Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson: Height, Weight, Deadlift Records

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, the man behind Game of Thrones’ ‘The Mountain’, is one of the most physically imposing athletes in history. This is the full breakdown of his height, weight, and deadlift records that made him a legend, plus how he stacks up against his rival Eddie Hall.

Height: 6 ft 9 in (206 cm) · Competition Weight: ~205 kg (452 lb) · Official Deadlift: 510 kg (1,124 lb) · World’s Strongest Man: 2018 champion · Game of Thrones: Ser Gregor Clegane

The table below lists key verified statistics for Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson from authoritative sources.

What condition does Thor Bjornsson have?

The short answer: none. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson does not have a medical condition that explains his size. The confusion stems from his nickname—”Thor”—which he shares with his *Game of Thrones* character, Ser Gregor Clegane, better known as “The Mountain.” His stature is the result of genetics, elite athletic training, and a career spent lifting heavy weights, not a health disorder.

His size is entirely natural and athletic. There are no verified medical disorders associated with his height or weight in any authoritative source. The man is simply a genetic outlier who trained his body to extreme levels. The implication for curious fans: when you see “The Mountain” towering over co-stars on screen, you’re looking at a world-class athlete in his prime.

How tall and heavy is Thor Björnsson?

The numbers shift depending on the source, but the consensus is clear: he’s enormous by any standard. Giants Live lists him at 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) and 205 kg (452 lb), while Wikipedia puts him at 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in). A LiftingBase profile lists him at 206 cm and 200 kg. When he set his 501 kg deadlift in 2020, ESPN reported him at 6-foot-9 and 425 pounds—a leaner competition weight for that specific event.

His weight fluctuates dramatically based on training phase. In strongman off-season bulking, he’s pushed toward 205 kg (452 lb). For deadlift-specific events, he trims down to move more efficiently. The pattern: 206 cm of height with a weight range of 150–205 kg depending on the competition calendar.

What this means: when someone asks “How heavy is Thor?”, the honest answer is “it depends on the season.” But the ceiling is roughly 205 kg on a 6 ft 9 in frame—a combination that gives him a massive mechanical advantage in lifting.

The discrepancy between 2.05 m and 2.06 m is measurement timing—morning vs. evening height variation—and rounding. The catch: for a man his size, a centimeter difference is irrelevant. What matters is the 205 kg working weight that lets him grip and pull 510 kg off the floor.

Who is stronger, Eddie or Thor?

This is the heavyweight question that has fueled strongman debates for years. The answer depends on what you measure. In the deadlift specifically, Björnsson currently holds the crown: his 510 kg pull in September 2025 surpassed his own 501 kg record from May 2020, which in turn beat Eddie Hall’s historic 500 kg lift from 2016 (Guinness World Records).

But “stronger” is a broader concept than one lift. Hall won World’s Strongest Man once (2017). Björnsson won it once too (2018), plus a dominant career with 32 international titles and 60 total wins (Wikipedia). In terms of decorated career, Björnsson’s record is deeper. In terms of peak single-lift drama, Hall’s 500 kg was the first to break the barrier—but Björnsson has since blown it away.

The trade-off: Hall’s 500 kg was pulled raw with straps but without a deadlift suit. Björnsson’s 501 kg used a suit (in competition, where suits are allowed). The 510 kg record also used a double-ply suit and figure-8 straps (Wikipedia record list). Purists will argue equipment differences; the record books simply say Björnsson is the current holder.

Eddie Hall vs Thor Björnsson deadlift comparison

• Hall: 500 kg (1,102.31 lb), July 2016, World Deadlift Championships (ESPN)
• Björnsson: 501 kg (1,104.52 lb), May 2020, World’s Ultimate Strongman (ESPN)
• Björnsson: 505 kg (1,113.33 lb), July 2025, Eisenhart Black Deadlift Championships (Guinness World Records)
• Björnsson: 510 kg (1,124.36 lb), September 2025, World Deadlift Championships (Guinness World Records)

The pattern: Björnsson has progressively demolished the record. Hall’s 500 kg stood for four years; Björnsson has added 10 kg to it in five. That’s not a rivalry anymore—that’s a coronation.

Other strongman event comparisons

Beyond the deadlift, the two have varying strengths. Hall’s 2017 World’s Strongest Man win came with a famously controversial deadlift event where he beat Björnsson head-to-head. But Björnsson’s 2018 title was a dominant performance across five events. In the broader strongman circuit, Björnsson’s 32 international titles dwarf Hall’s single WSM victory. The implication: if you want a winner in the events that matter across a full competition, Björnsson’s consistency wins. If you want the single most iconic moment in deadlift history, Hall’s 500 kg will always carry cultural weight.

Did Thor do 505 kg?

