14 MUSCLE & FITNESS / NOVEMBER 2017 Photograph by Christopher BaileyHall is known for his
deadlift, but he can
also leg-press 998 kilos
for 10 reps and strict-
press a 211-kilo log
overhead.E DGE B EAST M ODE By John Plummer
“SCRAPE” YOUR SHINS
“Keepthebarasclosetoyourbody
as possible,” Hall says about proper
deadlift technique. “Wear deadlift
socks–asthiswillhurtalittle–
and drag the bar up your shins and
thighs. If the bar moves away from
your body, you’re using your lower
back more, which is dangerous.”W
hen it comes to ripping
heavy weight off the floor,
Eddie Hall, who was just
crowned the 2017 World’s
Strongest Man, is king.
Before he won WSM, Hall shocked
the world when he deadlifted
1102 pounds (500kg) – easily, we
should add – in July 2016 at the
World Deadlift Championships.
It was (and still is) the most weight
ever deadlifted before. So what’s
Hall’s (not-so) secret to pulling
massive weight?“Brute strength is the key to
strongman,” says Hall. “If you’ve
got that, you’re 90 percent there.”
And while his approach to
competition may sound simplistic,
no one can tell Hall that it doesn't
work.TohelpyouhoistHerculean
weights, Hall outlined three crucial
tips that he’s learned from years
of time spent in the gym. We can’t
promisethatyou’lleverbeas
strong as Hall (after all, who is?),
but you can expect your deadlift
numbers to soar.Eddie “the Beast” Hall, the reigning World’s
Strongest Man, gives you a lesson in deadlifting.HALL SAYS:
“Technique is important, but too
many people get carried away trying
fancy things and don’t put enough
effort into the basics.”EDDIE HALL STATS:
Age: 29
Residence:England
Height:190cm
We i g h t :186kg
Best squat:405kg
Best deadlift:500kg
Best bench press:300kg
UK’s Strongest Man titles: 6
Britain’s Strongest Man titles: 4
Career highlight: 2017
World’s Strongest ManDEAD WEIGHT
Strong
like Hall
Three deadlift tips from the
strongest man on the planet.FOLLOW THE SIX-REP RULE
“The six-rep rule has been at the
heart of my training since I started,”
says Hall. Find a weight that has
you failing one to two reps before
six. Each week, aim to complete
that weight for six reps. Then
increase the weight by 10 percent
and aim to lift that six times.INCORPORATE SPEED WORK
To improve the quickness of his
pull, Hall works in a speed week for
deadlifts. To do it, load 60 percent
of your one-rep max on the bar and
lift it for eight sets of two reps, as
fast as possible. “You’ll still develop
power without damaging your
body with heavy weight,” Hall says.