Josh Goldthorp, age 26, and weighing 270 lbs. at a height of 6'4" is a Nationally Ranked Heavy Events Athlete. He suffered a massive heart failure in 2008 at age 19 and wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to compete again. But with the encouragement of his friends and family, he was able to make a full recovery. As a result of his heart failure, he's been competing with a defibrillator in his chest ever since. Goldthorp went on to win the CSAF Amateur Championships in 2010 and made his debut as a professional athlete in 2012. Let's learn more about this Scottish Heavy Events Pro athlete!
Q: Where do you train?
A: Right now I'm training at BLM Barbell in Abbotsford, British Columbia. It's the kind of place where you can't find a mirror and chalk use is encouraged. It's definitely a place to get some real lifting done! I highly recommend it for anyone looking to get serious about their training.
Q: Where do you call home?
A: I'm currently living in Langley, BC. I'm glad to be out here because it gives me the opportunity to throw outdoors all year round. We only had two days of snow last year, which is rare for Canada.
Q: How did you get introduced to the weights – by family, sports, friends, your own interest?
A: I got into weight training during my hockey career. I was bumped up an age group when I was 15 because I was a big kid. I was 6'4" and 210 lbs. at that age, so the coaches thought it would be best to move me up a group where I wouldn't be the biggest kid on the ice. It was very intimidating for me, so the only way I was going to be more comfortable was to be as strong, if not stronger than the older guys out there. I hit the gym hard and made some huge leaps in my athletic ability that year. Since then I've quit my competitive hockey career but I still have the iron bug. I love weight training and learning different styles and techniques.
Q: And how did you discover the Highland Games?
A: My Dad started throwing in the games when I was ten. Naturally, I wanted to try it myself. I threw in my first Highland Games when I was 15 and haven't stopped competing since. I still have the date scribed on my sheaf fork from the first time I ever beat my dad at an event.
Q: Can you say more about your family? Do you have siblings who lift? Does your father still train?
A: My dad still competes in the Masters class (Over 40). This year he had to take the training back a little bit as he suffered a small biceps tear. What surprises people the most is the fact that my mother competes in the games as well! She was the world women's masters' caber champion at one point. This year she finished 5th in Canada for the Professional women's class. I also have a younger sister who is currently competing as an amateur in the Crossfit circuit in Ontario. You could say we're a bit obsessed with competition.
Q: That's amazing! What sports did you play growing up?
A: I played hockey for 14 years. Through high school I also played provincial rugby, volleyball, baseball, and basketball. I basically played whatever I could while I was there. There's never been a time where I wasn't involved in one sport or another.
Q: Any advice for those wanting to get into the sport?
A: Many highland games will run a school or a training camp for beginners/amateurs prior to the actual festival. You can usually find out about these from their individual websites. Another thing you can do is follow specific athletes on social media that run training camps. I usually run two or three a year. I know other professionals will run a few as well while they're travelling around the world.
It doesn't usually take much to get in contact with someone who can help you out. A great book to get early on is Matt Vincent's "Throwing Lab". This book outlines the techniques for throwing and gives you a list of equipment that you should invest in to help you throw. It's a good resource to have for beginners.
Q: Do you have any additional information on your training camps? How many people do you generally work with at a time? Where are the camps held?
A: The training camps I usually run are one-day camps and they're held in Langley, BC as well as Bracebridge, Ontario. I'm also looking at running a couple camps in Washington state and Victoria, BC. I usually send out notice about three weeks prior to the actual date that I've picked out. I usually only work with a maximum of 8-10 people. That way I can spend time with each person on their technique.
I also go through specific lifts that would help out for a specific event. We usually end up having a BBQ or something afterward just to top things off and celebrate this awesome sport.
Q: Your camps sound great. Small enough to provide one-on-one training, but a big enough group to provide lots of camaraderie and motivation. What is your overall training philosophy?
A: My overall philosophy is to be a good all 'round athlete. When it comes to Highland Games, we as throwers have to be many different things. We have to be strong, fast, explosive, and very technical. I've seen many people, much stronger than myself, attempt these events only to realize that there's more to it than just static strength. You may be able to bench press 600 lbs., but you'll probably be embarrassed by a guy half your size when it comes to throwing a hammer. I've incorporated Powerlifting, Olympic lifting and strong man into my training to keep me on my toes and be ready for anything.
Q: How long have you been training?
A: I've been training for the games for 11 years now. It's definitely been a different learning experience because I didn't come from a throwing background, so learning all of the throwing techniques took a while for me to pick up. I've spent many frustrating nights on the field trying to figure things out.
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or mentor?
A: My dad has been the driving force for me. He's always there to push me when I need it. I've also been fortunate enough to meet some great people throughout my highland games career that have helped me become the athlete I am today. I won't name all of them because there is a long list, but you guys all know who you are. The highland games is a great community and I have yet to meet a professional thrower who wouldn't help someone out with some throwing technique or training advice.
Q: What are the contests you are most proud of?
A: So far I have won the Canadian Junior Championship as well as the Canadian Amateur Championship. I'm very proud of those accomplishments and I hope to get the Professional Canadian title one day to add to that collection.
Josh's Personal Bests:
Braemar Stone: 35'8"
Open Stone: 44'9"
Heavy Weight for distance (56lb): 38'11"
Light weight for distance (28lb): 74'
Heavy Hammer: (22lb): 106'2"
Light Hammer (16lb): 127'5"
Weight for height (56lb): 16'
Sheaf (20lb): 29'
Q: What's a typical day like for you?
