It takes a certain kind of strength to be a strongman. The sport is known for producing athletes who seem to defy physical limits known to man; theirs is a physique that is almost super-human, more akin to a demigod than an athlete. And when it comes to some of the best in the sport, Eddie Hall sits right up there. After winning the World’s Strongest Man title in 2017, Hall sat amongst the very top in the sport, known for his swole body that gave away his profession even if you didn’t recognise the face. But in more recent times, Hall has undergone something of a transformation and is looking far more jacked.
For those who have been following Hall’s fitness transformation journey, he’s long been an advocate of boxing as he prepares for some exhibition matches. As a result, he’s traded heavy weight sessions and an all-you-can-eat diet for something far more streamlined and suited to success in the ring: a meticulously curated nutrition program and hours spent boxing. But if you thought this was the reason for his 40kg slim-down, think again.
As Hall admits himself, his weight loss is credited to a new addition to his morning routine: a mile-and-a-half morning walk (about the equivalent of 2.5km). Hall believes his morning walks are the answer to his weight loss. “I would say the biggest change for me is adding in daily walks,” he explains, “just every day getting up in the morning and walking a mile and a half. Some mornings I run and some mornings I walk, but every single day I get up and do a mile and a half, and I take my dog out. It helps me clear my mind, sets me up for the day and it’s a great way of getting exercise in, and I genuinely believe that’s why the weight has fallen off me.”
Given that so many of us now find ourselves in lockdown, it’s a timely message from Hall to make the most of what we can control. Gyms might be closed for the minute and for some, the expenses that come with paying for online streaming and equipment aren’t feasible right now. But we can still go outside and even if it is just for a 2.4km walk, it’s still something we’re doing to make our health a priority and carve out time for ourselves. Not surprisingly, this time is important to Hall and he doesn’t use tracking devices to measure his mileage, speed or number of steps. Rather, he prefers to simply show up each morning and go by feel: sometimes it’s fast, sometimes he takes it slower.
“I don’t use any of those fucking Fitbits or anything like that; I find them really stressful,” he says. “I just go with the flow. I don’t put any marker on it; I just do it all by feel.”
Hall will have some more time on his hands to prepare for the upcoming fight against fellow former strongman Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson. The exhibition match was postponed after Hall suffered a painful bicep injury, but the World’s Strongest Fight will take place next year. Having successfully negotiated surgery, Hall is back in training mode and has lost none of his desire to take on (and beat) his arch-enemy. “I want to snap the chin off that bloke,” said Hall.
With his recent weight loss and unwavering dedication, we wouldn’t put it past Hall. This certainly is shaping up to be some fight.