Yes. Björnsson deadlifted 505 kg (1,113.33 lb) in training in January 2020, before his official 501 kg competition lift later that year. That 505 kg training pull—performed with a deadlift suit, straps, and a whippy barbell—was widely videoed and shared, but it wasn’t a sanctioned attempt (Guinness World Records lists 505 kg as a training lift, not a record).

The distinction matters for record-keeping. In 2025, however, Björnsson would surpass that training number with official lifts: first 505 kg at the Eisenhart Black Deadlift Championships in July, then 510 kg in Birmingham in September (Guinness World Records). So while the 505 kg training pull was unofficial at the time, he later made that weight official and then some.

Was Thor’s 501kg deadlift legit?

Yes, and the record-keeping confirms it. The 501 kg lift on May 2, 2020, was performed at the World’s Ultimate Strongman event under competition rules: no wraps, straps allowed, and referees present. BBC News and ESPN both reported it as a world record at the time. The technical controversy that followed—whether his deadlift suit’s stiffness gave an unfair advantage—was a debate among fans, not a disqualification from officials.

Eddie Hall’s 500 kg from 2016 was also legitimate, under different promotion rules. Both records were sanctioned. The “legit?” question usually stems from the equipment differences: Hall used a raw bar with straps; Björnsson used a suit. But in strongman, suits are standard equipment—not cheating. The callout for fans: if you’re comparing the two, you’re comparing different rule books, but both lifts were ruled valid in their respective federations.

Is a 600kg deadlift possible?

No human has ever deadlifted 600 kg in a sanctioned competition. The current record is Björnsson’s 510 kg (Guinness World Records). Could 600 kg ever happen? The biomechanics are brutal. At that weight, the compressive load on the lumbar spine exceeds what most physiologists consider survivable for a human skeleton—estimates suggest the force required would be over 1,300 pounds of compression on the vertebrae alone.

That’s not to say it’s impossible. Strongman records have fallen steadily: 500 kg fell in 2016, 501 kg in 2020, 510 kg in 2025. If Björnsson or someone else keeps adding 1–5 kg per year, the question isn’t whether 600 kg is reachable—it’s whether the human body can hold up before the sport evolves further. The trade-off: physics vs. human will. Physics says 600 kg requires a lifter with both phenomenal leverage and perfect technique. The record books say we’re still 90 kg away.

How rare is a 300kg deadlift?

Extremely rare. A 300 kg (661 lb) deadlift is an elite-level achievement that fewer than 1% of trained lifters ever reach. Even among competitive powerlifters, only the top 5–10% of heavyweights (those weighing 110 kg+) hit 300 kg in competition. For a 60 kg lifter, pulling 100 kg is already considered a good baseline—the equivalent of 1.6x bodyweight—so scaling to 300 kg at that bodyweight would be near-impossible.

The rarity matters because it contextualizes Björnsson’s 510 kg. He pulls 510 kg at a bodyweight of ~205 kg—roughly 2.5x his own bodyweight. For a 60 kg man to match that ratio, he’d need to deadlift 150 kg. For an 80 kg man, 200 kg. Very few people ever achieve those numbers, and Björnsson does it with 100+ kg more on the bar.

The takeaway for your own training: if you can deadlift 300 kg, you’re in the top fraction of a percent of humanity. Björnsson is in the top fraction of that fraction.

Timeline: A record-breaking career

The pattern: Björnsson has been building toward this for a decade. His 2018 WSM win was the peak of his all-around strongman career; his 2020–2025 deadlift progression is the peak of his single-lift specialization. The implication: if anyone reaches 600 kg, it’ll be a lifter with his combination of height, leverage, and training longevity.

What’s confirmed vs. what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Height: 206 cm (6 ft 9 in) per Giants Live
• Official deadlift record: 510 kg (1,124.36 lb) per Guinness World Records
• Won World’s Strongest Man in 2018 per Wikipedia
• 32 international titles and 60 total wins per Wikipedia

What’s unclear

• Exact current weight outside of competition season (fluctuates 150–205 kg)
• Precise net worth (public estimates range $3–5 million, no official disclosure)
• Whether he’ll return to strongman after his 2023 retirement announcement
• Exact height due to measurement timing (2.05 vs 2.06 m)

“I’m Hafþór Júlíus ‘Thor’ Björnsson, the strongest man in Iceland and 3rd strongest man in the world.”

— Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Reddit AMA

“The heaviest deadlift is 510 kg (1,124.36 lb) by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson.”

— Guinness World Records

The summary for anyone tracking his career: Björnsson has redefined what “record” means in the deadlift. Eddie Hall broke the 500 kg barrier; Björnsson turned that barrier into a stepping stone. For the fan wondering if anyone will surpass him, the next generation of strongmen is already training in his shadow—and they’ll need to add 10 kg to his 510 kg just to tie. For the casual observer, the lesson is simpler: when the Mountain moves, the record book moves with him.