Cameron Swart is a big boy from Texas. In case you don’t know, big boys from Texas play football. I think it’s actually written into the state constitution. However, most of these big boys finish their football careers and then walk away from the athlete life forever, progressively getting older and eventually becoming enormous old men from Texas. Cameron has gone in a different direction. When he completed his gridiron days, he decided to continue his path towards becoming one of the strongest weightlifters in America.

At the time of this article, Cameron has already won the US Junior and Senior National Championship and hit a 220 kg clean and jerk (485 lbs.) in the +105 kg class. Put together with a 170 kg snatch (374 lbs.), he’s in the small handful of superheavyweights in this country’s history who are sniffing around the magic 400 kg total. Like most of the best weightlifters in America, Cameron is trying to balance his training with the job demands that put a roof over his head. The struggle is real, but this is a man who has the heart and resilience to fight through any obstacles that stand in his way. All the great lifters in this country want to make the Olympic Team, and Cameron has his eyes focused on that goal as he attacks his daily battle with the barbell in the east Texas humidity. Catalyst Athletics is honored to give you a look into the life of one of America’s most competitive Olympic lifters.

Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.

I’m from a small town about 30 miles east of Houston called Mont Belvieu, Texas and it’s where I currently reside. I was born and raised here for most of my life besides going off to college. It’s a great little town to grow up in where in the fall, football is king. I am currently the Maintenance Coordinator for Linc Energy, an Australian-based oil company with production and drilling operations along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast, with other oil operations in Wyoming and Alaska. I oversee all maintenance throughout all of our operations on the gulf coast.

I have one brother and one sister. I am the youngest of the three, so naturally I got the bulk of the grief. We are all pretty close and I love seeing my two nephews grow up.

Other than weightlifting, I used to play football. Since I was a young kid, I played football, baseball, basketball, and participated in track & field (mostly field). I loved football and it became my primary sport through high school and I always wanted to play college football, but after winning Junior Nationals in 2005, I decided I would take the Olympic journey instead.

Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?

I first met Tim Swords, my coach to this day, when I was 10, but did not start until I was 11. The only reason I ever lifted any weights was because I wanted to be a better football player. I never knew it would take me places and become very important to my life. Though Tim Swords has been my primary coach through the years, I have been taught by several different coaches including Kyle Pierce at LSU Shreveport and a little from Zygmunt Smalcerz at the Olympic Training Center. Currently, my primary coach is Tim Swords with Jim Moser as my programming coach, and Tom Maloney who is my neurology/mental coach.

My proudest accomplishments have been winning nationals and becoming a member of Team USA Weightlifting. It’s hard to narrow down the proudest moments because to me, this sport is extremely rewarding. Every session I hit a new personal record, it’s the greatest thing in the world. Through all of the hard work and training, when I hit a PR it just means I’m one step closer to my dream.

Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.

My training method these days is a lot different than the first 15 years of my lifting career. I now work out six to seven days a week. There is no training cycle or yearly planning anymore, it’s just a weekly plan I train by. It’s a program that tests me every day, physically and mentally. When I wake up in the morning is when I start to mentally prepare for when I make it to the gym later on that evening after work. I no longer perform lifts from blocks or the hang position and never use my straps unless I tear a callous. It is a lot more aggressive approach to training than the past, but it has been working very well for me. At times, I can be a fairly aggressive lifter. I attack the bar and I like to get loud when I make big lifts. When you train with everything you’ve got all your life, when you hit a PR, what’s not to scream about?

Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?

I work Monday through Friday and it only gives me time to work out in the evenings after work, when I would like to train at least twice a day. Other than that, I have just had to adapt to my lifestyle to make it work. I am a full-time athlete, but I am also trying to advance my career in oil and gas. Unlike many programs across the country, I train in southeast Texas with no air conditioning besides a small breeze that blows through the door, and you can’t forget the high humidity levels here, which make it more fun. I am just now beginning to own my own weights to train with and my idea of recovery usually comes from a bag of ice I buy at the store. When it comes down to it, I have a place to train and a drive to be the best; these are small obstacles, but I make it work. Every time I have lifted outside of the U.S., there was no air conditioning and it was hot, so it was just another day to me. The only obstacle I have ever dealt with is my back. When I was 14, I was told by several doctors that I have spondylolisthesis. From a young age, I was always told I wouldn’t and couldn’t be a weightlifter, it just was not going to be possible because of the vertebrae in my back. I suppose they were wrong.

I feel like so far I have made the right changes to myself physically and mentally to be the best I can be. As the sport goes, USA Weightlifting has grown tremendously since I started lifting back in 2001. There is a lot more awareness of our sport and in my opinion has to do a great deal with the sport of CrossFit. For me, I’m here to lift heavy weights and be a positive role model to everyone out there. I think a lot of athletes have lost their way and have forgotten exactly what they’re doing in the sport of weightlifting. When I see a bunch of lifters who make it to the international level, it’s like they forget why they went. International competitions are not vacations. It’s not a place to get autographs and take pictures or hit the beach; it’s for you to represent our country to your best ability. Until an athlete lifts, it should be all business. Make the rest of the world want your autograph and picture.

What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?

My goal for weightlifting is not only to represent the United States at the Olympics, but to show the world that we are a country that can compete with the rest of the world in this sport. I want to be a great lifter that represents the greatest country in the world.

Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?

There have been many people throughout my life that have influenced me. Growing up, the person I most looked up to was my older brother. He has always been by my side and supported me through my athletic career. The two most influential people in my life have been my coach, Tim Swords, and my grandmother. She has always taught me to be a good man and helped me grow to be who I am today. People find it funny that a hundred pound tender woman can make a super heavyweight lifter do anything by the tone of her voice.

The person who has made my success possible is my coach, Tim Swords. He has been by my side in this sport for nearly 16 years. I have not met another coach as passionate and caring about the success of USAW and the future growth of so many of the youth, whether it’s weightlifting, another sport, or just becoming a good person. Even when I went through my major back injury, and thought I was done lifting forever, he was always there to remind me of the lifter I can be. I got a phone call from him weekly, asking me when I was going to start training again. His persistence brought me back to the sport I love. My lifting was all made possible by my dad, and possibly biggest fan. He was the person who financed everything I did, from gas to get to training to paying for plane tickets and entry fees. He has always travelled with me to my meets and even flew from China to Colombia once to watch me at Junior Worlds. I also have to thank Jim Moser a great deal for being there for me and writing most of my programming for nearly the last year. He has stuck with me and given me that extra drive that I have needed. I also would need to thank Tom Maloney. He has coached me on my mental game and has improved my training a great deal. It’s amazing the direction your training will go with a little mental practice.

We appreciate your words, Cameron. You’ve done amazing things on the platform, and your best days are still ahead of you. We’ll all be watching as you continue to progress towards the biggest stage in the world.