Hafthor Bjornsson has made huge progress over the past two years, getting stronger with steady training. At 36 years old, he showed just how far he’s come with an amazing performance at the 2025 Eisenhart Black Competition in Germany on July 26. Even though he’s had many strong moments in his career, this one stood out as one of his best. There Hafthor managed to pull 505 kilograms (1,113.3 pounds) to set a new Deadlift World Record.
Hafthor Bjornsson came into the 2025 Eisenhart Black Competition with full confidence in his ability to set a new World Record. He had achieved multiple massive deadlifts in preparation for the competition but also had to overcome sickness during one portion of his training camp. Luckily, he managed to recover both physically and mentally, allowing him to go for a record-breaking lift in Germany.
Hafthor Bjornsson used a deadlift suit and lifting straps to perform his 505-kilogram (1,113.3-pound) deadlift, both of which are allowed in the sport of Strongman. He also completed the lift with a conventional stance, since sumo is prohibited in the sport. Hafthor took a few seconds to prepare for the lift mentally before putting his all into the record-breaking pull. He got the bar up to his knees with ease but started slowing down at that point. Luckily, he managed to maintain the momentum and reached lockout just moments later, getting the lift approved by the judges. So, he walked away with a new World Record under his belt.
Watch Hafthor Bjornsson’s 505-kg (1,113.3-lb) Deadlift here:
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Hafthor Bjornsson’s desire to set a Deadlift World Record first came about during his first spell in Strongman. At that time, Eddie Hall was the only man to deadlift half a ton. So, Hafthor decided to break the record with a pull of 501 kilograms (1,104.5 pounds) in 2020. However, it turned out to be a controversial lift, as many believed that Hafthor’s lift should not have been official since he performed it in his own gym. On the other hand, his attempt was sanctioned by the WUS federation with a judge present in the venue.
Eddie Hall was one of the biggest advocates against Hafthor’s World Record, which led to a feud between the two former World’s Strongest Man winners. It ultimately led to a boxing match between Bjornsson and Hall, with Hafthor coming out of the ring victorious. Now that Hafthor decided to perform his 505-kilogram (1,113.3-pound) lift in an official competition, Eddie turned to social media and expressed his support.
Hafthor Bjornsson has had one of the most impressive Strongman careers in history, with his new 505-kilogram (1,113.3-pound) deadlift World Record being a cherry on top. He won the 2018 World’s Strongest Man, 3x Arnold Strongman Classics, 5x Europe’s Strongest Man, and nearly a dozen Iceland’s Strongest Man competitions. He retired from Strongman five years ago but recently decided to come back in hopes of adding to his resume.
Related: Hafthor Bjornsson Narrowly Avoids Injury After Dropping Over 200-kg (440.9-lb) on His Back
Hafthor Bjornsson will also compete at the 2025 World Deadlift Championships on September 6th in Birmingham, England. There he is expected to go for an even heavier deadlift, having hinted toward a 510-kilogram (1,124.4-pound) pull later this season. Judging by how his 505-kilogram (1,113.3-pound) World Record moved, it certainly seems that Hafthor has more left in the tank. So, it looks like an exciting season is coming up for the Icelandic strongman and the whole strength community.
If you have questions or need clarifications, please leave a comment below, and Vedad will respond promptly.