Former World’s Strongest Man and six-time UK’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall may not have appeared on our TV screens performing feats of strength lately, but there’s a good reason for that. In-between training for an eagerly awaited MMA fight and making a Hollywood movie, he’s now fronting a new Currys campaign urging British consumers to “repair, not replace”.
“I’m one of the guys who, if I break something, I just bin it and buy new – but it’s costing me a fortune, and I’m keen to repair what I’ve got instead,” he says. Hall is still lifting weights, too (really big ones, naturally). So when Men’s Fitness managed to wrestle him away from his promotional duties, we asked him to preach his essential strength training commandments.
Train your legs
“It’s the age-old thing with a lot of guys building muscle: they neglect the legs and lower body in pursuit of the chest, arms and back. I recently took part in a Loughborough University study looking into the DNA of my muscle structure, and it turns out I’ve got a rare genetic trait called the ‘Hercules gene’, which allows me to carry much more muscle mass than the average person.
“During the study, we found my leg muscles were three-and-a-half times larger than the average man’s. But while my muscles were 300% bigger, my tendons – like the patella and knee tendons – were only 15% larger. So, I’ve got regular tendons supporting muscles that are way bigger than normal, which shows that it’s hard work and not just genetics.”
Have a master plan
“The most common mistake people make in the gym is going in without a clear plan. They do random exercises, hitting a bit of everything – arms, legs, back – without any focus. To build muscle effectively, track the weights you use and aim to gradually increase them over time to ensure you’re progressively overloading.”
Keep consistent
“I’ve always emphasised the importance of consistent training to achieve progress. My training has changed a lot, especially since transitioning from strongman. Back then, I would train for about four-and-a-half hours a day, mostly strength training with little bits of cardio. Now, I do much more cardio – about an hour every morning – and I strength train in the afternoon. On average, I’m training between eight and 12 times a week, twice a day most days.
“But you don’t need to spend hours in the gym – 45 minutes a day can transform your body. Stick to the basics, enjoy what you’re doing, and be consistent. It took me 30 or 40 competitions before I won World’s Strongest Man. It’s about perseverance and believing in yourself. Just keep going, and the results will come.”
Throw some punches
“A lot of strength trainers don’t enjoy running, but you need cardio work to increase your muscles’ ability to synthesise energy. More energy equals more intense sessions. My cardio involves lots of fight drills: throwing punches, kicks, grappling and doing rounds that simulate actual fights, with three to five minutes of work followed by a minute of rest. Right now, it’s all fight training. I’ve turned to MMA, and one of the fights I’m trying to line up is against Mariusz Pudzianowski, who won World’s Strongest Man five times and has been an MMA fighter for 15 years. We’re working on getting the contract signed.”
Move your muscles
“The best shoulder power-building moves I ever did in my entire strongman career were drills where you kept the muscles under constant pressure. At my peak, I could easily press 120kg dumbbells in each arm, but I would do 50% of that (60kg), for 40 to 50 reps in one go. These weren’t strict full reps – maybe an inch off the shoulder and probably an inch-and-a-half from lockout. That way, you’re keeping the pressure on your muscle – you’re working the muscle constantly, not resting at the bottom or at the top. Just keep it moving – it worked wonders.”
Train heavy, train smart
“I’ve always believed in heavy lifting, but also in smart programming to avoid burnout and injury. You’ve got to find the right balance, too. I’m sitting around 160kg now, which is about 26 stone. When I won World’s Strongest Man, I was 32 stone – just under 200kg. The fight training I do now requires me to be a lot lighter so I can stay fast and nimble. I’ve found a balance where I’m still strong but can move well and fight comfortably. You need to train smart and adapt to make your training suit your goals.”
Develop your diet
“My diet is always evolving. Right now, I’m on the carnivore diet, eating only meat and eggs. It’s been great for reducing inflammation, improving sleep and boosting performance. I’m giving it a try for three months, but I’m always a bit sceptical. Sometimes your body adapts or rejects a diet after a while, so I’ll decide afterward if I stick with it or go back to eating some carbs. I’ll tell you one thing, though, I’m definitely missing pizza and cheesecake!”
And don’t sit still
“Things like lifting Atlas stones and pulling planes are old news for me now. I’ve done it all – won World’s Strongest Man, lifted half a ton. I’ve proven what the human body is capable of, and I’m happy to leave it there. I want to live a long, healthy life, and staying at 200kg for too long just isn’t sustainable.”
Self-confessed ‘clumsy man’ Eddie Hall teams up with Currys to urge British consumers to ‘Repair, not Replace’ as new research reveals the nation wastes over £9 billion per year replacing broken technology. Find out more at currysplc.com/sustainable-business/circular-economy
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