Hafthor Bjornsson does not want to compete when he believes he is not at his best.
Three-time Arnold Strongman champion Hafthor Bjornsson was scheduled to headline the 2026 event. On Sunday, he announced that a quest for a fourth title will be put on hold.
[RELATED: Hafthor Bjornsson To Attempt World Record Deadlift Attempt At 2026 Enhanced Games]
Thor shared a video on YouTube explaining that he has pulled his name out of the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic on March 6-7 in Columbus. He explained his reasoning for the move and his plans for the remainder of the year.
“I have some sad news, guys — I will have to pull out of the Arnold Strongman Classic. When I got the invitation, it was like 50-50 anyway.”
Bjornsson explained that he does not want to compete if he is not at his very best. He is recovering from a rotator cuff injury and wants to get back to full strength before entering a competition. Last week, Thor shared that he plans an attempt to break his own deadlift world record during the 2026 Enhanced Games in May. He confirmed that he is still taking part in this competition, which will be the first time he focuses on a deadlift only.
“I need to just take this time to heal up, train wisely, and focus on the deadlift. I have a massive deadlift event coming up in 20 weeks. That time frame should be good because I’ll also only be focusing on a deadlift.”
Hafthor Bjornsson Explains Withdrawal From Arnold Strongman Classic
Since Hafthor Bjornsson continues to recover from an injury, he feels it is best to take his name out of the competition. Thor shared that if he is going to compete, he wants to be in contention to win the event.
“I don’t want to compete knowing that I’m not at my best. It’s just too close to the show now for me to be at that level where I know I can win or like I have at least a shot to win. I don’t want to come fifth or sixth or seventh.”
Thor has been dealing with a rotator cuff injury — the same problem that kept him out of the 2025 Rogue Invitational. He shared that recovery has not been going the way he planned and it has impacted his ability to compete.
“I’ve been in rehab with my rotator cuff and in like an offseason, recovery has been taking me slightly longer than expected or like what I thought.”
Hafthor Bjornsson reset his own deadlift world record in July with a 505kg (1,113.3lb) lift during the 2025 Eisenhart Black Competition in Germany. Thor used a deadlift suit and lifting straps to complete the lift. This was the reason he made his return to powerlifting and has accomplished goals of taking his performance to the next level. Thor has gone from Strongman to boxing and back into Strongman. Bjornsson has expressed interest in competing in big-name competitions while also taking his deadlift to the next level.
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