Brian Shaw, USA – Strongman
Brian Shaw is an American professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011 World’s Strongest Man & 2013 World’s Strongest Man competition. Shaw is the only American athlete to win World’s Strongest Man, America’s Strongest Man, and the Arnold Strongman. Standing at 6’8” and 420 pounds he is also one of the largest athletes around the world.
Brian was born and raised in Fort Lupton, Colorado. He was born to parents that gave him a jump on being much larger than average size. His parents Jay and Bonnie Shaw both came from families with size and without a doubt that size was passed onto Brian. From an early age he showed that he had a very strong will to win and took losing at anything to heart. This drive helped Brian growing up to excel at athletics and mainly in the game of basketball. Having an uncle that was a basketball coach helped Brian to learn the game correctly from an early age.
Education
With all of his hard work and dedication Brian was able to earn a scholarship to play in college at both Otero Junior College and Black Hills State University. It was in training to be better at basketball that he first discovered his love for lifting weights. By his junior and senior year of college training in the weight room was Brian’s first love and basketball began to come second. He decided to pursue a career in strength and conditioning.
Becoming a Professional Strongman
After graduating with a degree in “Wellness Management” and obtaining his “Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist” certification from the NSCA he moved to Arizona. In Arizona Brian obtained a position with the Arizona State University strength and conditioning staff. While at ASU Brian learned more about how to train properly. It was during this time that Brian decided that he wanted to compete in a strongman contest.
Without any proper strongman training Brian entered Denver’s Strongest Man in late 2005 and won, defeating athletes who had prepared and trained properly for the contest. From there Brian set a goal of becoming a professional strongman. Seven months later he accomplished that Goal by winning his pro card at Utah’s Strongest Man in 2006 and officially earning the title of professional strongman.
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