{"id":32528,"date":"2024-11-11T12:51:26","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T12:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mensfitness.co.uk\/?p=32528"},"modified":"2024-11-11T12:51:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T12:51:33","slug":"train-smart-with-eddie-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mensfitness.co.uk\/news\/train-smart-with-eddie-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Training smart with ex-World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former World\u2019s Strongest Man and six-time UK\u2019s Strongest Man Eddie Hall may not have appeared on our TV screens performing feats of strength lately, but there\u2019s a good reason for that. In-between training for an eagerly awaited MMA fight and making a Hollywood movie, he\u2019s now fronting a new Currys campaign urging British consumers to “repair, not replace”.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m one of the guys who, if I break something, I just bin it and buy new \u2013 but it\u2019s costing me a fortune, and I\u2019m keen to repair what I\u2019ve got instead,\u201d he says. Hall is still lifting weights, too (really big ones, naturally). So when Men\u2019s Fitness<\/em> managed to wrestle him away from his promotional duties, we asked him to preach his essential strength training commandments.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Train your legs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2019ve got a rare genetic trait called the \u2018Hercules gene\u2019, which allows me to carry much more muscle mass than the average person.

\u201cDuring the study, we found my leg muscles were three-and-a-half times larger than the average man\u2019s. But while my muscles were 300% bigger, my tendons \u2013 like the patella and knee tendons \u2013 were only 15% larger. So, I\u2019ve got regular tendons supporting muscles that are way bigger than normal, which shows that it\u2019s hard work and not just genetics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo credit: Kieran Cleeves \/ PA Media Assignments<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Have a master plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most common mistake people make in the gym is going in without a clear plan. They do random exercises, hitting a bit of everything \u2013 arms, legs, back \u2013 without any focus. To build muscle effectively, track the weights you use and aim to gradually increase them over time to ensure you\u2019re progressively overloading.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep consistent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve 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 \u2013 about an hour every morning \u2013 and I strength train in the afternoon. On average, I\u2019m training between eight and 12 times a week, twice a day most days.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you don\u2019t need to spend hours in the gym \u2013 45 minutes a day can transform your body. Stick to the basics, enjoy what you\u2019re doing, and be consistent. It took me 30 or 40 competitions before I won World\u2019s Strongest Man. It\u2019s about perseverance and believing in yourself. Just keep going, and the results will come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throw some punches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of strength trainers don\u2019t enjoy running, but you need cardio work to increase your muscles\u2019 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\u2019s all fight training. I\u2019ve turned to MMA, and one of the fights I\u2019m trying to line up is against Mariusz Pudzianowski, who won World\u2019s Strongest Man five times and has been an MMA fighter for 15 years. We\u2019re working on getting the contract signed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Move your muscles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 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\u2019t strict full reps \u2013 maybe an inch off the shoulder and probably an inch-and-a-half from lockout. That way, you\u2019re keeping the pressure on your muscle \u2013 you\u2019re working the muscle constantly, not resting at the bottom or at the top. Just keep it moving \u2013\u00a0it worked wonders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Train heavy, train smart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always believed in heavy lifting, but also in smart programming to avoid burnout and injury. You\u2019ve got to find the right balance, too. I\u2019m sitting around 160kg now, which is about 26 stone. When I won World\u2019s Strongest Man, I was 32 stone \u2013 just under 200kg. The fight training I do now requires me to be a lot lighter so I can stay fast and nimble. I\u2019ve found a balance where I\u2019m still strong but can move well and fight comfortably. You need to train smart and adapt to make your training suit your goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Develop your diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy diet is always evolving. Right now, I\u2019m on the carnivore diet, eating only meat and eggs. It\u2019s been great for reducing inflammation, improving sleep and boosting performance. I\u2019m giving it a try for three months, but I\u2019m always a bit sceptical. Sometimes your body adapts or rejects a diet after a while, so I\u2019ll decide afterward if I stick with it or go back to eating some carbs. I\u2019ll tell you one thing, though, I\u2019m definitely missing pizza and cheesecake!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And don’t sit still<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThings like lifting Atlas stones and pulling planes are old news for me now. I\u2019ve done it all \u2013 won World\u2019s Strongest Man, lifted half a ton. I\u2019ve proven what the human body is capable of, and I\u2019m happy to leave it there. I want to live a long, healthy life, and staying at 200kg for too long just isn\u2019t sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-confessed \u2018clumsy man\u2019 Eddie Hall teams up with Currys to urge British consumers to \u2018Repair, not Replace\u2019 as new research reveals the nation wastes over \u00a39 billion per year replacing broken technology. Find out more at currysplc.com\/sustainable-business\/circular-economy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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