German strongwoman Sandra Bradley has become the first woman to lift a famous 154kg stone in Iceland.
The professional athlete completed the record-breaking lift at Dritvik Djúpalónssandur, a beach in Iceland known for its four-stone lifting series. Bradley managed to lift the heaviest of the four stones known as the Fullsterkur, which weighs 154kg – twice Bradley’s body weight.
Bradley, four-time winner of Germany’s Stärkste Frau (strongest woman) competition and U82 Europe’s Strongest Woman, posted the video of her lifting the stone above her knees on Instagram.
“After a 2hr long cuddling session with the stone on the ground and a few almost successful attempts, I found the best way to grab it that worked for me,” Bradley said.
“The real difficulty comes in because of its surface that is smooth like silk. So I knew I had to try the pick a bit differently than most are doing it.”
Stone lifting is a 400-year-old tradition in Iceland that originated as a way to test the strength of fishermen. Now, many bodybuilders, strongwomen and strongmen travel to Iceland to try and lift the heavy stones.
“Stone lifting is such an amazing test of not only strength but also skill!” Bradley wrote on Instagram.
“The process of figuring out how to lift heavy, oddly shaped rocks is one that I really enjoy. I can only hope to be able to inspire many more women to go out to find the strongest version of themselves.
“Be it in nature, the gym or every other part in life. Don’t be afraid of the challenges ahead that at first glance might seem too heavy or insurmountable. Keep trying, don’t be afraid to fail (over and over again if necessary) and you will find the way.”
Five years ago, in 2019, Bradley and her bodybuilding colleague Liefa Ingalls became the first women to lift the Húsafell stone. The pair at the time attempted the Fullsterkur but were unable to complete the lift.
On her most recent trip to Iceland, Bradley once again not only lifted the Húsafell stone, but was able to walk several metres holding the stone. She did this four times.
“The legend says that the daughter of the reverend and sheep farmer Snorri was able to carry it (the Húsafell stone) around the sheep pen,” Bradley wrote in a separate Instagram post, “but no woman has lifted it off the ground again since.
“I tried a few different approaches, but ended up using the original flipping technique that Snorri was said to have used.
“I hope to be able to inspire more women to go after it and make the full lap happen!”
As for what’s next, Bradley told Iceland Review she will attempt to lift the Leggstein, a stone in the Westfjords in Iceland that weighs 220kg.