Tom Haviland doing a farmer’s walk on his farm. / Instagram
Tom Haviland is an enigma. The mysterious Australian giant is a social media sensation, fueled by Joe Rogan calling him “possibly the strongest man alive” and the fact that he hides his face and physique and typically trains outdoors on his farm with makeshift (but ridiculously heavy) equipment in ordinary work clothes. Who is this faceless phenom and what’s behind his unique training? Let’s find out. We solve the mystery of Tom Haviland.
WHO IS TOM HAVILAND?
Tom Haviland is an Australian non-competitive strongman who trains unconventionally, usually outside, often with unique “weights.” He’s become an internet sensation, with some speculating he may be the world’s strongest human.
HOW OLD IS TOM HAVLIAND?
He’s currently 38.
HOW TALL IS HE AND HOW MUCH DOES HE WEIGH?
Tom Haviland is 6’8” (203 cm) and typically weighs 330-350 pounds (150-159 kg.).
WHERE DOES HE LIVE?
He lives on a farm in the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia.
WHERE DID HE GROW UP?
“I grew up in a very small town on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales [Australia].”
HOW DID HE GET INTO WORKING OUT?
Tom Haviland told the Daily Mail: “I was a very active kid and grew up playing all the main sports. We were out deep in the bush and lived very simply, which meant I was very rarely indoors as a kid and spent most of the day outside working, playing and exploring. This is where my love for physical strength began to develop as there was no shortage of logs, stones, and other implements to lift and carry around, which was something I naturally gravitated towards at a young age.” As a tall teenager, he played basketball and began researching weight-training in order to boost his athletic ability.
HOW STRONG IS TOM HAVILAND?
His biggest lifts include:
Bench Press / 600 lbs. (272.5 kg.)
Deadlift / 1003 lbs. (455 kg.), performed with straps and with the bar starting 13 inches off the floor.
Squat / 811 lbs. (368 kg.) for 3 reps. Equals 860 lbs. for a single rep.
Zercher Squat / 750 lbs. (340 kg.) A Zercher squat is a front squat with the bar held in the crooks of the squatter’s arms.
Yoke Walk / 1200 lbs. (544 lbs.) with homemade equipment on uneven ground. A yoke walk is a walk with the weight on your shoulders.
Seated Shoulder Press / 456 lbs. (207 kg.)
Biceps Curl / 235 lbs. (107 kg.) super strict with a 10-second negative.
COULD TOM HAVILAND WIN THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN?
Mitchell Hooper, 2023 World’s Strongest Man, has watched videos of Haviland’s unorthodox training and said, “Tom isn’t just good at one thing; he’s great at everything. I can’t pick a single area where he’s not competitive. With the right preparation and access to professional equipment, Haviland has what it takes to not only compete but win [the World’s Strongest Man].” He would have to master events like Atlas Stones and log presses under competition rules and conditions, and he’d have to hurry up about it. At 38, age is already a factor. The Barbell determined that 29 was the average age of WSM winners, which was also the age of last year’s winner. (See: Peak Strength: At What Age Are We Strongest?) The oldest World’s Strongest Man was 38.
WHAT DID JOE ROGAN SAY ABOUT TOM HAVILAND?
Last November, popular podcaster Joe Rogan was interviewing bowhunter and ultra-marathoner Cameron Hanes when he asked, “You ever heard of Tom Haviland? This guy’s a real weirdo. He’s a freak that lives in Australia, and he does these insane workouts, and he wears, like, flannel shirts and jeans, and he’s got the most freakish physique ever.” Rogan also called Haviland “possibly the strongest man alive.” Of course, interest in Haviland rocketed. Haviland called it “quite a shock” to be spoken about on the world’s most popular podcast.
WOULD HE GO ON “THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE”?
“It’d be an amazing experience to be on his show, but I’m not sure I’d have enough interesting things to talk about to fill a whole podcast. It probably goes without saying at this point, but I’m a pretty boring guy that prefers the simple things in life. It’s not in my personality to seek out attention or limelight, and I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid that. The interest my training has received has come as a big surprise to me, but it’s been a very positive experience, and I’m extremely grateful for it.”
WHO ARE HAVILAND’S MENTORS?
His first mentor was Derek Boyer, 12-time Australia’s Strongest Man (2000-11). “I met Derek at a young age and he instantly took me under his wing and we began training together. We’d train for hours and then talk for hours,” Haviland told the Daily Mail. “These were some of the best and most challenging moments of my life and were invaluable to my knowledge and development.” His current mentor is Josh Bryant of Jailhouse Strong. “In my opinion, Josh is the greatest strength coach in the world and it’s a distant second,” Haviland said.
