Brian Shaw (strongman) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brian Shaw

Shaw at the 2017 Arnold Classic
Personal information
Born	(1982-02-26) February 26, 1982 (age 43) Fort Lupton, Colorado, U.S.
Height	6 ft 8 in
Weight	340-454 lb
Spouse(s)	Keri Jenkins-Shaw ​ ​ (m. 2015)​
YouTube information
Years active	2008–present
Genre	Strength Training/Strongman
Subscribers	2.16 million (January 15, 2025)
Total views	429.04 million (January 15, 2025)
Associated acts	Eddie Hall Nick Best Robert Oberst Jujimufu Terry Hollands Bradley Martyn
Subscriber and view counts updated as of January 15, 2025.
Sport
Sport	Strongman
Medal record Representing the  United States World's Strongest Man Qualified 2008 World's Strongest Man 3rd 2009 World's Strongest Man 2nd 2010 World's Strongest Man 1st 2011 World's Strongest Man 4th 2012 World's Strongest Man 1st 2013 World's Strongest Man 3rd 2014 World's Strongest Man 1st 2015 World's Strongest Man 1st 2016 World's Strongest Man 3rd 2017 World's Strongest Man 3rd 2018 World's Strongest Man 6th 2019 World's Strongest Man 5th 2020 World's Strongest Man 2nd 2021 World's Strongest Man 4th 2022 World's Strongest Man 7th 2023 World's Strongest Man Arnold Strongman Classic 5th 2010 Arnold Strongman Classic 1st 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic 4th 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic 2nd 2013 Arnold Strongman Classic 2nd 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic 1st 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic 2nd 2016 Arnold Strongman Classic 1st 2017 Arnold Strongman Classic 2nd 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic 8th 2019 Arnold Strongman Classic Shaw Classic 1st 2020 Shaw Classic 2nd 2021 Shaw Classic 2nd 2022 Shaw Classic 1st 2023 Strongest Man on Earth Fortissimus 3rd 2009 Fortissimus World's Ultimate Strongman 2nd 2018 World's Ultimate Strongman 4th 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman Rogue Invitational 7th 2021 Rogue Invitational Giants Live 3rd 2009 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 1st 2010 South Africa 2nd 2010 Istanbul 1st 2011 London 1st 2014 Sweden Arnold Pro Strongman World Series 1st 2015 Australia 1st 2016 Europe 1st 2017 Australia 1st 2018 Forts de Warwick 7th 2019 Europe 2nd 2020 USA Strongman Super Series 9th 2007 Venice Beach Grand Prix 7th 2008 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 1st 2009 Los Angeles Grand Prix 4th 2009 Bucharest Grand Prix 3rd 2009 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 1st 2009 Gothenburg Grand Prix 1st 2009 Overall Champion 2nd 2010 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 1st 2010 Viking Power Challenge 1st 2010 Swedish Grand Prix 1st 2010 Overall Champion Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic 1st 2010 1st 2011 Forca Bruta 1st 2015 Forca Bruta 1st 2016 Forca Bruta North America's Strongest Man 2nd 2007 1st 2014 America's Strongest Man 6th 2007 America's Strongest Man 1st 2013 America's Strongest Man 1st 2016 Americas Strongest Man SCL North American Championship 1st 2014 All-American Strongman Challenge 2nd 2008 1st 2009

Brian Shaw (born February 26, 1982) is an American retired professional strongman. He is known as one of the greatest strength athletes ever. He won the World's Strongest Man contest four times. These wins were in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016. This makes him one of only five people to win the title four or more times.

In 2011, Brian Shaw made history. He was the first person to win both the Arnold Strongman Classic and the World's Strongest Man in the same year. He did this again in 2015. With 27 wins in international contests, he is the fourth most successful strongman. Only Žydrūnas Savickas, Mariusz Pudzianowski, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson have more wins. Shaw has also set over 25 world records. These records include lifting heavy weights like in deadlifting and stonelifting. He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in October 2024.

Early Life and Sports

Brian Shaw was born in Fort Lupton, Colorado, on February 26, 1982. His parents, Jay and Bonnie Shaw, were both taller than average. Brian also had tall uncles in his family.

In high school, Brian was a talented basketball player. He continued playing basketball at Otero Junior College. Later, he went to Black Hills State University on a basketball scholarship. He earned a degree in wellness management there.

During his basketball years, Brian loved working out with weights. He called the weight room his "sanctuary." He realized he had a special kind of strength. He could lift very heavy or oddly shaped objects. He called this "odd strength" or "brute strength."

Strongman Career Highlights

Starting Out (2005–2009)

Brian Shaw began his strongman journey in October 2005. He won his first contest, Denver's Strongest Man, without any special training. Just seven months later, in June 2006, he became a professional strongman.

In 2009, he competed in Fortissimus in Canada. This event is also known as the Strongest Man on Earth. Brian finished third. He was the only person to lift six Atlas Stones. These stones weighed from 300 to 425 pounds (136 to 193 kg). Later that year, he competed in his second World's Strongest Man (WSM) contest. He reached the final and finished in third place.

