Icelandic strongman Hafthor Björnsson, widely considered one of the most powerful strength athletes in the world, is hard at work preparing for the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic. It will be Björnsson’s first competition in more than three years.
Björnsson shared a video of his preparation with fans, in which he lifted a whopping 925 pounds. Though that sounds lethal, Björnsson started with smaller weights and patiently increased his pace from there, adding 110.2 additional pounds per set. To prevent from maxing himself out, Björnsson allowed himself an eight-minute rest between each interval.
Björnsson originally intended to lift a little over 900 pounds, but felt encouraged to go for the full 925 on the day. It’s a miraculous show just three months after he tore his pectoral muscle clear off of the bone during a September bench press (via Fitness Volt). He later underwent surgery to correct the injury, posting some graphic post-op photos.
Shortly afterward, Björnsson announced he would be returning for 2024’s Strongman Classic. He’d previously “retired” after 2020’s competition. Before his injury, the sportsman had his sights set on claiming the all-time world record for raw powerlifting, but he’s curtailed that goal for the time being.
“As of now, because of the injury, I feel like it’s the smartest decision for me step away for a little bit, keep training, keep building up the static strength, then at some point later on in my journey, maybe a year from now, two years from now, three years from now, I might pick it back up,” Björnsson explained in a September YouTube video.
“I set my goals so high, and I was getting strong so fast—my body wasn’t ready for it. And that’s why I got injured in my opinion,” he continued. “I need to be smarter in training. I need to give myself more time to build up that static strength. That’s why I have another goal in mind,” Björnsson said of his decision to return to Strongman.
He admitted in his most recent video that he’s still struggling with some exercises in the wake of his pec injury, such as the sandbag-to-shoulder lifts he does near the end. But Björnsson doesn’t have any doubt about his heavy lifting ability in the upcoming Strongman Classic.
“I feel great, man. I will be surprised if I don’t pull 450-kg (992-lb) at Arnold’s,” he said in the video. “My body knows how to be strong. I have been strong before, and I will get to the stage where I am strong again.”
Björnsson was named World’s Strongest Man in 2018, and has been crowned Europe’s Strongest Man five times. He placed first in three consecutive Arnold Strongman competitions, in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic will take place March 1–2 in Columbus, OH. You can watch Björnsson’s full workout video below.
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