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Icelandic professional strongman and actor Hafthor Bjornsson showcased his strength by squatting 300 kg (661 lb) for two repetitions with ease. With 30 international competition wins, Hafthor is the third most decorated strongman in history behind Lithuania's Zydrunas Savickas and Poland's Mariusz Pudzianowski. In 2018, he became the first and the only person to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic, the Europe's Strongest Man, and the World's Strongest Man competitions in the same calendar year. Due to his brute strength and dominance across every single strongman event, many analysts and strongman experts regard Hafthor as "the strongest man to have ever lived".
Hafthor Bjornsson grabbed worldwide fame as an actor portraying Ser Gregor Clegane (The Mountain) in the HBO series Game of Thrones for five seasons. Recently, the Icelandic giant from Reykjavík transformed his physique by losing 55 kg (121 lb) in a span of 18 months. This was in preparation for the boxing match against fellow strongman Eddie Hall, over disputes regarding the 2017 World's Strongest Man placings.
It is clear, however, that despite the immense weight loss and focus on boxing over the past two years, Hafthor Bjornsson still maintains his elite strength. He regularly shares strength updates on his YouTube channel and Instagram, and has been focusing on bringing up his strength as of late, with speculations that he may compete in a powerlifting meet in the near future.
Hafthor Bjornsson Crushes 300 kg (661.3 lb) Squat for Two Repetitions
Donning a lifting belt and knee sleeves, Hafthor began the video with his typical Viking routine of psyching himself up using smelling salts. Getting under the bar, he comfortably squatted 300 kg for two clean, fast reps. Ending the video with his usual roar, Hafthor Bjornsson casually announced his return to the strength world.
Although Hafthor did not mention his bodyweight in the video, 300 kg is still an impressive weight despite the fact that he has squatted much heavier weights in the past, with his personal best being a 460 kg (1,014 lb) squat. However, the 120 lb weight loss and detraining did not drain Hafthor Bjornsson of his legendary strength; it had been dormant. The decades of strength training experience still count so much. He will look to capitalize on this momentum to help propel him to bigger PRs in the future.
In the strongman world, Hafthor has managed to set records that are sure to remain unbroken, including
- 2018 World’s Strongest Man Winner
- 3x Arnold Strongman Classic Winner
- 5x Europe’s Strongest Man Winner
- 2018 World’s Ultimate Strongman Winner
- 10x Iceland Strongest Man Winner
- All-Time Deadlift World Record of 501-kg (1,104.5)
Hafthor Julius Bjornsson lifted 501 kg (1104.5 lb) on the deadlift during the 2020 World’s Ultimate Strongman “Feats of Strength” series. Bjornsson achieved this record at his personal gym in Reykjavik, Iceland, and despite being sponsored by Rogue, it's still considered by some to be unofficial.
His boxing fight and subsequent victory over Eddie "The Beast" Hall gained international fame. Known as "The Heaviest Boxing Match in History", the exhibition boxing match took place on March 19, 2022, with Hafthor dominating the match with superior cardio and boxing technique. Hafthor Bjornsson is now looking to move forward with his boxing career, with likely future opponents in boxing world champion Tyson Fury and bodybuilder Martyn Ford.
Recently, the 6'9" former basketballer returned to deadlifting heavy, demolishing 300 kg for an easy 3 reps.
Having lost a significant amount of weight for his health, Hafthor has greatly increased his stamina and recovery capacity. Apart from the visible benefits, Hafthor has gained a lot more mobility and functional strength. He had occasional sleep troubles in the past after heavy meals due to his large body weight, and these issues seem to have disappeared as well with his incredible body transformation.
At the peak of his strongman career, Hafthor Bjornsson used to consume 10,000 calories a day to maintain a 200–205 kg (441–452 lb) physique. He currently consumes around 5000 calories to maintain his weight of 150 kg.
He is married to Canadian fitness model Kelsey Morgan Henson and has a 2-year-old son, Stormur Magni Hafthorsson.
What do you think of Hafthor's impressive feat of strength? Let us know in the comments below.
