Eddie Hall
Edward Stephen Hall (born 15 January 1988) is an English former professional strongman and actor. He won the World's Strongest Man 2017 competition[3] and is the former world record deadlift holder, lifting 500 kg (1,102 lb; 79 st) under strongman rules [4], which he achieved in 2016, until Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson lifted 501 kg (1,105 lb; 79 st) on 2 May 2020 [5]. The validity of Bjornsson's record is disputed by some, as it was not set in competition. [6] He has also won on multiple occasions both the UK's Strongest Man and England's Strongest Man titles.
Early life and beginnings
Hall was born on 15 January 1988 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.[2] As a teenager, he was a successful competitive swimmer and rugby union player. Hall attended Clayton High School, but was expelled at the age of 15. Soon afterwards, he received in-home tutoring.[7] In 2008, he began working as a mechanic in the garage at the Robert Wiseman Dairies site in Market Drayton, Shropshire.[8] He trained and competed as a bodybuilder and entered the strongman circuit, having done a strongman competition at the Iceman gym in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. In 2010, Dave Meer of Tamworth, Staffordshire had to drop out of the England championships organised by Elite Strongman because of injury. He arranged for Hall to take his place and led to Hall making it into the 2010 finals, which he won on his first attempt by half a point.[9]
Career
Hall finished first at the UK's Strongest Man 2011 competition in Belfast, with Ken Nowicki in 2nd and Rich Smith in 3rd.[10] His win was helped by setting a new national record in the "Viking Hold", hanging on to 20 kg (44lbs) axes in each hand at full stretch for one minute and 18 seconds. Hall tore tendons in an arm during the competition, but was hopeful of a spot at the World's Strongest Man in September. However, his improved ranking could only guarantee a spot for 2012, and he did not compete at WSM in 2011.[11]
Winning the UK title meant that Hall became the first choice to replace Jono MacFarlane of New Zealand in the Giants Live Melbourne event in February 2012, when the latter suffered a back injury.[12] He placed fourth in his first taste of international competition. Later, in April 2012, he was invited to compete at Europe's Strongest Man, another Giants Live event. This was held at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, home of the Leeds Rhinos rugby league team and Hall found himself competing alongside six of the ten finalists from World's Strongest Man 2011, including four-time World's Strongest Man, Žydrūnas Savickas. Hall finished in eighth place.[13]
In April 2013, Hall failed to qualify for Europe's Strongest Man 2013. However, he was given a second chance when Ervin Katona was forced to retire due to injury. Hall competed in his place and came in eighth place. In April, Hall also featured on BBC One's Watchdog programme, who enlisted his help to test even the strongest of drivers in specific circumstances.[14] In 2012, Hall competed at the World's Strongest Man finals, but did not progress beyond his qualifying group.[citation needed] Hall returned in 2013, winning two events in his heat but narrowly missing out on qualifying after a poor final event.
In 2014, Hall reached the final for the first time, coming second in the Squat Lift event and ultimately finishing 6th. In March 2015, Hall achieved the world record for lifting the weight of 462 kg (1,019 lb; 72.8 st) in the deadlift.[4] The record was achieved at the Arnold Classic in Australia, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was present to cheer him on. He promptly broke his own record at the World Deadlift Championships 2015, with a 463 kg (1,021 lb; 72.9 st) deadlift.[15][16]
In 2015 he also finished 4th at the World's Strongest Man, an improvement of two places on the previous year. In March 2016, he achieved a new world record long bar deadlift in the Arnold Classic Strongman, by lifting 465 kg (1,025 lb).
In December 2015 a feature documentary about Hall, titled Eddie: Strongman, was released. The film, directed by Matt Bell and produced by Tom Swanston, follows Hall for two years of his life as he strives to become the strongest man in the world.
