Björnsson outfitted himself with some fancy recent equipment.
In early 2023, Hafthor Björnsson revealed he could be returning to each skilled strongman and powerlifting. Nonetheless, after notable feats of progress in training, the previous 2018 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion tore his left pectoral muscle, temporarily derailing a few of his planned competitive timeline. As he continues working to regain strength, Björnsson recently revealed he’s been busy in other avenues.
On July 20, 2023, Björnsson posted a video to his YouTube channel where he explained how he used a recent (total) $116,000 investment to expand his personal gym in Kópavogur, Iceland. The athlete seemingly considered every avenue, purchasing and showcasing various high-quality pieces of apparatus focused on constructing leg, upper body, and back strength.
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To be able to make space for his recent pieces of apparatus — that are primarily for larger-sized athletes — Björnsson purchased the unit round the corner to his gym’s primary facility. Here’s an outline of what he ran through within the video:
Belt Squat
Björnsson said his recent belt squat machine was his favorite purchase. The machine allows an athlete to perform squats with out a barbell and without additional pressure on the neck, shoulders, and back muscles. Athletes lock into the machine by wearing a belt from a seated position.
“That is the belt squat, which might be the perfect investment that I even have made,” Björnsson explaned. “Because I’ll have the ability to coach my legs instantly … I’ve been wanting this for years, and at last I own one.”
Lying Hamstring Curl
A lying hamstring curl allows athletes to construct muscle and strength of their hamstrings by either curling with each legs or performing a single-leg variation from a prone position. Björnsson’s recent curl machine was almost double the scale of a conventional machine.
Standing Calf Raise and Leg Extension
Like most of his equipment, Björnsson’s calf raise machine could load more weight than standard machines, making it a potentially ideal implement for more robust, greater athletes. Meanwhile, the leg extension machine was more of a conventional variety and can help mold quad muscles accordingly.
Flat Chest Press and Incline Chest Press Machines
Björnsson placed his flat chest press and incline chest press machines near the doorway of his recent unit to accommodate athletes searching for to refine their pectoral muscles. Each present quality options to work out the chest as alternatives to a more traditional barbell bench press.
Combo Pec Flye-Reverse Flye, Cable Machine, and Inverse Leg Curl
Further along in his tour, Björnsson presented a dual-purpose upper body machine to perform chest flyes in addition to rear delt flyes. He also displayed an adjustable cable machine to isolate and contract upper-body muscles from quite a lot of angles. The inverse leg curl machine presents a change of pace but is nonetheless an efficient approach to work on balance and functional strength from an unconventional position, much like the bodyweight-only Nordic hamstring curl. The exercise might be tougher for larger athletes, given how much body weight they should lift, and the inverse curl machine allows resistance to be added to help the movement.
Björnsson gave the impression to be a giant fan of the latter.
“It [the inverse curl] could be very cool for heavy guys,” Björnsson said. “It’s a killer for the hamstrings. The more weight you place on, the simpler it gets. I feel it was made for giant guys, because big guys have a tough time doing this specific movement.”
Seal Row, Hip-Quad Machine, Hack Squat
To complete his tour, Björnsson introduced the seal row, equipment with athletes performing a strict barbell row variation. The difference is that athletes lay face down on the seal row bench to perform the row, taking the legs and lower back out of the equation. The hip-quad machine effectively isolates the thigh muscles, and a hack squat demands so much more from the quads than a barbell squat on account of the machine’s positioning, while also providing upper body support which reduces lower back fatigue.
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Per a July 2023 Instagram post, Björnsson is well on his way toward complete recovery after his pec injury. The athlete clarified he was beginning to regain a “full range of motion” and was “feeling higher” by the week. Perhaps, when healthy in due time, he’ll start using his recent equipment throughout in earnest.
Featured image: @thorbjornsson on Instagram