WHY DOES TOM HAVILAND NOT SHOW HIS FACE OR BODY?
He has posted shots on Instagram that show his face and jacked 6’8″ body. But such photos are rarities. His training videos are filmed to not reveal his face, and he’s typically dressed in long pants and long-sleeve shirts. “I prefer to keep my posting focused on my training and not on me personally,” Haviland told the Daily Mail this year. “I include small pieces of my personal life here and there, but I’m a private person, and I prefer to maintain boundaries for social media and don’t feel like it takes away from what I’m trying to do. I know it seems odd to many people, and I can understand that, but it suits me and has worked well so far. So until I can see a reason to change, I’ll continue doing it this way. I also can’t deny that I get a kick out of all the speculation about what happened to my face.”
He claims keeping his body covered in workwear like jeans and flannel shirts is ideal because of his workout style on his rural property. “I’m out in the sun lifting rusty implements, stones, and timber for most of my training, so the pants and long sleeves are practical,” Haviland explained. “I see my training as an extension of any manual laboring I’m doing, so I’m just adhering to the old saying of ‘Train how you play.’ I also like that it takes some focus away from the physique/cosmetic side of things and keeps it more on performance.”
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT TOM HAVILAND’S PERSONAL LIFE?
Very little. Clearly, he values his privacy. His toddler son, Jack, has been shown (without revealing his face) on his Instagram feed lately. His dogs and horses are also sometimes shown.
WHAT MAKES TOM HAVILAND’S TRAINING UNIQUE?
There’s the outdoor, rural setting. There’s the “non-weight” weights. There’s unconventional lifts, like Zercher squats, suitcase deadlifts, and neck lifts. There’s a combination of strength training and functional fitness, such as walking (outdoors on uneven ground) with ridiculously heavy weights. And there’s a focus on maximum resistance for low reps. Training on his Australian farm, Haviland does use barbells and weight plates, but he also hoists and moves such things as boulders, truck parts, kegs, and logs. The settings and rustic weights contribute to his rugged and authentic persona (along with his work clothes and hidden face), which resonates with his million Instagram followers, as do the awe-inspiring heavy metal and his dedication to fighting through the pain barrier.
“Tom has always been about pushing boundaries,” Derek Boyer said. “He’s not just physically gifted but has the mental toughness to endure grueling sessions most people wouldn’t dare attempt.” Haviland said, “It’s about what you’re willing to put your body through.” He has also stated, “I’m not here for the spotlight. I’m here to lift, learn, and inspire others to push their limits.”
On Instagram, the Australian giant detailed a December 24, 2022, day in which he bench pressed 600 pounds:
“I woke up at 335lbs & I went for a 120 min ruck with 60lbs [hike with weights in his backpack] & collected 20L of water at the midway point & carried it home by hand. During the ruck I had my normal breakfast of eggs and oats & then I came home, fed the animals, gave the horses the fresh creek water I collected & then had a relaxed second breakfast with friends before going in to attempt 600 in a very calm state. I have absolutely no doubt I could go back in tomorrow or next week & do it all again if needed. This is what I train for & it doesn’t get more fulfilling to me than that. I left the session here, but I had a date on the hill of pain later in the day & good golly did that put a jingle in the bells. 2 uphill walks of 126kgs/278lbs each hand for 50m while dragging a 20kg [45-pound] plate from one side (one side each). Not enough characters left to do it justice, but to sum it up, it took a Christmas miracle not to decorate the gravel with the gingerbread I ate earlier.”
HOW DOES HE MAKE MONEY?
He sells training programs and has sponsorships for the clothing he trains in. The farm he lives on may also generate income.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR TOM HAVILAND?
Despite many clamoring to see how he would fare against the world’s strongest competitors, Tom Haviland has no current intention to do strongman events. Maybe watching him in a T-shirt and shorts pursuing points against others would burst the persona, like seeing Batman unmasked at a detective convention. The mysterious Australian giant seems determined to maintain his aura of mystery as he trains alone at home, like always, focusing on growing ever stronger via his unique training style in his unique training clothes with his unique training equipment. “Strength isn’t just about numbers,” Tom Haviland stated. “It’s about pushing past limits, inspiring others, and staying true to what you believe in.” In the world of strength, where fame often overshadows substance, Tom Haviland stands tall as a unique living legend. He is the great enigma.
