Eddie Hall’s strength was a mix of training, genetics and mindset.

At 185kg, he trained for pure power with heavy deadlifts, squats, overhead presses and strongman events like yoke carries and tyre flips. His background in competitive swimming gave him better conditioning than most heavyweights, helping with recovery between events.

He ate over 10,000 calories a day and used daily physio, massage and cryotherapy to keep his body functioning under extreme loads. Recovery was treated as part of the job.

Eddie has what’s known as the Hercules gene, a rare variation of the ACTN3 gene linked to fast-twitch muscle fibres and explosive strength. Only a small percentage of people have it, and Eddie has confirmed he tested positive for it.

But his biggest edge was mental. For the 500kg deadlift, Eddie explained that he used hypnosis to prepare. He worked with a professional to help him block pain, fear and doubt. He visualised the lift constantly and trained his mind to treat it like life or death. On the day, he went into a near blackout state and has said he doesn’t remember the full lift.