Brian Shaw

Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 440 LBS, Brian Shaw is in many ways the personification of raw power, but his fellow athletes and fans know he’s also the classic “gentle giant.” Never reliant on brute strength alone, it’s been Shaw’s superior technical craft and unwavering work ethic that have made him one of the most decorated Strongman competitors of all time. To date, the Colorado native has won a remarkable 4 “World’s Strongest Man” titles and 3 Arnold Strongman Classics, and he has finished in at least the Top 5 at those events a combined TWENTY times over 11 years; an incredible statement on his durability, dominance, and dedication.

A graduate of Black Hills State University in South Dakota, Brian currently trains near his hometown of Fort Lupton, Colorado, where he lives with his wife and young son. He also recently joined the cast of the History Channel program, The Strongest Man in History, where he and three other strongmen attempt to re-create some of the most storied feats of strength from around the world.

Shaw's central goal as a competitor remains a record-tying fifth World’s Strongest Man title, but at 39, his motivation comes in many forms. “In all honesty, it’s just about pushing myself to see how good I can be,” Shaw says. “It’s not necessarily about winning every contest at this point, but more about seeing how strong can I be? How high can I set the bar? That’s what drives me. I want to beat myself from last year. That’s what it has to be about—pushing yourself. If you have that fire to get better, that’s a very powerful thing. I don’t feel like I have a lot left to prove. I don’t have anything hanging as a weight on my shoulders. But, I want to see how much better I can be.”