Eben Etzebeth’s insane gym records: They had to order special weights for him

Standing 6ft 8in and weighing more than 120kg, the South Africa lock combines enormous size with remarkable strength and athleticism.

His numbers in the gym are particularly eye-catching, with Etzebeth reportedly recording a staggering 275kg squatduring his career.

Etzebeth's reported gym numbers include:

The bench press figure is one Etzebeth has spoken about himself, revealing that his personal best was around 175kg.

But perhaps the best story demonstrating his freakish strength comes from his time with the Stormers.

Etzebeth and fellow Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff became so strong that the dumbbells available in the team gym were no longer heavy enough.

The biggest available were 65kg, forcing the pair to find another solution.

Speaking previously about his training, Etzebeth explained that they began attaching additional weight plates to the dumbbells before the conditioning staff eventually stepped in.

“They had to order us heavier dumbbells,” Etzebeth recalled.

The Stormers subsequently brought in 70kg and 75kg dumbbells for the pair to use.

What makes Etzebeth's physical profile even more remarkable is that he isn't simply a huge, powerful forward.

Despite weighing comfortably over 120kg, the double Rugby World Cup winner has reportedly clocked a 40-metre sprint of around 5.11 seconds, while his top speed has been reported at approximately 28km/h.

That combination of power and mobility has helped make Etzebeth one of the most destructive locks in world rugby.

The Springbok enforcer has spent more than a decade competing at the highest level, winning the Rugby World Cup in both 2019 and 2023 and becoming one of South Africa's most-capped players.

And if you ever wondered why opposition players rarely seem keen to run directly at him, a 275kg squat and 75kg dumbbells in each hand probably goes some way towards explaining it.

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