GERRIT BADENHORST Interview Feb. 09, 2000 by Heidi Kristiansen Gerrit's Home page E-mail address     Gerrit, you have been a talented and well known strength athlete for several years. Thank you for accepting this interview. Let's start with a short personal introduction... I live in Bloemfontein, South Africa. I'm 37 years, married to Olivia, we have a two year old daughter named Ciska. My civilian occupation is sales consultant for Canon products. I've been a professional strength athlete for 8 years, which means I train, travel and compete a lot. I also do many strength appearances/shows every year.

When growing up, you did many different sports: Rugby, tennis, athletics, weightlifting. What  motivated you to become a strongman? Who did you look up to when you were younger? What were you like from the age of 10-20?
At 10 I did not even think of becoming a strongman or a weightlifter, but I started to train when I was 16 years old and got national colours for weightlifting, and later became World Champ in Powerlifting, but still did not think that I would become a pro strongman. It actually happened in 1992, when I competed in my first international strongman contest. My ideals were Antonio Pisarenko, a Russian weightlifter, and Bill Kazmaier who's powerlifting record I broke to fulfill it all. He was more an ideal to me than John Pall, I always thought that Bill had more real power and John Pall the more athletic abilities.

You have two 4th places, one 3rd place and one 2nd place in the WSM contest. You've been the World's Mighty Man. You have MANY titles in powerlifting, and you have received several awards for your athletic performances. It's a long hard road you have to walk to achieve all of this. How did you do it? What is the recipe?
Always try to set yourself goals, like in any other job, no goals no results! When I'm tired, I never stop training, but just slow down a bit. It's too hard to come back... NEVER stop training!

Besides the fact that you are a serious and talented strength athlete, we can't help but notice that you're also a funny and charming showman (off screen you probably have a temper too). But, what makes you angry and grumpy?
Can't always be funny. I'm actually a very serious type of person with great believes and morals, but I can get upset when people are unorganized, without ideals and discipline and certain views. I hate it when things are not running smoothly, and I know the reason or can see the reason... Sometimes I try to be funny during a competition to take the tension away from me or try to unsettle my opponents.

Being a "man on the roll" - you travel a lot. Which countries do you especially like?
I like Holland a lot, I feel at home because of the Language. The other countries that I like a lot are Hungary and Canada, the people always treated me so nice there.

You hurt yourself badly in the WSM 1998 Morocco, you struggled for a long time to heal and get back into shape. Please, tell us what the year 1999 meant to you, what it was like, training, competing, injuries?
I had an operation to attach my bicep tendon to the bone again in Oct 98, but Dr Kruger did a great job and I started to train in mid January 99 - slowly. The bicep is still a little bit weaker than the other one. My training picked up very nicely from March and I managed to win the Dutch Grand Prix against top guys, but failed to qualify for the WSM final in Malta. 99 was actually a great year for me in the sense that I can thank God I could compete again so soon. I need it financially and I love the sport. I was just glad to be back and to see all my friend competitors again. I thought it was all over.

Which are your best and worst events?
Any backlift, deadlift for max, overhead lift for max and a Squat of course... and I love griiiiiiip events... joking... and I am a good truckpuller.

You did great in the Hungarian and Dutch GP last year, you placed 3rd. and 1st. How many competitions did you do last year? Did you also do other great competitions?
No, I did only those two. Depends on invitation and if the guys who organize the competitions like you or not. Lazlo Fekete of HUNGARY, Marcelle Mostert and Berend Veneberg of HOLLAND like me, so they invite me. But maybe after 99 World's they will all think I am over the wall and no-one will invite me, who knows. I did bad so I deserve it. Two competitions are not enough to make you sharp. I still remember Jamie Reeves said on Dutch TV that the other athletes were easy pickups for me, because they were tired after all the competitions... but he did not realize that I "wasn't" sharp enough, from "not" having enough competitions. If you want to keep going as a good strongman, you have to compete regularly!

Would you share with us your opinions on the WSM-99 Malta (place, organizing, events, etc)?
Yes, Malta was a much better venue than Morocco, but still we waited for long periods in the sun before the equipment were ready and so on, but I suppose after all these years I must get used to it... no never... I hate any unorganized event or whatever. Unfortunately I got a lot of running events against time in my heat, and there were only one event in the finals for max weight. Not right in my eyes. You know why I won the Dutch Grand Prix - because there were lots of events for max weight, and because I am the real strongest man I won it - easily! BRING THAT ASPECT BACK PLEASE, POWER ASPECT NOT ONLY THE VIEWERS ASPECT, RUNNING AND MOVEMENT. O'yes, I also got a blurry grip event too in my heat, so what could you expect, or maybe I am really getting old.

