Brian Shaw (strongman)


Brian Shaw is an American professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 World's Strongest Man competitions. He is the first man to have won the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World’s Strongest Man contest in the same calendar year, a feat he accomplished in 2011 and then replicated in 2015.

Early life

Shaw was born in Fort Lupton, Colorado, on February 26, 1982, the son of Jay and Bonnie Shaw. Both of his parents were taller than average, with his father standing at and his mother. It has been noted that he had uncles of exceptional stature.
At Fort Lupton High School, Shaw excelled in basketball. He then attended Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado. There, he was able to form an inside combination with current Louisiana State University-Alexandria Head Women's Basketball Coach Bob Austin. Shaw was one of the team leaders for the Rattlers in his sophomore season. Following Otero, he went to Black Hills State University where he was on a full basketball scholarship and received a degree in wellness management.
During his basketball career, Shaw was "hooked on the weights" and he has said that the weight room was his "sanctuary". In his own words, "I've always been able to do this. The biggest tire, the heaviest stone... I've always been able to walk up and lift it. Odd strength is what it is, not weight-room strength. It's brute strength."

Career

2005–2006

Shaw began his career as a strongman with a win when he entered the Denver Strongest Man contest in October 2005. He had entered with no formal training. Just seven months later in June 2006 he joined the professional ranks and his successes continued.

2009

In 2009 he entered Fortissimus, otherwise known as the Strongest Man on Earth competition, in Canada where he came in third and was the only man to lift six Atlas stones weighing from. He then competed in Romania in the World Strongman Super Series. In September he travelled to his second World's Strongest Man contest in Valletta. There he was grouped in what was termed the "group of death" not least because of his presence in it. Alongside him in this group was Zydrunas Savickas who went on to win the title. Although Savickas won the group he and Shaw were separated by just two points. In the final Shaw went on to attain a podium finish, something Randell Strossen of Ironmind had predicted would happen when he said "he has to be considered a favorite for a podium position. If he can stay healthy, there's no end to what he could do. He's got these gifts. He's the total package."

2010

Shaw qualified for the finals at the 2010 World's Strongest Man in Sun City, South Africa in September 2010. He was tied for the lead at the end of the finals with Zydrunas Savickas and lost by countback, a system of scoring based on how the athletes placed in each event throughout the finals. Savickas had higher overall placings than Shaw and won the 2010 title.
Shaw competed against Savickas again in October 2010 at the Giants Live Istanbul contest. Shaw again finished second behind Savickas.
Shaw won the inaugural Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic on November 21, 2010.
Shaw won the Strongman Super Series Swedish Grand Prix and became the 2010 overall Super Series champion on December 18, 2010. This was Shaw's second consecutive overall Super Series championship.

2011-2013

In 2011, Shaw once again participated in the World's Strongest man competition. Going into the final event, the Atlas Stones, Shaw was tied with two-time champion Zydrunas Savickas. Shaw beat Savickas taking 1st place. In the 2013 competition, Shaw led Savickas into the final event and again beat Savickas to win the competition.

2015–2016

Shaw also won the 2015 and 2016 World's Strongest Man competitions.

2018

2018 Arnold Strongman Classic

In March 2018 Shaw competed in the 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic. Shaw placed 2nd in Event One: The Bag Over Bar, 4th in Event Two: The Stone Shoulder, 2nd in Event Three: The Timber Carry, 3rd in Event Four: The Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift, and was tied for 1st in Event Five: Apollon's Wheel leaving Shaw in 2nd place overall with 42 points to Bjornsson's 45.5

World's Ultimate Strongman

In October 2018 Shaw competed in the World’s Ultimate Strongman competition in Dubai. Shaw struggled with some of the events including the dead lift where he had trained with a different bar height and the yoke walk where the stage cracked under the combined weight of Shaw and the yoke, causing Shaw to briefly drop the yoke and increase his time. Shaw still performed well, lifting all the objects in the overhead medley and was separated from Hafthor Bjornsson by less than one point going into the sixth and final event. In the sixth and final event, the Atlas Stones, Shaw lifted all five stones but this was not enough to surpass Bjornsson in the final points tally, leaving Shaw in second place.

In other media

Shaw has a YouTube channel, SHAWSTRENGTH, which has videos of training footage, fitness and strength challenges, and eating challenges. Eddie Hall, is also seen occasionally on his videos.
Shaw also was one of four strongmen to be featured in the History Channel series, The Strongest Man in History, which premiered on July 10, 2019. On the first episode of the show, he pulled a viking ship on a incline course in 44.05 seconds.

Personal records

Done in the gym
Grip training records
Strongman
done in official Strongman competition