Halfthor Bjornsson, who used to play a rather nasty character named Gregor Clegane on HBO’s adaptation of George Rape Rape Martin’s never-ending and extremely sadistic exercise in nihilistic epic fantasy, also happens to be one of the strongest men anywhere in the world.

He proved that, resoundingly, by deadlifting an insane 1,041 pounds.

Yeah. Four hundred and seventy two kilograms. Over HALF AN IMPERIAL TON.

And he lifts it as though it is less than half that weight – which is still about 100lbs more than I can lift on a good day:

I don’t care what kinds of “supplements” he is on. That is hugely impressive.

And it is real inspiration for all of the rest of us ironheads who spend so much of our time in the crucible of pain, the temple of the Iron God, that is the Squat Rack, roaring and blowing blood vessels through clouds of chalk dust as we squat, bench, and especially deadlift insane amounts of weight.

I have the utmost respect for true powerlifters. The Viking giant up there is one such – and he, like his peers, continues to redefine what is humanly possible every day.