We hope you will compete for a long time; do you have any idea of how long we get to see you compete? When the time comes to slow down as a pro, will you be seen around as a coach/referee/ organizer/etc... or is it time for being a fully committed family -and Canon man?
Maybe just this year... or maybe till 40... or maybe till 50... no I think I will stop at 40 or before that. In 3 years time. Yes, I would love to be a coach or a referee. I've actually been invited to be a referee at the Irish Grand Prix in May... Maybe they also think I'm over the wall. I will not be a full-time Canon man I think, maybe do my own thing later, I will see when the time is right to think about that.

Could you name your dearest victories of all your athletic time?
When I won the World Powerlifting Champs in Pescara and beat Bill Kaz records in the squat, dead and total 1102.5 kg, the highest total ever at a World Championship. Also the day I won the World Mighty Man Competition in South Africa against Jamie Reeves at his top, Magnus ver Magnusson, Gary Taylor and Manfred Hoeberl.

Have you received offers to do TV-commercials, or movies? If so, would you tell us what?
Never in my life, only one video promotion for a private steel company to customers - remember in South Africa if you don't play Rugby or Soccer, no-one knows you. I've been known by more people from overseas than in my own country.
 

Important to know - your best lifts: bench: 255 kg squat: 450 kg deadlift: 402.5 kg without straps from  the ground, Powerlifting rules. loglift for max: 177.5 kg rocklift: 135 kg, but done 150 in Hungary  other lifts: 142,5 kg snatch, 175 kg clean & jerk 19 years old - 98 kg bodymass world records:  World Powerlifting total record 1102.5 kg What is your preferable nickname? "BREKER" - at school, meaning: breaker - broke all the records at school in athletics and so on... and broke all the girls' hearts... joke... they broke mine :-) What do you like to eat and drink, do you cook?  I drink lots of water, but also beer. I eat 5 dozen eggs per week, I like chicken and red meat a lot, and I barbecue chops or steaks every weekend (yummie). Your favourite colour/s? Blue & red.

Who do you admire today (any person), and why?
Pavarotti! If I can have a second life, I would love to sing like him, or be very good in a sport like golf - making money without sweating..

How many official strongman competitions do you have in South Africa during a year?
Normally we have only one SA'S OPEN per year, and a team competition too, which Pieter and I won in 98. Remember without money you can't do anything. To get the best guys to compete you must have decent price money for them. I will also start to host some shows 
myself. I just got the contract to organize and host the SA top 10 Strongman this year, and maybe a World top 10 at Sun City later this year.
Do you have any unofficial contests, private, maybe some just for "fun?" 
Yes, I host a lot of local little competitions just for fun, but I don't compete in those.

Can you give us any names of new South African strong talents on their way?
Malone Horn, he came just 2 points behind Pieter de Bruyn in the SA TOP 10 which I hosted in Oct 99. 
Who do you personally coach? 
Pieter de Bruyn, he is also my training partner.

In April you're doing a show at "The Christiana Potato Festival." Can you tell us about this festival and what you perform there?
It's a potato area, so they name their festival "The Potato Festival". I will try to pull a huge truck full of potatoes, and use potatoes in some of my events, to bring in the real POTATO day. I will do the normal sm events as in my website, and will like always make lots of fun of it... Make people laugh that's making my shows a success.

In your shows, you do many different strength events - lifting, carrying, pulling and loading; How do the children react, when you lift up a car with 12-20 of them inside?
They love it, I even get one of them to give me a smack in the face to get across to lift the car or whatever. That child will chat for weeks after that show how he smacked the SA Strongest Man in the face. 
Do they sometimes cry for mum, or do they just have fun? 
Some of them get afraid when I start lifting, some just want to get off and cry... but they usually love it, and so do I. 
How do you put a smile back on a grumpy kid's face? 
Normally after the children smack me, they all laugh. I work very gently towards children (and others), this is my business... if they like me, I will be back the next year. GET ME A BOOKING WHEREVER TO SHOW YOU STRENGTH AND SHOWMANSHIP - ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

