Hafthór Björnsson Shares a Behind the Scenes Look at His World Record Deadlift
Strongman Hafthor Björnsson, a.k.a. The Mountain, is on top of the world. Over the weekend, he broke the world deadlift record, pulling a ridiculous 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds). The lift was broadcast live on TV via ESPN, and with feat on such a large platform, fans went absolutely nuts, blowing up social media with messages of awe and utter disbelief.
But there was more going on that the broadcast didn’t show. Björnsson, an active YouTuber, made a special video to give his fans access to more behind-the-scenes details of what happened before, during, and after his now iconic record.
“Everything has been working towards this day,” he said in the video taken an hour before his lift.
“I didn’t feel the nerves kick in until yesterday, and today a little bit,” he said. “I think it’s good to be nervous. It means you care. And I do realize, I am human. Even though I believe in myself, I know there’s always something that could happen.”
The video shows the setup of Thor’s’ plates and weight, and also introduces Magnus ver Magnusson, a four-time World’s Strongest Man, who was the referee of the event. Magnusson was on hand to certify that Björnsson’s equipment was all calibrated properly, as world records cannot count without proper procedures that would take place in competition.
Thor took his time warming up, repping out lighter deadlifts ahead of his record-breaking lift. He strapped on a supportive belt as the weight gets heavier, and headed to the main stage to continue increasing the weight. He deadlifted 420 kilograms, then went up to 465 kilograms, sniffing smelling salts and letting out massive roars.
Before his lift of 501 kilograms, he was checked out by an on-site doctor to make sure he was doing okay. Some of his friends and coaches gave a pep talk. The crowd —which was more of a small group, as only a total of 15 people were allowed to meet given Iceland’s COVID-19 regulations—was screaming for him as he set up for his lift.
As he deadlifted the 501 kilograms, everyone went ballistic. Once he set the weight down, Thor raised his arms and let out a powerful scream before being congratulated.
“This is historic,” he said, out of breath, as he kisses his wife.
During an interview afterwards, he declared he’s signed a seven-figure contract with CoreSports, and also addressed the Eddie Hall rivalry, calling out Hall for a fight.
Five minutes after his lift, Björnsson was on his phone and laughing with his wife and two best friends.
“I’m just enjoying myself. I’m extremely proud, I’m extremely happy,” he said. “There’s nothing better than proving people wrong. There were so many people who didn’t believe in me.”
He admitted that while he did have some fun gaming on Twitch during his training, he was dedicated to the deadlift more than anything else.
“I still ate my meals, did my walks, did my hot and cold (baths), made sure I got eight hours of sleep, tried to nap during the day,” he says. “And I’m lucky enough to have my beautiful wife beside me… I feel healthy, I feel good. I’m speechless… even though I talk a lot!”
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