A: There is no such thing for me. I have a career outside of the highland games and I work a shift work schedule. I basically get my training in whenever I can. Sometimes it's at 7 a.m. and other times I'm closing the gym around 2 a.m. I'm not a big fan of having a timed schedule, especially for training, because if you miss a training day/time slot you feel like you've let yourself down and for an athlete it can be a bummer. By training when I can, or when I feel I'm ready, I can get the most out of my workouts and schedule.
Q: Can you say anything about your career?
A: I've been a Federal Corrections officer for the past 3.5 years. This job has given me the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Police and Fire Games in Fairfax, Virginia next year. I'll be competing in the shot put and discus.
Q: And how much sleep do you get each day?
A: I usually try and get 9 hours, but that's not always the case. Life gets in the way of this most of the time.
Q: Do you recommend any supplements?
A: For two years now I've been fortunate enough to have Athletic Alliance Sports Supplements as a sponsor. They have some of the best quality supplements around and I highly recommend giving them a try. My favorite product from them is their Prodigy Protein powder. It's a 7-source blend that contains no soy and is sweetened with Stevia! Three grams of carbs per scoop and 27 grams of protein. You really can't go wrong with this stuff. Check them out at http://www.athleticalliance.net
Q: As a strength athlete, do you count macros and similar? Do you have a meal plan or a set number of meals?
A: I'm not too picky about how many meals I get in during the day, however I do usually count all of my calories to make sure that I'm getting the right amount for the training that I'm doing. For instance, early off-season is where I like to put on most of my size so my calorie count is sitting around 6000-6500. Anything more than that and I tend to put on more fat than muscle.
Most of the food I eat consists of very lean meats and all the vegetables I can stuff in my face. Costco has basically become my second home. I also include Prodigy protein to help supplement when I need the protein content. Carbohydrates are eaten in the morning and then kept to a minimum during the day. Those will usually be oats and some kind of multigrain bread. If I do have carbs with a meal during the day it takes up a very small percentage of the meal.
Q: What are the three most important movements for people trying to build strength?
A: For me, the three lifts that have helped me build strength the fastest are squats, deadlift and power cleans. I've never been a bench press kind of guy because it is so specific. I still add it to my training but it's used as an accessory lift. I like the full body movements for overall strength. When it comes to the games, 80% of our power comes from our legs and hips, so that is where most of my focus is directed.
Q: What is the worst competitive experience you've had (injury, etc.)?
A: One of our events is called the Sheaf toss. Basically it's a 20 lbs. burlap bag that's thrown over a bar for height with a 2 or 3 tine pitch fork. Well, when I was 17 I was messing around with some new techniques in practice and somehow I ended up stabbing myself in the knee with the pitch fork.
Q: Ouch! Did you have a lengthy recovery?
A: It was a glancing blow and didn't end up stuck in my leg but I ended up with a good scar. For the next season I was a little gun shy, to say the least, when it came to that event. I even considered wearing a hockey shin pad to get over it!
Q: Any advice for regular people trying to take their training to the competitive level?
A: If you are truly wanting to take your training to a competitive level, you have to be willing to understand that there are going to be sacrifices that you need to make. You have to take your training goals and put them ahead of everything else. You do not stop until your goals are met. Also, if you are trying to be anything other than a bodybuilder, get out of the commercial gyms. These places have become a social club and are not helping you achieve what you want to achieve. Most of these places are busy; full of people who think they know what they're doing and most of the time these gyms don't have the proper set-up for lifters.
Get yourself in contact with someone who knows what they're doing and get into a facility that allows for real lifting to take place. Leave the mirrors and tanning kits for the bodybuilders.
Q: Training partners, yes or no?
A: Once and a while is fine for me, but for the most part I train on my own. I'm a bit of an introvert, so motivating myself is not a problem. I don't need someone yelling in my face or touching the bar to help me get it done. I'm not a big fan of the way a lot of others train. When I hit the chalk, I go hard and fast. There's very little downtime between sets for me. Quite often I've trained with big guys who take 7-10 minutes between sets and it drives me nuts.
Q: What set-rep scheme do you follow or do you mix it up? Do you do any supersets to prevent that downtime between sets?
A: Early during the 15-week workout cycle I like to keep things light, so I'll look to do weights that I can get 12-15 reps out of X 4 sets. This just gets me back into range of motion and starts getting the muscles ready for heavier weights. Later on I'll start dropping the number of reps and raising the weight. I usually work up to 2-3 rep sets. I almost never train for a 1 rep max because I'm not training to be a power lifter.
The heaviest weight I throw around, other than the caber, is 56 lbs. So realistically there is no reason for me to try and get a single slow 700 lbs. deadlift, when seven fast 500 lbs. lifts will get me better results on the field. As for downtime, I just go when I'm ready which is usually pretty quick. I'm not a fan of letting my muscles get stiff and sore between workouts. Often I'll use the time between sets to set up my next piece of equipment.
Q: How can people contact you (email, social media, etc.)?
A: Here are my social media pages:
Facebook: Athlete page Josh Goldthorp
Twitter: thethorpedo33
Instagram: Chuckinsticks
Email: [email protected]
I also have a website/blog coming out soon!
Thank you for sharing part of your story, Josh. From a massive heart failure to being a professional and sponsored athlete is an incredibly inspirational feat! Wishing you continued success in the sport and life. I really appreciate you taking the time to participate in this interview.
Discuss this interview @ http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthread.php?128631-Words-Over-the-Bar-2-Josh-Goldthorp!
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