Brian Shaw: World’s Strongest Man Champion

Brian Shaw is the most successful American strongman in the sport’s history. He won 4 World’s Strongest Man Championships, with numerous international titles and lifting records.

Date of Birth:	February 26th, 1982
Hometown:	Fort Upton, Colorado
Height:	6 ft 8 in(203 cm)
Weight:	385 to 450 lbs(175 to 205 kg)
Strongman Career:	2005 to 2023
Championships:	4x World’s Strongest Man Champion, 3x Arnold Classic Champion, 2x America’s Strongest Man
World Record Lifts:	20+ World Record Lifts(Competition & Training Lifts)

Here’s a quick breakdown of the legendary career of strongman legend Brian Shaw. We’ll detail how he got into strongman training, took over the sport, and became an internationally popular athlete.

Brian Shaw’s Start in Strength Competition

Brian Shaw grew up in Fort Lipton, Colorado, and was noticeably taller than average kids. His mother and father were also quite tall, which led to Brian being even bigger than them.

This size made Brian an exceptional basketball player who played in high school and earned college scholarships. Hall played for Louisiana State University at Alexandria before finishing his college career at Black Hills State College.

While in between school and basketball practice, Brian became passionate about weight training. He noticed that he was pretty strong and got a rush when he lifted big weights.

Along with lifting weights, Shaw also loved lifting and moving large objects. Shaw’s passion for lifting led him down a path to soon become a legendary strongman champion.

Brian Shaw entered in 2005 at the Denver’s Strongest Man event with no formal training. He did remarkably well not having properly trained for the event, and fans took notice of Shaw’s potential.

Just a year later, Brian Shaw worked his way up to become a professional strongman athlete. Two years later, Brian made his World Strongest Man debut in 2008.

Brian’s World’s Strongest Man Career Highlights 

Brian Shaw gained much of his fame from his performances in the World’s Strongest Man competitions. Here are some of the highlights from his career in the World’s Strongest Man competitions.

World’s Strongest Man 2011 

During the first five years of Brian Shaw’s career, he gradually worked his way up the ranks. He earned a bronze medal in just his 2nd WSM appearance and a silver medal in 2010.

Leading into the 2011 event, Brian was seen as a favorite going into the event. Going into the finals, Shaw was tied with strongman legend Zydrunas Savickas.

Shaw would win the Atlas Stone event to beat the legend and earn his first WSM Championship. In the same year, Brian also won the Arnold Strongman Classic. Becoming the first strongman ever to win both titles in the same year.

World’s Strongest Man 2013 

After a ruptured bicep tendon took Brian out of most of the 2012 season, he returned better than ever. Just thirteen weeks after surgery, Shaw competed in the 2013 WSM Championship.

Shaw shocked fans as he won numerous events and, once again, beat Savickas in the finals. Along with winning his second World’s Strongest Man title, Brian also broke the WSM deadlift record(975.5 lbs/442.5 kg).

World’s Strongest Man 2015-2016

After a 3rd place finish in 2014, Brian had excellent preparation for the 2015 WSM event. He dominated the event to earn his 3rd championship and returned to repeat in 2016.

He earned his fourth WSM world title to become one of five athletes ever to win four world titles.

Brian Shaw’s Success In International Competition

Brian Shaw has won numerous international titles Outside the World’s Strongest Man competitions. He is among only a few athletes to win multiple Arnold Strongman Classic titles and Arnold Pro Series competitions.

Shaw also won numerous events in Europe and his own event, the Shaw Classic, in 2020 and 2023.

Brian Shaw’s Lifting Records

Throughout his career, Brian Shaw has broken numerous lifting records. Here’s a short list of some of the lifting records that Brian holds. 

