Despite setbacks, Hafthor Bjornsson is geared up for a strongman comeback. Brian Shaw have a conversation with a legendary Hafthor Bjornsson where he unveiled his mindset heading into three strongman contests and discussed his unwavering commitment to the sport.
“I obviously feel good about it,” Bjornsson added. “I’ve got to listen to my body. That’s number one and to make sure not to get ahead of myself. That’s the main thing.”
Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest strongman talents, Hafthor Bjornsson has earned a stellar reputation for his formidable strength and power. Being the sole man to secure victories in the Arnold Strongman Classic, Europe’s Strongest Man, and World’s Strongest Man in the same calendar year, “The Mountain’s” contest appearances are always extraordinary.
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Initially eyeing a statement in powerlifting, Bjornsson’s plans took a turn when he tore his pec attempting a 556.7-pound bench press. Halting his powerlifting ambitions, Bjornsson prioritized healing. With the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic on the horizon, he shared with Brian Shaw his approach to the impending strongman return.
Hafthor Bjornsson Teams Up with Brian Shaw to Discuss 2024 Arnold Strongman Comeback: ‘Who Knows, I Might Win’
Bjornsson reveals that his upcoming three-show stretch will feature the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic, the Arnold in Birmingham, and the Rogue Invitationals.
“Yeah, well I’ve decided to compete at the Arnold in Columbus, Ohio in March and then the Arnold in Birmingham. It’s two weeks later. Then, the Rogue Invitationals, those are the three shows that I have dedicated myself to. But who knows… I might compete more.”
Just bouncing back from his injury, Bjornsson intends to ease into his training.
“Keeping that in the back of my head that I’ve got to be careful. I’ve got to listen to my body. If I feel like my body is not strong enough to lift something, I’m not going to push.”
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While acknowledging he can’t go “all-in,” ‘Thor’ remains confident that he poses a significant threat at any strongman competition.
“I feel like my body might need more time to go absolutely all-in. I’m not going to risk an injury again. Sure, so I’m going to try to be, very obviously well-prepared, select the weights very carefully, not trying to chase the guys, if that makes sense, but just do what I know I should be able to lift without getting injured. Since this is my first competition coming back I’ve got to be a bit careful.
“I still believe that I’m going to be a danger. I still believe I can do a lot of damage there and if the guys are not prepared who knows, I might win. We’ll see. We’ll see. I know the guys are obviously, I have a lot of respect for the guys. It’s going to be a hell of a show, for me to be able to win, I would have to be extremely strong.”
While Shaw stepped away from his legendary strongman career, he’s thrilled to watch Hafthor Bjornsson make his return.“It’ll be fun for me to watch and see where you can get to and how you approach it and whatever. Obviously, if you have questions or whatever, I’m more than willing to give insight because it’s just – it is different as you get to be kind of that mid-30s range.
It’s just it’s one of those things where having that confidence to trust yourself but not have to prove it in training necessarily, right? You just know it’s going to be there and it’s in the tank when you walk into the contest,” explains Shaw.
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Since transitioning from strongman competitions, Shaw is still undecided on an ideal weight.
“I haven’t really picked a number [what weight I want to be]. It’s kind of been in my head like I want to go down to maybe each kind of five or 10 pounds and see how I feel. Then, I mean… at the end of the day I love lifting and I love training. So I’m going to do that forever.
It’s not something where I’m okay I’m retiring from strongman now I’m not going to do any training or anything like that. I love it and I will always be in the gym. The question is what weight do I feel the best and I feel like I look the way I want to look and I’m happy right? I have to answer that question and it’s an interesting one man. I’m sure you got quite a bit of this,” explains Brian Shaw.
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Speaking about his recent challenges, Shaw mentioned that mastering boxing footwork has proven to be the most challenging aspect so far:
Managing that, because he said, for me, I’m just too heavy to do too much of that. I’ve been on a treadmill, incline, really fast, getting my heart rate up and maintaining that. I’ve done some stair mill and things like that, which that one will beat you up a little bit more from the constant climbing. Knees are good right now, knock on wood,” added Shaw.
“We have to manage how much of the footwork and how much of a beating I take on that stuff because he’s like, ‘we can’t do that to you where you’re going to get so so beat up and get so inflamed.’
“I feel okay with moving around, but I’ve got to get better with the footwork, I’ve got to get better with everything. The footwork has to get better.”
Debates Over the Greatest Strongman Intensify
The ongoing debate about the greatest strongman athlete recently flared up as the reigning World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic titleholder, Mitchell Hooper, compared his competitive record to Bjornsson’s and Eddie Hall’s. Ultimately, Mitchell favored his achievements over Eddie Hall, but conceded that Thor had the edge in terms of accolades.
Looking ahead, the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus, Ohio, scheduled for March 1 and 2, will host 11 of the world’s most powerful strongman competitors. Having recovered from a pec tear, Hafthor Bjornsson is eager to prove himself but will approach the event cautiously to avoid another setback.
Watch the full video from the Shawstrength Podcast YouTube channel below:
Overview
Despite setbacks, Hafthor Bjornsson is ready for a strongman return, sharing insights with Brian Shaw. His cautious approach and commitment to strategic training mark his comeback. The legendary strongman aims for the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic, among other events. Brian Shaw, though retired, eagerly anticipates ‘Thor’s’ return.
In a separate discussion, Shaw explores post-strongman life, grappling with an ideal weight and challenges in boxing ventures. The ongoing debate on the greatest strongman athlete intensifies, adding anticipation to the upcoming strongman contests.
Featured Image @Shawstrength, @thorBjornsson, @SHAWSTRENGTH PODCAST (YouTube)
