Eddie Hall is an absolute beast.
Eddie Hall is one of the most famous Strongmen of all time. He gave Muscle and Fitness an inside look into his training and lifestyle leading his up to his victory at the 2016 World’s Strongest Man.
First off, Eddie says he trained heavy all year round.
“I work at 80 to 90% of my one-rep max for up to six reps. If I can do more than six reps, I add more weight next time. I’ve followed this six-rep rule since I started training. If I feel good at a weight, I might do more than six reps, but in general, you’ll never see me do more than six.”
Eddie says he cut out a lot of the assistance work he was doing on body parts like biceps, calves, and abs. He said he just didn’t feel like all the time and energy he was putting into them was making a difference.
Eddie also combined his classic gym work with event training. He would deliberately pre-exhaust himself for many of the events like the yolk carry, both to force adaptation and simulate competition.
Recovery was critical. Eddie had six physical therapy sessions a week.
“I also have lots of recovery equipment at home, so after every training session, I’d do hot-cold treatments for at least an hour and then eat. If I had time afterward, I’d go into my hyperbaric chamber for 1½ hours.”
His weekly breakdown looked like this:
Monday was for legs, which meant squats, leg press, and yoke. One session might take up to four hours. These heavy movements tax the nervous system and require a lot of rest.
Tuesday was for chest. Eddie would usually do some combination of flat bench, incline bench, and a pressing event.
Wednesday would be a recovery day, but far from a day off. He did some cardio, pool work, physical therapy, contrast bathing, and eat several massive meals.
Thursday was for back: deadlifts and some assistance exercises like lat pulldowns and a rows.
Fridays were shoulder days: Eddie did dumbbell presses, working up to 30 to 40 reps using 132-pound dumbbells, then transitioned into log press and finished with some side delts.
Saturday and Sunday were additional recovery days.
“That’s how I lived for a year. I didn’t have any alcohol, holidays, or nights out with my wife or days out with the kids because they would tire me out too much. My family understood it was what I needed to do to be the best and left me to it. It was 100% dedication. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it.”
“From the moment I returned from the 2016 World’s Strongest Man to the moment I set off for the 2017 event, I gave 100%. I didn’t miss one training session, one meal, or one physical therapy or cardio session. I was obsessed.”
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