Competition World Records 

• Ironmind S-Cubed Bar Deadlift(Suit & Straps): 1014 lbs(460 kg)
• Ironmind S-Cubed Bar Deadlift(Straps): 981 lbs(445 kg)
• Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift(Straps): 1021 lbs(463 kg)
• Silver Dollar Deadlift(Suits & Straps): 1080 lbs(490 kg)
• Hummer Tire Deadlift(Straps): 1,128 lbs(512 kg)
• Car Deadlift(For Reps): 12 reps at 851 lb(386 kg)
• Log Lift: 441 lbs(200 kg) x 2 reps
• Axle Press: 450 lbs(205 kg)
• Cyr Dumbbell Press: 300 lb(140 kg) x 3 reps
• Atlas Stone: 560 lbs(250 kg)
• Atlas Stone(For Reps): 536 lbs(243 kg) 4ft bar for 4 reps
• Atlas Stones Rep Record 3xs
• Bale Tote: 1,565 lbs(710 kg) in 14.87 seconds
• Husafell Stone(Replica): 410 lbs(190 kg) for 31.72 meters
• Africa Stone: 397 lbs(180 kg) for 62.9 meters
• Keg Toss: 8 Kegs 40-55 lbs(18-5 kg) over 4.9 meter bar in 16.59 seconds
• Keg TossL 33 lb(15 kg) over 7.75 meter bar
• Sandbag Over Bar: 90 lbs(41 kg) over 4.57 meter bar
• Arm Over Arm Boat Pull: 661 lbs(300 kg) for 20 meters
• Conan’s Wheel of Pain: 20,0000 lbs(9100 kg) 28.96 meters
• Truck Pull: 61,730 lbs(28,000 kg) uphill

World Records in Training

• Squat: 904 lbs(410 kg)
• Bench Press: 530 lbs(240 kg) x 2 reps
• Elephant Bar Deadlift(Straps): 1,031 lbs(467.1 kg)
• Deadlift(From Blocks/15 ‘’): 1,091 lbs(495 kg)
• Hummer Tire Deadlift(Straps): 1,140 lbs(520 kg)
• Rack Pull: 1.365 lbs(619 kg)
• Trap Bar Deadlift: 623 lbs(283 kg) x 8 reps
• Log Press: 465 lbs(211 kg)
• Indoor Rowing: 100 meters in 12.8 seconds
• Ironmind Little Big Horn: 238 lbs(108 kg)
• Dinnie Stone: farmer’s walk style for 3.5 meters
• 1 Inch Dumbbell One Hand Clean: 172 lbs(78 kg)
• Millennium Dumbbell Clean(Both Hands): 228 lbs(106 kg)
• Blob Run Grip Challenge: 19 blobs between 30 to 150 lbs(14-68 kg)

Brian Shaw’s Training 

Being the strongest man in the world, it should be no surprise that Brian Shaw lifts heavy in the gym. His training routine depended on his next competition as he would practice the lifts of each event.

Along with his specific training for competitions, Brian also does powerlifting workouts and isolation exercises.

Brian Shaw’s Diet

Being 6ft 8in tall and weighing over 400 lbs, it’s no surprise that Brian eats a lot of food. To maintain his size and lift heavy weights, Shaw eats a minimum of 10,000 calories a day.

There are no restrictions on Brian’s diet, and he must eat every 2-3 hours to keep his energy up. You can see one of the many diet vlogs he has posted on his YouTube channel to see what he eats.

Shaw’s Rise to Fame

Since the beginning of his strongman career, Brian Shaw’s fame has gradually risen past the barriers of his sport. Here are some of the projects that have helped increase Shaw’s fame.

Brian’s Popular Youtube Channel 

Since Brian has been the best strength athlete in the world for over two decades, people wanted to see his journey. In the 2010s, Brian created his own YouTube channel called SHAWSTRENGTH, which follows his training and everyday life.

Shaw’s YouTube channel now has millions of followers who follow his crazy life. 

The Strongest Man in History

In 2019, Brian and some of his strongman friends created their own show for the History Channel. Along with Nick Best, Eddie Hall, and Robert Oberst, the four strongmen starred in The Strongest Man in History.

The four traveled the world learning the history of legendary strongmen throughout history and trying their feats of strength. On many occasions, Brian or one of his friends ended up breaking a world record.

Shaw’s Retirement

After nearly 20 years as a strength athlete, Brian Shaw announced that 2023 would be his last year competing. He announced this news on all of his social media channels.

Shaw competed in his last event in August at the Shaw Classic. A strongman event that Brian created a few years ago that has gained popularity in the strongman world.

At this event, Brian would have his swan song as he ended his career by once again taking home gold.

Brian Shaw in Combat Sports? 

You may have seen the viral videos of Brian training with MMA legend Dustin Poirier or BJJ champion Gordon Ryan. These videos, along with Shaw’s friend Eddie Hall participating in boxing, made rumors circulate of Shaw getting into combat sports.

Brian has stated that he is retired as an athlete and enjoying his family life and other business ventures.

The Legacy of Brian Shaw

Brian Shaw is one of the greatest strongmen that have ever lived. He is one of the most decorated athletes ever, who has shattered numerous lifting records.

Millions of fans have enjoyed watching Brian’s feats of strength, and he inspired many to begin training. There will never be another strongman like Shaw, who left an incredible mark on the world with his feats of strength.