Additionally, he won the World’s Strongest Man in 2018 and from 2018 to 2020 took home the top prize in the Arnold Strongman Classic. He’s now hung up his wrist straps and put away the chalk as he and his wife prepare to welcome their first son together.
Besides becoming a father fort he second time (he also has a daughter from a previous relationship), he’s now focusing on his September 2021 boxing match with Eddie Hall.
Thankfully, Björnsson’s Strongman run came during the time of Instagram and YouTube, so there are plenty of examples of just how impressive he was in competition. So we decided to scour the Internet and find five of his most impressive moments.
For the sake of this piece, we’re focusing on his lifts during competition only and not anything he did inside the gym.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Career Highlights
3-time Arnold Strongman Classic Champion
2018 World’s Strongest Man
2018 World’s Ultimate Strongman Champion
Five-time Europe’s Strongest Man
10-time Iceland’s Strongest Man
Five-time Strongest Man in Iceland Champion
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Monster Wooden Log Carry
This feat of strength is impressive in and of itself, but it becomes even more mind-boggling when you learn that the record Björnsson broke had stood for 1,000 years. The legend goes that Icelander Orm Storulfsson walked three steps with a 1,320-pound wooden log on his back after it was placed there by 50 men. Storulfsson, according to the legend, broke his back after the third step. Björnsson not only managed to keep his back intact, but took five whole steps while carrying the log.
We wonder if it’ll be another 1,000 years before that record is broken.
2 of 5
Elpehant Bar Deadlift
During the 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic, Rogue put $50,000 on the line to anyone who could deadlift more than 500kg (1,102 lbs.)— the deadlift world record at the time— on the elephant bar deadlift. While Björnsson didn’t accomplish that lift at this contest (though we know he eventually would) he did set the elephant bar deadlift record at an impressive 1,046 lbs.
The elephant bar is different than your typical gym barbell — it’s much longer in length, 9.5 feet compared to 7. The plates, a little thicker than the ones at your gym, also bounce around more than they do on a typical barbell, making it harder for the competitors to control.
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501KG Deadlift
It might be controversial to call this a competition lift, but the record books will still record this as the heaviest deadlift ever (for now). Björnsson achieved the historic lift at his home gym in an event that was presented by many of his sponsors (he originally intended to do it at the World’s Ultimate Strongman competition, but that was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic), and because of Strongman regulations it was allowed to count as an official event.
The lift was 1kg (2.2 lbs.) more than the previous record set by Eddie Hall, Björnsson’s Strongman rival who he will box against in September 2021. Hall’s record had stood since 2016 and he, along with many other people, thought Björnsson should’ve waited for an actual competition to attempt the lift instead of doing it in his home gym.
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Hussafel Stone
Skip to 19:15 for this one.
During his penultimate Iceland’s Strongest Man competition, The Mountain managed to carry the legendary Hussafel stone, weighing 409 pounds, for 98.16 meters. Competitor Tom Stoltman had carried the same stone for 95 meters in the same event. Prior to that, the record was 90 meters, also set by Björnsson.
At the 2016 World’s Strongest Man, Björnsson launched a 15kg (33 lbs.) over a 7.15 meter (23.4 feet) bar. Impressive doesn’t even begin to explain the explosive strength this man possessed.
