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Björnsson has equipped himself with sophisticated new equipment.
In early 2023, Hafthor Björnsson revealed that he would be return to both professional strongman and powerlifting. However, after notable feats of progress in training, the former World Strongest Man (WSM) 2018 champion tore his left pectoral muscle, temporarily derailing part of his planned competitive schedule. As he continues to work to regain his strength, Bjornsson recently revealed that he was busy in other areas.
On July 20, 2023, Björnsson posted a video on his YouTube channel where he explained how he used a new investment (total) of $116,000 to expand his personal gym in Kópavogur, Iceland. The athlete has apparently thought of all avenues, purchasing and showcasing various high-quality gear focused on building legs, upper body and back. strength.
In order to make room for his new equipment – which is primarily aimed at tall athletes – Björnsson purchased the unit next to his main gym facility. Here’s a look at what he went through in the video:
belt squat
Björnsson said his new belt squat machine was his favorite purchase. The machine allows an athlete to perform squats without dumbbells and without additional pressure on the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back. Athletes lock into the machine while wearing a belt from a seated position.
“It’s the belt squat, which is probably the best investment I’ve made,” Björnsson explained. “Because I’m going to be able to train my legs right away… I’ve wanted this for years, and finally I have one.”
Extended Hamstring Curl
An extended hamstring curl allows athletes to build muscle and strength in their hamstrings either curling with both legs or performing a single-leg variation from a lying position. Björnsson’s new curling machine was almost double the size of a traditional machine.
Standing calf raise and leg extension
Like most of his equipment, Björnsson’s calf The machine can load more weight than standard machines, making it potentially ideal for stronger and taller athletes. During this time, the leg extension machine was more of a traditional variety and will help mold the quadriceps muscles accordingly.
Flat Chest Press and Incline Chest Press Machines
Björnsson placed his flat and incline chest presses near the entrance to his new unit to accommodate athletes looking to hone their chest muscles. Both feature quality options for working the chest as alternatives to a more traditional barbell Bench Press.
Combo Pec Flye-Reverse Flye, Cable Machine and Reverse Leg Curl
Further on in his tour, Björnsson showed off a dual purpose upper body machine chest flies as well as rear delt flies. He also featured an adjustable cable machine to isolate and contract upper body muscles from various angles. The reverse leg curl machine presents a change of pace but is still an effective way to work balance and functional strength from an unconventional position, similar to the bodyweight-only Nordic hamstring curl. The exercise might be more difficult for taller athletes, given the body weight they have to lift, and the reverse curl machine allows resistance to be added to help the movement.
Björnsson seemed to be a big fan of the latter.
“It (the reverse loop) is very cool for heavy guys,” Björnsson said. “It’s a killer for the hamstrings. The more weight you put on, the easier it gets. I think it was made for tall people, because tall people have trouble doing that specific move.
Seal Row, Hip-Quad Machine, Hack Squat
To end his tour, Björnsson presented the row of seals, an equipment with athletes performing a strict dumbbell row variation. The difference is that athletes lie face down on the seal row bench to execute the row, taking the legs and lower back out of the equation. The hip-quad machine effectively isolates the thigh muscles, and a squat demands a lot more from quads than one barbell squat due to the positioning of the machine, while providing upper body support that reduces lower back fatigue.
According to an Instagram post from July 2023, Björnsson is well on his way to a full recovery from his pectoral injury. The athlete said he was starting to regain a “full range of motion” and was “feeling better” by the week. Perhaps, when he is healthy in due time, he will begin to seriously use his new equipment.
Featured Image: @thorbjornsson on Instagram
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