Mike O’Hearn led an injured Hafthor Bjornsson through a workout inspired by Tom Platz.
Hafthor Bjornsson is battling a pec injury but it has not kept him out of the gym. Recently, the legendary strongman joined Mike O’Hearn for a workout that builds strength in different ways.
Bjornsson is back training for Strongman after dabbling in boxing. The former World’s Strongest Man winner went through a complete physique transformation during his training to get in the ring. Bjornsson changed his diet and workout plans to fit what he needed to succeed as a boxer. This was all in preparation to take on fellow Strongman Eddie Hall, a fight that Bjornsson won by unanimous decision.
After attempting a 556.7-pound bench press, Bjornsson tore his pec off the bone. He has not been able to train upper body but has not took time off completely.
O’Hearn recently led Bjornsson through a workout inspired by Tom Platz. At 53 years old, O’Hearn continues to maintain a shredded physique while guiding others as well. He is an influential voice in many things fitness related and Bjornsson took some time to join in a workout.
Mike O’Hearn: “Stress Done Right Will Strengthen Your Body”
The duo went through a quad workout that was inspired by Platz. Mike O’Hearn began by using the hack squat machine and explaining philosophies that he learned from Platz.
“The muscle is only so strong. The joint is God’s gift. I’m trying to force it, the joints and ligaments around the knee to be so strong. I learned this in 1989. Tom Platz, training with him from ’89 to the early ’90s. This is something he lived with.
That is a quad. That’s a teardrop at the knee. Keep it healthy, they’re going to freak out.”
While performing sets on the hack squat machine, O’Hearn used a wedge so that his feet were at a different angle. This allowed him to train the muscle in a different way.
“The difference between, you’re still leading with the quads compared to leading with the hip. So the way he was doing it, first of all, he was great for the first time going it but it was still a hack squat because it wasn’t leading with the ass. The last couple of reps were beautiful because he was rotating the ass up, stretching the quads, and getting more isolation.”
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Hafthor Bjornsson picked the brain of Mike O’Hearn about weight being used while training. He wondered if the pro liked to add more weight or focused on form and stress with lighter weight.
Bjornsson, being a Strongman, focuses on heavy weight during his prep. Over the course of the video, he was impressed with the work ethic of O’Hearn. He explained how he likes to add more weight but focuses on range of motion as well.
“I do add more and more but I want to try to get a better range of motion. On this one, this would be like a finisher for me. I’d hit my quads, I’d do like a leg press or similarity squat, some kid of moderation.
Stress done right will strength your body. The possibility of you being like this in 30 years, it’s a possibility, it really is. Where most people will go ‘I hit 30, I hit 35, I’m done. I’m only going to get older and weaker,’ but that’s not the mentality you have.”
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