Following a visit by Eddie to the University to undergo a series of strength tests and MRI scans, experts compared his muscle and tendon structure to that of various other athletic, trained and untrained populations.

The research has enabled the team to investigate the factors that have contributed to Eddie’s extreme strength, and better understand how all populations can change and develop muscular systems to improve the function and performance of muscles.

The findings, published today (Thursday 15 August) show that Eddie’s lower-body muscle mass was almost twice (+96%) that of untrained men. The muscles of the calf (plantar flexors) and the three “guy ropes” muscles that provide stability to the pelvis and thigh had the largest differences (+120 to +202%) relative to a group of untrained men, with his quadriceps muscles, on the front of the thigh, being twice as large. All these muscles are vital for heavy lifting, carrying and pulling tasks, staples of the strongman sport.

Some of his other muscles, used in movements that are not so important for heavy lifting and carrying, such as those involved in flexing the hip, showed much more modest differences when compared to untrained men (23-65% larger). And his patella tendon, that his quadriceps muscles attach to, was only 30% larger, despite the quadriceps muscles being twice as large, suggesting that muscles are much more adaptable than tendons with training.

Speaking about the study, Dr Tom Balshaw from the University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, said: “Scientific understanding of muscular strength is important because of its role in athletic performance, injury prevention, and healthy ageing. However, our knowledge of extreme human strength is limited.

Professor Jonathan Folland explained, “With Eddie, a strongman and deadlift champion, we expected the big muscles involved in extending the knee and hip would show the greatest development. Whilst these muscles were certainly well developed, we were surprised that the greatest muscular development was of the long, thin “guy ropes” muscles that stabilise the pelvis and thigh This indicates that these stabilising muscles may be more important for heavy lifting and carrying than we previously thought.”

Dr Balshaw added “Overall, the results suggest how adaptable the muscular system is, with the greatest muscular development of the muscles that Eddie trains and uses the most. This suggests that we can all change and develop our muscular system to improve the function and performance of our muscles.”

The paper, Muscle and tendon morphology of a world strongman and deadlift champion, is published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.