Manfred Hoeberl

Manfred Hoeberl is an Austrian former strongman, powerlifter and bodybuilder. He was famous for having the largest muscular arms in the world during early to mid 1990s.
Having competed in 18 International strongman competitions and winning 6 of them, Hoeberl is among the 50 most decorated strongmen of all time. He also participated in numerous Highland games. He was born in the same town as bodybuilding legend and former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Life and career

Hoeberl won the Europe's Strongest Man twice, the World Muscle Power Classic twice 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.
Hoeberl won Austria's Strongest Man 7 times, from 1989-1994 & 1996.
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 cold. Right after Hoeberl curled a 150 lb. dumbbell for several reps and was re-measured at 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.
Shortly after this, Hoeberl co-wrote his first book 10 Minutes to Massive Arms.
Hoeberl was officially certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush gripper in 1997 and was famous for his world class grip strength.

Personal records

In competitions:

Silver Dollar Deadlift – raw
Log press – '
Leviathan Press – x 19 reps
Leviathan Press – x 25 reps
Rock press –
Weight over bar – over '
Stone block throw – over
Truck pull – + for 20 metres in 24.60 seconds

During training:

Barbell curl – Close to for a max according to Manfred himself.
Captains of Crush – No. 3 gripper )
Bench press – raw
Squat – ''raw''

Physical stats

Height –
Weight –
Upper Arm – cold, pumped
Forearm – goose-necked at right angle to upper arm
Wrist –

Car crashes and retirement

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.
Hoeberl was involved in a second near fatal crash in 2002. Hoeberl was involved in a head-on collision with a truck while riding a motorcycle at 80 miles per hour. Due to his injuries Hoeberl is no longer weight training, he is quoted as saying, “I am kinda lucky to be alive.”