Hafthor Björnsson Returns to Strongman with Renewed Focus and Determination
As the saying goes, “once a strongman, always a strongman.” This certainly seems to be the case for Hafthor Björnsson, who is now refocusing his attention on his original sport after briefly dipping his toes into the world of boxing. The 2018 World’s Strongest Man champion is determined to rebuild the strength and power that made him a household name in the strongman community.
Hafthor Björnsson’s Raw Squat of 420 Kilograms Demonstrates Incredible Leg Power
Hafthor Björnsson is wasting no time in his return to strongman, as evidenced by a recent video he shared on Apr. 3, 2023. The video shows Björnsson effortlessly executing a raw back squat of 420 kilograms (925.9 pounds) during a training session. Despite wearing a lifting belt and knee wraps, there is no denying the sheer power and strength of his legs as he completes the squat with ease. This impressive display of athleticism is a testament to Björnsson’s unwavering determination and hard work.
In a Instagram post; He said
“420kg squat has never felt easier,” he wrote. “Strength is coming back faster than I anticipated.”
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Hafthor Björnsson is not one to rest on his laurels. Just days after successfully squatting 420 kilograms (925.9 pounds), the strongman is already eyeing his next goal. On Apr. 15, 2023, Björnsson plans to attempt a squat of 440 kilograms (970 pounds), matching his all-time best performance from the 2018 WRPF-Iceland Thor’s Powerlifting Challenge. This ambitious goal demonstrates Björnsson’s unrelenting drive and determination to push himself to his physical limits. As his Instagram profile shows, the athlete has been steadily preparing for this one-rep max, and fans around the world eagerly anticipate the results.
Hafthor Björnsson’s Slow But Steady Ascent Back to Strength
Hafthor Björnsson’s journey back to the top has been a gradual one, but his latest feat of strength suggests that he’s on the right track. Over the course of approximately three months, Björnsson has added an impressive 195 kilograms (429.9 pounds) to his squat training weight. Despite stepping away from lifting for a little while, he likely retained much of his strength and benefited from “muscle memory,” which allowed him to shake off the rust from his squat mechanics.
Björnsson’s incremental progress has been noteworthy, with the powerlifter/strongman gradually increasing the weight of his raw squats in recent months. He began with a 225-kilogram (496-pound) raw squat for five reps, then progressed to a 260-kilogram (573.2-pound) raw squat for three reps, and finally notched a 350-kilogram (771.6-pound) raw squat about five weeks ago. Most recently, he squatted 380 kilograms (837.7 pounds) raw, just a week before his latest achievement.
It’s impressive to nearly double his starting weight in such a short period of time, and Björnsson’s reported body weight of 177 kilograms (390 pounds) is also noteworthy. That’s 20.4 kilograms (45 pounds) lighter than his 2018 squat performance, indicating that he’s making progress on multiple fronts.
If Björnsson achieves his 440-kilogram (970-pound) goal by mid-April 2023, he will have made his formal return to the strength sports’ fray. And given his recent progress, there’s little doubt that “The Mountain” is well on his way.
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Björnsson plans to break Daniel Bell’s world record
Hafthor Björnsson is not content with just one goal in his return to strength sports. He has announced that he plans to break Daniel Bell’s raw (with wraps) World Record total of 1,182.5 kilograms (2,606.9 pounds) from the 2021 WRPF Hybrid Showdown III in the +140-kilogram weight class. Recently, Björnsson deadlifted 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) raw alongside Bell at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF), proving that he is capable of such a feat.
Björnsson to make a strongman comeback in 2024
Hafthor Björnsson’s ambitions do not stop at breaking world records. In 2024, he plans to return to competitive strongman for the first time since 2020. Björnsson has a reputation for putting on a show in his competitions, so his comeback will likely be no exception. Fans of strength sports will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating his return.
Overview:
Hafthor Björnsson, former World’s Strongest Man champion, is refocusing his attention on strongman after a brief stint in boxing. He has been steadily preparing for his comeback, as evidenced by his impressive squat performance of 420 kilograms (925.9 pounds) during a recent training session. Björnsson plans to attempt a squat of 440 kilograms (970 pounds) on Apr. 15, 2023, which will match his all-time best performance. He also aims to break Daniel Bell’s raw World Record total of 1,182.5 kilograms (2,606.9 pounds) in the +140-kilogram weight class. In 2024, he plans to return to competitive strongman for the first time since 2020.
Courtesy Image @thorbjornsson (Instagram)
