From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manfred Hoeberl
(
German:
[?manfreːt
?huːb?rl]
; born 12 May 1964) is an Austrian former
strongman
and
powerlifter
who was known as having the largest muscular arms in the world during the early-mid 1990s.
[1]
He was born in the same town as
bodybuilding
legend and former
Governor
of
California
,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
.
[1]
Having competed in 18 International strongman competitions and winning 6 of them, Hoeberl is among the
50 most decorated strongmen of all time
.
[2]
Life and career
[
edit
]
Hoeberl won the
Europe's Strongest Man
twice (1993, 1994), the
World Muscle Power Classic
twice (1993, 1994) and was runner up at the
1994 World's Strongest Man
competition, narrowly missing the title to
Magnus Ver Magnusson
by 0.87 seconds in the final Atlas Stones event. Hoeberl competed in the World's Strongest Man finals in 1991 and 1993, finishing 8th and 4th respectively.
[3]
Hoeberl won
Austria's Strongest Man
7 times, from 1989-1994 & 1996.
[4]
In the early 1990s Hoeberl claimed to have the largest arms in the world. At the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, bodybuilding journalist Joe Roark measured Hoeberl's upper arm to be 25.75 inches (65.4 cm) cold. Right after Hoeberl curled a 150 lb. dumbbell for several reps and was re-measured at 26 inches (66 cm) pumped. After the measurement Roark claimed Hoeberl was the first man in history to have an upper arm girth three times the size of his wrist circumference.
[5]
Shortly after this, Hoeberl co-wrote his first book
10 Minutes to Massive Arms
.
[6]
Hoeberl was officially certified on the No. 3
Captains of Crush
gripper in 1997
[7]
and was famous for his world class
grip strength
.
Personal records
[
edit
]
- Bench Press
: 285 kg (628 lb) raw
[8]
- Squat
: 360 kg (794 lb) raw
[8]
- Silver Dollar
Deadlift
: 390 kg (860 lb) raw (1994 World's Strongest Man)
- Log press: 150 kg (331 lb) (1994 Strongest Man on Earth)
- Leviathan press (60° incline Log press): 110 kg (243 lb) x 19 reps (1993 World's Strongest Man)
- Rock press: 120 kg (265 lb) (1994 Strongest Man on Earth)
- Trojan wall (weight over wall): 20 kg (44 lb) over a 5.6 metres wall (1993 World's Strongest Man)
- Weight over bar: 25 kg (55 lb) over a 5.33 metres bar (1993 World Viking Challenge)
- Truck pull: 7,000 kg (15,432 lb) + (4 x 55 drum barrels) for 20 metres in 24.60 seconds (1993 World's Strongest Man)
Car crashes and retirement
[
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]
Shortly after the 1994 World's Strongest Man contest, Hoeberl was involved in a near fatal car crash in which he broke several limbs, and fractured his hip in 8 places. After months of rehabilitation, Hoeberl returned to
strongman
competition, although he never again competed in the World's Strongest Man. A severe biceps injury sustained during the
1997 European Hercules
contest forced him into retirement.
[1]
Hoeberl was involved in a second near fatal crash in 2002.
[9]
Hoeberl was involved in a head-on collision with a truck while riding a motorcycle at 80 miles per hour.
[9]
Due to his injuries Hoeberl is no longer weight training, he is quoted as saying "I am kinda lucky to be alive".
[9]
References
[
edit
]