Strongman legend Hafthor Bjornsson was working his way back into competitions when he got forced to the sidelines due to an injury. In a recent YouTube video, Bjornsson shared a look into the advanced recovery methods he’s utilized in the lead-up to his surgery.
Hafthor Bjornsson is widely regarded as one of the greatest Strongman athletes of all time. The Icelandic sensation started his professional career in national shows in 2009 and earned a wild card entry to the 2011 World’s Strongest Man competition, where he placed sixth in his maiden appearance. Bjornsson established his place in the mix of title contention with regular top-three placements, scoring three silvers and three bronze medals over the next six years. He finally secured the win at the 2018 edition of the event.
Other than his incredible feats of strength, Bjornsson also gained attention for his role as ‘The Mountain’ in the popular HBO television series Game of Thrones. Bjornsson stepped away from strongman competitions in favor of boxing matches in 2020. He squared off against standout Eddie Hall for a clash inside the ring and came out on top by unanimous decision. Although he considered extending his run in combat, he eventually decided against it to make his return to strength sports.
Bjornsson delivered an incredible performance in his comeback last October. He set the 20-feet 3-inch weight over bar world record at the 2022 Rogue Invitational. Following the win, Bjornsson survived an injury scare while performing a heavy set of 340-kg (749.6-lb) squats.
’Thor’ recovered quickly and smoked a 793.6-lb (360-kg) deadlift for two reps in preparation for his return to a powerlifting competition. Then, he amped up the training by crushing 195-kg (429.9-lb) on the paused bench press. When it was time for his powerlifting comeback, Bjornsson made a statement and won gold with a total of 970-kg (2,138.5-lb). Given his decorated career, Bjornsson was honored with an induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year.
Hafthor Bjornsson planned to break the All-Time World Record Total in powerlifting before making his way back to Strongman in 2024. However, his plans were cut short after he tore his pec in an attempt to lift 252.5-kg (556.7-lb) bench press at a competition in his gym. He revealed he would need surgery to recover from the injury as his upper chest muscles got torn off the bone. He reported findings from a visit to the doctor on the pec tear and laid out his recovery process last week.
Hafthor Bjornsson reveals advanced recovery methods ahead of surgery
In a recent YouTube video, Hafthor Bjornsson shared some of the innovative recovery techniques he’s using to get ready for the surgery.
First, he visited a health specialist who offered him a special shake, some drinks, and supplement packages to utilize in the days leading to his surgery. While they did not list the ingredients, the goal was to help boost connective tissue, muscle repair, and blood plasma levels.
Then, he did three cycles of 20 minutes on the infrared light bed and three minutes in the cryogenic chamber before finishing in the hyperbaric chamber for one hour. Finally, Thor went to Restore Orthopedics Center to get his X-rays done. He also got a check-up where flatness in his torn pec muscles was identified along with an analysis of the injury.
RELATED: Hafthor Bjornsson Shows Off Ripped Physique Update, Shares ‘Hardcore’ Abs and Back Workout
There’s no doubt Hafthor Bjornsson is doing everything in his power to make a quick recovery from the torn pec muscle injury.
You can watch the full video below.