Hafthor Bjornsson is almost ready to come out of retirement, as his most recent workout featured a 1,000.9-pound (454-kilogram) Elephant Bar Deadlift. The Icelandic Strongman shared the lift to YouTube and Instagram on February 2nd, while also revealing that he has not moved as much weight in the past four years.
Hafthor Bjornsson started his recent training session with a few sets of lighter weights and progressively increased the load with each set. Ultimately, he decided to give the 1,000.9-pound (454-kilogram) deadlift a shot and walked away extremely satisfied after locking it out.
Hafthor Bjornsson only used a lifting belt and lifting straps to deadlift 1,000.9 pounds (454 kilograms), since he will not be allowed to use anything else when he competes. In addition, Hafthor used an elephant barbell, as the same one will be used at the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic.
Having done everything in his power to get ready for the lift, Hafthor Bjornsson braced and pulled the bar with tremendous power. Surprisingly, Hafthor made the lift look extremely easy and comfortable, proving that he might put up an even higher number when he competes.
“I’m actually a little bit shocked how well this went up. It actually felt lighter than the 413-kg (910.5-lb)… I am f***ing back!!”
Watch Hafthor Bjornsson’s deadlift here:
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Hafthor Bjornsson is looking and feeling extremely strong at this point of his preparation. It was not all smooth sailing, as he had some minor tweaks that prevented him from lifting heavy. However, he took it one step at a time and made some mind-blowing progress in a very short timeframe.
One that required a lot of effort was gaining bodyweight, as he had slimmed down massively for his Boxing match and remained in a similar range since. However, he has now revealed that his current bodyweight is 191 kilograms (421.1 pounds), which is close to the physique that he carried during his peak years.
Hafthor Bjornsson initially set some goals for powerlifting in 2023, but his dreams were cut short due to an unfortunate pec tear. However, after recovering properly, Hafthor decided to return to Strongman, where he believes that he can still do a lot of damage. He plans to take part in three competitions over the course of 2024, but has not ruled out any additional appearances.
Hafthor Bjornsson has taken part in 73 International and National competitions during his career so far, out of which he won 38. Among them, Hafthor has secured a WSM gold medal, 3x Arnold Strongman Classic titles, 5x Europe’s Strongest Man wins, and the iconic Deadlift World Record, Hafthor has all the stats to back up his legacy. However, it is clear that there is more to come in the future.
Watch the full video here:
Related: Hafthor Bjornsson Deadlifts 420-kg (925.9-lb) In Preparation for 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic
For reference, the Elephant Bar Deadlift event was featured at last year’s Arnold Strongman Classic, where no one managed to lock out 1,000 pounds (453.6 kilograms). So, seeing how Hafthor Bjornsson has now exceeded the milestone with ease, he will be looking forward to displaying his strength at an official competition stage.
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