hell with my mind. I've learned that i can't do true ME singles during the season unless i have 2 weeks to recover from it. ONe of leassons that taught me that one:

In May, i did my 605 Zercher the tuesday before i competed. On Saturday, I felt slow and lacked the explosion i thought i should have. I noted it and moved on.

In July, the Wednesday before a competition i pulled a fairly easy 655. Good weight, but not a max single and i felt awesome for Saturday's comp. Fine line? Sure, but i knew (read: learned) where it was and was smart enough to call it there.

I never really deload the week before, and something i started doing last year that made a difference was the addition of some light explosive stuff the day or two before a comp to fire the CNS. I would lift "heavy" on Tuesday and they on Thursday or Friday i would do 4 sets of doubles with 135 psnatch and 4 sets of doubles with 135 in the split jerk. I always felt explosive when i did this, and will continue to do it this year.

I can usually make 4 comps in a row before i need a full week off, and i think i only have one or two runs like that this year. But like i said, i absolutely do not hesitate to take a rest day if i feel like i need it.

I hope i answered that, i get to just rambling on, but im sure there's some knowledge in there somewhere. Please continue to ask about anything,esp if i didnt answer it, talking training is something i really enjoy...

[kook]

Thanks Craig, pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

How about a link to a website for who puts on Highland games, is there one fed like amateur strongman right now, or how does it work.
Are there pro shows and then amateur shows or a mix?

H games sounds fun, and there is a place nearby I could train the hammer throw and shotput, if there is some local show, would be fun to do, there's that one in NH every year(not far from me), but sounds like pros compete there?