Eddie Hall
Edward "Eddie" Hall (born 15 January 1988)[1] is an English professional strongman, notable for being the only man to deadlift 500kg under strongman rules. He has also won on multiple occasions both the UK's Strongest Man and England's Strongest Man titles. He has also competed at the World's Strongest Man and is the current world record holder in the deadlift with straps.[2]
Biography
Hall was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.[1] In 2008, he began working as a mechanic in the garage at the Robert Wiseman Dairies site in Market Drayton, Shropshire.[3] He trained and competed as a bodybuilder and entered the strongman circuit, having done a strongman's camp 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.[4]
Hall finished first at the UK's Strongest Man 2011 competition in Belfast, with Ken Nowicki in 2nd and Rich Smith in 3rd.[5] His win was helped by Hall setting a new national record in the "Viking Hold", hanging on to 20 kg axles 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.[6]
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.[7] 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 two time World's Strongest Man, Zydrunas Savickas. Hall finished in eighth place.[8]
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.[9] In 2012, Hall competed at the World's Strongest Man finals, but did not progress beyond his qualifying group. 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 kilograms (1,019 lb; 72.8 st) in the deadlift.[2] 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 kilograms (1,021 lb; 72.9 st) deadlift.[10]
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 (1,025.15 lbs).
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 (1,102.31 lbs), besting the world record he had previously set at 465 kg (1,025.25 lbs) four months prior in March.[11]
Personal records
In competition:
- Deadlift with straps and suit – 500 kg (1,102.3 lb)[10] – world record
- Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift with straps – 465[12] kg (1026 lb)
Gym lifts (all raw):
- Squat – 405 kg (891 lb)
- Bench press – 300 kg (660 lb)
- Log Lift – 211 kg (465 lb) strict press – British record, done at Britain's Strongest Man 2015
- Axle press – 200 kg (440 lb) strict press
- Leg press – 1000 kg (2,200 lb) for 10 reps
References
- 1 2 3 4 Ed Hall. theworldsstrongestman.com
- 1 2 "Eddie Hall breaks deadlift record with incredible 462kg lift". The Independent. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ↑ Market Drayton's Eddie Hall is Britain's Strongest Man. Shropshirestar.com (2 September 2011). Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- ↑ Eddy Hall wins England's Strongest Man 2010 contest. BBC News (14 September 2010). Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- ↑ UK Strongest Man is Ed Hall. 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 2013-01-11.
- ↑ Sunday, February 19, 2012 ''Ed Hall Named to Giants Live–Melbourne Start List'' by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. Ironmind.com (19 February 2012). Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- ↑ Europe's strongest man results 2012. Theworldsstrongestman.com (25 June 2012). Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- ↑ Watchdog Series 29, Episode 7, Fiat: Steering that. Bbc.co.uk (26 April 2012). Retrieved on 2013-01-11.
- 1 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5-mfOXF0i0
- ↑ Walker, Graham. "Strongman Eddie Hall lifts world record half a ton at Leeds Arena". Yorkshire Evening Post.
- ↑ Arnold classic 2016
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Laurence Shahlaei |
Britain's Strongest Man 2014 |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Glenn Ross |
UK's Strongest Man 2011–13 |
Succeeded by incumbent |
| Preceded by Laurence Shahlaei (Elite/UKSC) |
England's Strongest Man (Elite) 2010 |
Succeeded by Lloyd Renals |
| Preceded by Dean Slater Chris Gearing |
England's Strongest Man (UKSC) 2011 2013 |
Succeeded by Chris Gearing Ben Kelsey |