In just over a week, the biggest and strongest men from all over the world will meet up in Bradenton, Florida (of all places) to figure out who is strongest at the aptly titled World’s Strongest Man competition. In 2018, Hafþór “Thor” Björnsson, aka The Mountain from HBO’s Game of Thrones, won the coveted title, and it seems as though he’s hell-bent on defending it.
Take a look at his Instagram page, and you’ll see videos of him rounding out his training for the show with an impressive series of lifts, including an 805-pound deadlift for two reps, a 732-pound squat for eight reps, and an utterly ridiculous Atlas stone load with 502 pounds.
Björnsson managed to deadlift 1,045 pounds on the Rogue elephant bar at the 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic, so while 805 pounds is still heavy as hell, it’s relatively light for ol’ Thor. A 502-pound stone load, on the other hand, is crazy—so, so, so crazy. And he made it look easy. The heaviest stone load out there was accomplished in 2013 when former World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw managed to load a 558-pound Atlas stone in training. Assuming Shaw is still injured and won’t be in top form at this year’s WSM, Björnsson may have a shot at out-stoning Shaw. Martins Licis is also looking strong with this 1,000-pound yoke carry.
Still, it looks like Björnsson is the man to beat. With that said, please enjoy these clips of him lifting more weight than any mortal can.