In your appearances you also invite people of the audience to challenge you. Loading sandbags, carrying suitcases, or lifting bricks. You put out a bait (money), and tempt the men into battle. Has anyone from the audience ever given you a real good challenge? 
No, luckily no-one from the audience could beat me so far, remember I know how many weights to use, just enough to be too heavy for them. Sometimes a guy also succeeds, and that's great for the locals.
Has anyone ever dared/been able to knock you down (really bust you up)?
No, I can't fight... no-one is looking for trouble... haha, just a way of expression. Only been in one fight, years ago, and I gave the guy one smack - man down. I was lucky to hit him flat out, because I hate fighting ;-)

What are your goals/ambitions in strength for year 2000?
I don't know, I'm just training as hard as I can, and when something comes up, I will go and do my best. I can't say anymore that I'm gonna win the WSM, because I know I can never do it the way the show is moving.

What was/will be your first official contest this year? Which official/international contests do you have on your schedule for this year (so far)?
Maybe one in Hungary in May or June. I got no schedule of events so far. I don't even know
if I will be invited to the WSM again.

Do you have any comments about the organizations: IFSA and AFSA?
Too political, no answers.

What keeps you going/motivates you, for year after year in this incredibly tough sport?
... For me just the thought of "retiring", is very tough, because I've been in it for so long. I'm afraid to stop, 'cause maybe I want to start again and then... what then? So, I will keep on till I really get the message: "That will be it, now you're over the wall Gerrit!" When I see I'm not competitive anymore at all, I will stop.

When you "hit the wall" - after bigger injuries or feeling burnt out. What makes you rise and shine again?
It's hard to rise and shine after bad injuries or after feeling burnt out, but what else is there for me that makes me happier in life than training and doing Strongman stuff - nothing! I love the athletes, they are big friends of mine and I will miss them also. That makes me rise and come back again, and also the feeling of beating my goals, you think you are gone, but come back even harder!

Could you briefly tell us how you train? Any tips for future strongmen?
I train all my muscles twice a week. Doing fitness and speedwork once a week, weekends - training events. TIPS.... I made a mistake during the years - to train too much in a gym. Now you must specialize more on the events. I know some strongmen who just train the events. They get so adapted to it that it feels normal after a while. In that way I am behind. GET YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT READY AND TRAIN WITH IT EVERY DAY!!!

What is the best way for you to really relax? Do you have a special hobby to take your mind off the 
hard work?
Listening to classical music or any other music... No jazz or country! I watch sports on TV. ANY SPORT, BUT NOT FOOTBALL (SOCCER). I don't like it!

If you could have a dream come through, what would it be?
To win the TWI World's Strongest Man contest once in my life... but, I've got my doubts :(

Who will be the Strongest Man in the World - year 2000?
If the format of the WSM stays the same, and Jouko Ahola is in it, he will win again. Svend Karlsen, Hugo Girard, Magnus Samuelsson - good candidates. Maybe Riku Kiri, and Flemming Rasmussen if he comes back.

I have to ask you: You have some very good jump-swing'n'sways... Are you a good dancer? Do you prefer regular dancing... or hip-hop?
Yep! For my size I got lots of rhythm and I'm quite a good longarm, close dancer, but not 
too much hopping and so on... it makes me sweaty :)

If you lived in cold North a 1000 years ago, would you be a Viking, a farmer... or both?
I would have emigrated to a warmer country immediately if that was possible in those years.
Noooo... probably both.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us... something I forgot to ask?
Yes, I am a Christian, I believe in God and going to Church every Sunday. I still read my Bible and pray every night. I believe this is important, too many people forget the true values of life.

Last - before you send greetings to your fans, do you have a funny joke or story to share?
I bought a Kenwood hi-fi System years ago. I went up to the salesman in the shop and asked him something about the hi-fi. At that point I was busy eating a hot dog (sausage and bread). I took too much of a big bite and could not eat it, it was stuck between my teeth and my cheek, and I could not get it into my mouth again to chew it. The salesman then asked me a question, and I made the wrong decision; I tried to swallow the whole piece and it got stuck in my throat... I choked all over the hi-fi system. The whole bread and sausage all over the hi-fi system... my eyes full of tears and my nose full of...  That was a very bad experience for me and I will never forget it!
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To all my fans out there;

"Thank you so much for all your e-mails and support over the years. It's so great to know that people love to see what we do and enjoy watching it. Sorry for disappointing you the last 2 years, but I will try my best for you out there. Thanks so much, and keep on writing and supporting me." 

Your Friend
Gerrit Badenhorst (South Africa's Strongest Man)