| Manfred Hoeberl | |
| Birth Name: | Manfred Hoeberl |
| Birth Date: | 12 May 1964 |
| Birth Place: | Graz, Austria |
| Occupation: | Strongman Powerlifter |
| 7× Austria's Strongest Man 2× Europe's Strongest Man | |
Manfred Hoeberl (pronounced as /de/; 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]
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 Magnús Ver Magnússon 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 25.75inches cold. Right after Hoeberl curled a 150 lb. dumbbell for several reps and was re-measured at 26inches 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.
→ Hoeberl is the 9th man and the first non-American to get certified on this gripper[9]
→ During training he often did 68abbr=onNaNabbr=on for sets of 12 reps at the end of biceps training, after 8 rep sets with 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on seated cable curls and 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on seated dumbbell curls
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.[10] Hoeberl was involved in a head-on collision with a truck while riding a motorcycle at 80 miles per hour.[10] Due to his injuries Hoeberl is no longer weight training, he is quoted as saying "I am kinda lucky to be alive".[10]