Brian Shaw (strongman) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brian Shaw

Shaw at the 2017 Arnold Classic
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Gigantor
Born	(1982-02-26) February 26, 1982 (age 43) Fort Lupton, Colorado, U.S.
Height	6 ft 6.5 in (1.99 m) to 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight	340-454 lb
Spouse(s)	Keri Jenkins-Shaw ​ ​ (m. 2015)​
YouTube information
Years active	2008–present
Genre	Strength Training/Strongman
Subscribers	2.21 million
Total views	453.2 million
Associated acts	Eddie Hall Nick Best Robert Oberst Terry Hollands Devon Larratt
Subscriber and view counts updated as of July 2, 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 JPSC 1st 2011 JPSC Forca Bruta 1st 2015 Forca Bruta 1st 2016 Forca Bruta North America's Strongest Man 2nd 2007 NASM 1st 2014 NASM 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 AASC 1st 2009 AASC

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: 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 competitions, he is the fourth most successful strongman in history. Shaw also set over 25 world records in events like deadlifting, stone lifting, and keg-tossing. In October 2024, Shaw was added to the International Sports Hall of Fame.

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.

High School and College Sports

When he was in high school at Fort Lupton, Shaw was a great basketball player. He then went to Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado. After that, he received a full basketball scholarship to Black Hills State University. There, he earned a degree in wellness management.

Discovering Strongman Talent

During his time playing basketball, Shaw loved working out with weights. He called the weight room his "sanctuary." He realized he had a special kind of strength. He said, "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."

Strongman Career Highlights

Brian Shaw started his strongman career with a win. He entered the Denver's Strongest Man contest in October 2005. He had no special training for it. Just seven months later, in June 2006, he became a professional strongman. His success continued from there.

Early Competitions (2009-2010)

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

In 2010, 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 valuable points. Later in 2010, Shaw won the first Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic. He also became the overall champion of the Strongman Super Series for the second year in a row.

Winning World Titles (2011-2016)

In 2011, Shaw competed in the World's Strongest Man again. He was tied with Zydrunas Savickas before the final event, the Atlas Stones. Shaw won the Atlas Stones, which gave him first place overall. He also won the 2011 Arnold Strongman Classic. This made him the first person to win both major titles in the same year.

In March 2012, Shaw injured his left biceps tendon at the Arnold Strongman Classic. This injury affected his performance in the 2012 World's Strongest Man. He finished fourth, which was his lowest finish since 2009.

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

Shaw continued his winning streak by taking first place at the World's Strongest Man in both 2015 and 2016. This brought his total WSM wins to four. He also won the 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic, repeating his amazing feat of winning both major contests in the same year.

Shaw during the 2017 Arnold Strongman Classic

Later Career and Retirement (2017-2023)

In 2017, Shaw won the Arnold Strongman Classic again. However, he finished third at the World's Strongest Man that year. In 2018, he placed second at the Arnold Strongman Classic and third at the World's Strongest Man. He also finished second at the World's Ultimate Strongman competition in Dubai.

In March 2019, Shaw tore his left hamstring during the Arnold Strongman Classic. He still finished four out of five events but had to withdraw from the last one. He finished eighth, which was unusual for him. Later that year, he placed sixth at the World's Strongest Man and fourth at the World's Ultimate Strongman.

In 2020, Shaw finished second at the Arnold Strongman USA. He then placed fifth at the 2020 World's Strongest Man. In December 2020, he hosted the first Shaw Classic competition. He organized and paid for the prizes himself. Shaw won the event and gave his prize money to the other athletes.

In the 2021 World's Strongest Man, Shaw finished second. This was his first time on the podium since 2018. He also set a new world record in the keg toss, throwing a 33-pound (15 kg) keg over a 25.4-foot (7.75 m) bar. He also placed second at the 2021 Shaw Classic and seventh at the Rogue Invitational.

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

In 2023, Brian Shaw announced he would retire after two more competitions: the World's Strongest Man and the Shaw Classic. Before the World's Strongest Man, he had a leg infection and needed hospital care. He recovered in time to compete in his 16th straight WSM contest. He made it to his 15th final, which is a record. He finished seventh in the final. Shaw also received the Knaack Tools of the Strongman Award, voted on by other athletes for the hardest-working competitor.

In the 2023 Shaw Classic, his final professional strongman competition, Shaw won the overall title. He beat Mitchell Hooper by seven points, becoming a two-time Shaw Classic champion.

Impressive Records

Brian Shaw has set many amazing records during his career. Here are some of his personal bests from competitions:

• Deadlift (with straps): 1,014 pounds (460 kg) at the 2017 World's Strongest Man.
• Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift (with straps): 1,021 pounds (463 kg) at the Arnold Strongman Classic.
• Car Deadlift (for reps): 851 pounds (386 kg) for 12 repetitions at the 2018 World's Strongest Man.
• Log Lift: 441 pounds (200 kg) for 2 repetitions.
• Manhood Stone (Max Atlas Stone): 560 pounds (254 kg) over a 4-foot (1.2 m) bar.
• Atlas Stones: 5 stones weighing 264-397 pounds (120-180 kg) in 14.20 seconds.
• Keg Toss: 33 pounds (15 kg) over a 25.4-foot (7.75 m) bar.
• Bale Tote: 1,565 pounds (710 kg) for 4 meters in 14.87 seconds.
• Truck Pull: 52,911 pounds (24,000 kg) for 25 meters uphill in 40.56 seconds.

Arm Wrestling

In December 2024, Brian Shaw competed in an arm wrestling match against Eddie Hall at King Of The Table 13. He was trained by Devon Larratt. Shaw won the match 4-2.

Personal Life

Brian Shaw married his wife Keri in 2015. Keri was previously married to strongman Mike Jenkins before he passed away in 2013. Brian and Keri have two sons, Braxton and Kellen. They live in Brighton, Colorado.

Other Activities

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

Shaw was also one of four strongmen featured in the History Channel TV series, The Strongest Man in History. This show started in July 2019. In one episode, he pulled a 12,000-pound (5,443 kg) Viking ship up a 60-foot (18 m) incline. This felt like pulling about 60,000 pounds (27,216 kg)! In another episode, he lifted a platform with water barrels weighing 2,028 pounds (920 kg) using a yoke squat.

Brian Shaw also owns a supplement brand called Undefined Nutrition. He also has a company that makes supportive gear for athletes called Evolution Athletics.

Film and Television

Film

Television

See also

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

• List of strongmen