In July 2016, Hall set a new world record in the deadlift with a lift of 500 kg (1,102 lb)[17] besting the world record he had previously set at 465 kg (1,025 lb)[18] earlier that same day. The 500 kg lift made Hall pass out.[17][19] He is the winner of 2017 World's Strongest Man competition and announced his intention to retire from the World's Strongest Man and return to lower-weight competitions after expressing health-related concerns.[20] In an interview, Hall stated that a genetic analysis had shown that a genetic mutation that causes myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy contributed to his large muscle mass.[21]
In 2018, Hall appeared on the Channel 5 show Celebs In Solitary, where he attempted to spend five days in solitary confinement.[22]
Personal record
In competition:
- Deadlift with straps and suit – 500 kilograms (1,102 lb) (former world record)[17][23]
- Axle press – 216 kilograms (476 lb) (world record)
- Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift with straps – 465 kilograms (1,025 lb)[24]
- Deadlift with straps – 463 kilograms (1,021 lb)
- Log lift – 213 kilograms (470 lb)
- Crossfit Grace - 60 kilograms (132 lb) for 30 repetitions in 50 seconds (World Record)
Gym lifts:
- Squat – 405 kilograms (893 lb)
- Bench press – 300 kilograms (661 lb) (equipped)[25]
- Leg press – 1,000 kilograms (2,205 lb) for 10 reps[26]
- Silver dollar deadlift – 536 kilograms (1,182 lb)[27] (unofficial world record)
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Transformers: The Last Knight | Saxon Warrior | (Uncredited) |
| 2017 | Born Strong | Himself |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-2019 | World's Strongest Man | Himself - Competitor/Pundit | |
| 2016 | A League of Their Own | Himself | Series 10, Episode 3 |
| 2018 | The Chase | Himself | Series 8 Episode 4 |
| 2018 | Celebs in solitary | Himself | 1 series |
| 2019 | Eddie Eats America | Himself | 1 series |
| 2019 | The Strongest Man in History | Himself | 1 series |
References
- ^ "500kg / 1102lbs Deadlift UNSEEN FOOTAGE! 500k Subs Special". Retrieved 26 February 2020.
Watch at 18:14
- ^ a b c "Ed Hall". World's Strongest Man.
- ^ Sport, Telegraph (28 May 2017). "Britain's Eddie Hall defeats Game of Thrones star The Mountain to be crowned World's Strongest Man". Telegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Eddie Hall breaks deadlift record with incredible 462kg lift". The Independent. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Hafthor Bjornsson breaks world record with 1,104-pound deadlift". ESPN. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Fighting for 501: The Bizarre, Fascinating and Fierce Feud Between Strongman's Eddie Hall and Hafþór Björnsson". Men's Health. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Hall, Eddie 'The Beast' (2017). Strongman: My Story. Ebury Publishing. ISBN 9780753548721. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ Market Drayton's Eddie Hall is Britain's Strongest Man. Shropshirestar.com (2 September 2011). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Eddy Hall wins England's Strongest Man 2010 contest. BBC News (14 September 2010). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ UK Strongest Man is Ed Hall Archived 10 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Irishstrongman.com. Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Hall conquers UK ... now he wants to take on the world. Thisisstaffordshire.co.uk (6 September 2011). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Sunday, 19 February 2012 ''Ed Hall Named to Giants Live–Melbourne Start List'' by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. Ironmind.com (19 February 2012). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Europe's strongest man results 2012 Archived 29 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Theworldsstrongestman.com (25 June 2012). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Watchdog Series 29, Episode 7, Fiat: Steering that. bbc.co.uk (26 April 2012). Retrieved on 11 January 2013.
- ^ Dean Wild (18 November 2017), Eddie Hall World Record Deadlift 463kg / 1020lbs - WITH NO SUIT!!, retrieved 24 November 2017
- ^ "Eddie Hall does new Deadlift World Record 463KG - 1020lbs". YouTube. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Dean Wild (10 July 2016), 500kg (1102lbs) WORLD RECORD Deadlift Eddie Hall - Includes Full Aftermath!!, retrieved 24 November 2017
- ^ Dean Wild (11 November 2017), 465kg Speed Rep World Record Deadlift Eddie Hall, retrieved 24 November 2017
- ^ Walker, Graham. "Strongman Eddie Hall lifts world record half a ton at Leeds Arena". Yorkshire Evening Post.
- ^ "Eddie Hall retires from World's Strongest Man competition after Brit claims historic victory". Mirror. Mirror. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- ^ "I got the Hercules Gene - Myostatin Deficiency - Eddie Hall London Real". YouTube. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ Celebs In Solitary: Meltdown - Channel 5, Retrieved on 23 October 2018
- ^ "Video: World's Strongest Man winner Eddie Hall shares his intense eating and training regime". Guinness World Records. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ^ Arnold classic 2016
- ^ Tao, David (8 November 2016). "Strongman Eddie Hall Bench Presses 584 Pounds for 6 Reps!". BarBend. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
Years ago, a much (much) lighter Hall bench pressed (equipped) an impressive 300kg...
- ^ "Eddie Hall demonstrates 1000kg leg press - Feel the power!". Youtube. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- ^ "World Record Deadlift with World's Strongest Man Eddie 'The Beast' Hall". Penguin Books UK. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
External links
- Eddie Hall at IMDb