23rd October 2013. He competed in a one-off event at the Giants Live Strongman Championship 2019 held in Wembley against fellow strongman legend Bill Kazmaier in the Hercules Hold, with the weight being reduced by 20kg on each side from what the professional athletes were working with. Magnús Ver Magnússon has built a powerful body of work. CC: You bet. Phil Pfhister is a fireman and Karl Gillingham is a purchasing agent and owns Jackal gym, a web page to buy strongman gear. Before I begin an event, I pretend that if I don't succeed my family will be killed or something; this helps me tap into some inner strength. Phil Pfhister, Brian Schoonveld, Brian Neese, Karl Gillingham, Mark Phillippi and myself are clean. T: When you're competing, what goes through your mind? I'd been watching the World's Strongest Man for years on ESPN and thought it might be fun to try the sport out, but in 96 there were no shows in the states. Again, from talking to the guys I know, they rarely come off. I think most guys see the primordial strength and it gets them going. Because I train specific events every weekend, I break my training up into a Monday and Thursday session. Phil Pfhister, Brian Schoonveld, Brian Neese, Karl Gillingham, Mark Phillippi and myself are clean. This month, I had the privilege to speak with Magnús Ver Magnússon, the legendary strength athlete with four World’s Strongest Man titles. He usually is extremely aggressive. It really depends on the show that's next, but we may do super yoke, farmers walk, stones, Conan's wheel, crucifix, bus pull, car flip, truck lift and walk, arm over arm pull, keg toss, keg loading, etc. Nothing beats functional strength! Yes, we do have a car for flipping, a truck for the truck lift and walk event, two sets of stones and stands, Conan's wheel, Viking press, a crucifix stand, farmers walk implements, logs, and kegs. CC: My favorite event is the stones of strength and my least favorite is the bus pull. I also like any type of medley event where you have to do several events together. This effective program is for them. Look better in a T-shirt... or without a T-shirt. Magnús Ver Magnússon (Hafnarfjörður, 23 aprile 1963) è un sollevatore, strongman e powerlifter islandese. I use about anything that could possibly help my performance, and is legal. Some works and some doesn't, but the journey of learning is much sweeter than the success of ending up at your goal. Bryan Neese teaches school and owns Mastiff Strength Equipment. Then you can work the technique so that you get faster. He also uses HCG every few weeks. They work for newbies and drug-aided pros, but for the rest of us, body-part splits rob us of growth. T: Can a strongman contest be fixed? No one has ever died directly from the cycle they were doing , but several have died from heart disease that I think is exacerbated by drug use. © 2020 T Nation LLC. 28.5k Followers, 239 Following, 104 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Magnús Ver Magnússon (@magnusvermag) The name Jakaból is a reference to an old gym in Reykjavík where Jón Páll Sigmarsson and many other Icelandic legends used to train. Try this exercise to target the clavicular head of the pecs. CC: Most of the guys watch what they eat as far as protein goes and the rest just takes care of itself. He usually is extremely aggressive. He went on to win the show four times. Tip: Stretch This Muscle and Feel Awesome, Tip: The Key to Strong and Healthy Shoulders, Tip: One Exercise For Big Delts and a Strong Grip, Death to Foam Rollers and Boring Rehab Stuff, The Best Damn Workout Plan For Natural Lifters, Tip: Eat One a Day to Lose Fat and Prevent Cancer, Tip: Hex Bar Exercises – Beyond The Deadlift, Tip: The Bad Habit That Makes You Overeat. I also use transdermal prohormones. There are guys that aren't and they aren't shy about it. T: How important is it to train with the actual equipment? Each week is different but I'm always breaking new PRs. Is this extra size helpful or is it a hindrance? Warning: This gets a little frisky. The guys that use speed get over-stimulated and tend to lose concentration. Use the awkward stuff to lift. To get the inside scoop, we talked to Chad Coy, a strongman competitor, contest promoter, and gym owner. Here's an exercise to fix that. Svend Karlsen owned a gym at one point and is sponsored by a supplement company and Valeo. Ha vinto il titolo di World's Strongest Man per quattro volte (1991, 1994, 1995 e 1996). – O.D. CC: I try and concentrate on the proper form and technique of the event that I'm doing at the time. Thursday I flip flop the speed vertical press and max effort squat or dead. Magnús began powerlifting in 1984, and in 1985 he won a medal in the junior European and World Championships. I do pinch grip holds with two 25 pound plates. Doug could have been one of the best ever if he could've stayed motivated. I'm not saying any names because these guys are friends of mine and I must compete with them year round. I've heard of one guy who was so loaded on Nubain that he had to take speed to do an event, but that's not common. I'd say most guys have a powerlifting background, with some coming from Highlands games and bodybuilding. Powerlifting. Indeed, Magnusson is one of only two men to have won the title three times consecutively, the other being Bill Kazmaier. He didn't cheat, but he bent the rules and he won that event. Other than that it would be next to impossible to fix a show. I've heard stories.... CC: If you really wanted to it could be. During the season (we start competing in March and end in October), he takes one or two Anadrols a day for added strength. My favorite event is the stones of strength and my least favorite is the bus pull. On May 2nd 2020 Magnús was the referee when Hafthor deadlifted 501 kilograms (1104 pounds), which was broadcast on ESPN. Many of the European guys juice. Many guys are married and have their wives with them where ever they go, but the ones that aren't married always go out after the show and have a good time! I also like timed holds either with a thick bar or a regular bar. CrossFit with guns, a supplement ingredient quiz (with prizes), and the delicious food that keeps you full for hours. Or, at least he was the strongest man in the world four times, winning the World Strongman contest in 1991 and then from 1994-96. As a promoter you could tailor your show to favor one type of athlete. I think genes play a huge role. Many of the European guys juice. T: What legal supplements are hot on the strongman scene? Magnus Ver Magnusson is the strongest man in the world. Use the awkward stuff to lift. Others get into the sport for a variety of reasons. Triceps so thick that you'd have to rest them on a desk or chair to keep them from tiring your shoulders and elbows. For the most part, guys might drink and some guys may use GHB and get high, but nothing harder than that, at least not that I know of. CC: The guys I know that use stick with Test, Dianabol, Anadrol-50, and Deca. If you really wanted to it could be. The sport for them is fun and yes, winning is great, but not at the expense of health or freedom! From what I've seen on TV, the Americans get their asses kicked regularily. Are you doing them all? Jim Wendler's 5/3/1/ program promises slow and steady gains that will eventually turn you into the strongest guy in the gym. Once I know what the next event calls for I can change my training to better fit the next show. As part of his investigative journalism for T Nation, Chris was featured on HBO’s "Real Sports with Bryant Gumble.". T: How do you train for the events themselves? Svend Karlson was an IFBB pro bodybuilder until 1995 when he came to strongman. Not only does this make you eat 385 extra calories a day, it also saps your natural testosterone.