Climbing to the Top (2010–2014)

In 2010, Brian Shaw reached the finals of the 2010 World's Strongest Man in South Africa. He tied for first place with Zydrunas Savickas. However, Savickas won the title because of a tie-breaking rule. Shaw had a small mistake in one event that cost him points.

Brian won the first Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic in November 2010. He also became the overall champion of the Strongman Super Series in 2010. This was his second time winning this championship.

In 2011, Brian Shaw won the World's Strongest Man competition. He beat Zydrunas Savickas in the final event, the Atlas Stones. That same year, he also won the Arnold Strongman Classic. This made him the first person to win both major titles in the same year.

In 2012, Brian faced a challenge. He injured his left arm during the Arnold Strongman Classic. This injury affected his performance at the 2012 World's Strongest Man. He finished fourth, missing the top three for the first time since 2009.

Despite his injury, Brian came back strong in 2013. Just 13 weeks after surgery, he won the World's Strongest Man again. He also broke Savickas's record in the deadlift, lifting 975.5 pounds (442.5 kg). In 2014, he placed second at the Arnold Strongman Classic and third at the World's Strongest Man.

Four-Time Champion (2015–2018)

Brian Shaw continued his winning streak. He won the World's Strongest Man in both 2015 and 2016. This made him one of only five men to win the competition four times. He also won the 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic. This repeated his amazing feat of winning both big contests in the same year.

Shaw during the 2017 Arnold Strongman Classic

In 2017, Brian won the Arnold Strongman Classic again. Later that year, he finished third at the World's Strongest Man. Eddie Hall won, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson was second.

In 2018, Brian placed second at the Arnold Strongman Classic. He then finished third at the World's Strongest Man. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson won that year. In October 2018, Brian competed in the World's Ultimate Strongman in Dubai. He faced some challenges but still finished in second place.

Later Career and Retirement (2019–2023)

In March 2019, Brian tore his left hamstring during the Arnold Strongman Classic. He still finished most events but had to withdraw from the last one. He finished eighth, his lowest placing in that contest in years. Later in 2019, he finished sixth at the World's Strongest Man.

In 2020, Brian placed second at the Arnold Strongman USA. He did not qualify for the main Arnold Strongman Classic for the first time in 11 years. He finished fifth at the 2020 World's Strongest Man.

On December 11, 2020, Brian hosted his own competition, the Shaw Classic. He organized and paid for the prizes himself. He won the event and gave his prize money to the other athletes.

In 2021, Brian Shaw finished second at the World's Strongest Man. This was his first time on the podium since 2018. He also set a new world record in the keg toss. He threw a 33-pound (15 kg) keg over a 7.75-meter (25.4 ft) bar. He also finished second at the 2021 Shaw Classic.

In 2022, Brian placed fourth at the World's Strongest Man. He also finished second at the 2022 Shaw Classic.

In 2023, Brian announced he would retire after two more competitions. Before the World's Strongest Man, he got an infection in his leg. He recovered and competed in his 16th straight WSM contest. He made it to his 15th final, another record, and finished seventh. He also received the Knaack Tools of the Strongman Award. This award recognizes the hardest working athlete.

Brian Shaw won the 2023 Shaw Classic. This was his final professional strongman competition. He became a two-time Shaw Classic champion.

Impressive Lifts and Records

Brian Shaw has achieved many amazing feats of strength. Here are some of his personal bests:

• Deadlift:

* 1,021 pounds (463 kg) with the Rogue Elephant Bar (in competition) * 1,080 pounds (490 kg) in the Silver Dollar Deadlift (in competition) * 1,128 pounds (512 kg) in the Hummer Tyre Deadlift (in competition)

• Squat: 904 pounds (410 kg) (in training)
• Log Press: 465 pounds (211 kg) (in training)
• Atlas Stones:

* Lifted a 560-pound (254 kg) stone over a 4-foot bar (former world record) * Lifted 6 stones weighing 291-450 pounds (132-204 kg) in 35.68 seconds (world record)

• Keg Toss: Threw a 33-pound (15 kg) keg over a 7.75-meter (25.4 ft) bar (former world record)
• Truck Pull: Pulled a 61,730-pound (28,000 kg) truck uphill for 23.84 meters (world record)

Arm Wrestling

In December 2024, Brian Shaw competed in an arm wrestling match. He faced Eddie Hall at King Of The Table 13. Brian won the match 4-2.

Personal Life

Brian Shaw married his wife Keri in 2015. Keri was previously married to strongman Mike Jenkins. Brian and Keri have two sons, Braxton and Kellen. They live in Brighton, Colorado.

Other Projects

Brian Shaw has a popular YouTube channel called SHAWSTRENGTH. On his channel, he shares videos of his training, strength challenges, and even eating challenges. Fellow strongman Eddie Hall sometimes appears in his videos.

Brian was also featured in a History Channel TV series called The Strongest Man in History. In one episode, he pulled a 12,000-pound (5,443 kg) Viking ship up a ramp. In another episode, he lifted a platform with water barrels weighing 2,028 pounds (920 kg). This was considered the heaviest partial squat ever.

Brian Shaw also owns his own businesses. These include a supplement brand called Undefined Nutrition and a training gear company called Evolution Athletics.

See also

In Spanish: Brian Shaw (atleta de fuerza) para niños

• List of strongmen