Nicknamed Gigantor, Brian Shaw is considered to be one of the greatest American strongmen of all time, being the first modern competitor to win the World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic competitions in the same year. He achieved this feat in 2011 and repeated it in 2015. Shaw boasts of Squat of 903 pounds, Deadlift with Straps of 1,014 pounds, and Atlas Stone of 560 pounds as he has virtually won big at every major Strongman tournament he has stepped into.

The American athlete has gone ahead to win numerous competitions throughout his professional strongman career which includes Strongman Super Series, Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic, Giants Live, and All-American Strongman Challenge. The giant athlete has also dabbled into the movie industry as he has featured in many films and television series, including Kickboxer: Retaliation, Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Louder With Crowder.

Richard Sorin Introduced Brian Shaw To His Career As A Strongman

Brian Shaw was introduced to the strength sports in July 2005 through his encounter with Richard Sorin, the founder of Sorinex – a corporation that produces weightlifting structures for Denver Broncos. This happened after Shaw lifted a 172 pounds Thomas Inch’s dumbbell with one hand in his presence. Three months later, in October, he made his first strongman appearance in the Denver Strongest Man contest and emerged the winner without any formalized training.

The 6 feet 8 inches tall athlete eventually turned pro in June 2006 after barely nine months of his introduction to the strength sport and began his journey to become the strongest man in the world. It didn’t take Shaw long to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with as he began breaking and setting several records.

The Strongman Recorded Great Strides In 2009

2009 was a great year for Shaw as he entered Fortissimus, known as the Strongest Man on Earth competition, in Canada. There, he clinched the third position and was the only man who was able to lift six Atlas stones weighing from 136–193 kg or 300–425 lb. The same year, he competed in the World Strongman Super Series in Romania.

In September, Brian Shaw travelled to Valletta for his second World’s Strongest Man contest. There, the giant athlete was grouped in what was dubbed the “group of death”. The group comprised of Zydrunas Savickas who emerged victorious, winning the title. Though Savickas won the group, he was separated from Shaw by just a couple of points. However, Shaw went on to attain a podium finish in the final.

Brian Shaw Continued To Contend With Zydrunas Savickas In Ensuing Competitions

After qualifying, Shaw contested at the 2010 World’s Strongest Man competition hosted in Sun City South Africa in September. There, Zydrunas Savickas, again, became his strongest contender as they both tied for the lead at the conclusion. Savickas later emerged the winner via the countback system (this has to do with how the athlete placed per event till the end of the finals). The higher overall placing for Brian Shaw was lower, while he recorded 2 first places and 1 fourth place out of 6 events, Savickas was higher with 2 first places and 1 second place out of 6 events.

The next month being October, The American strongman competed against Savickas for the third time at the Giants Live Istanbul contest where he finished in the second position behind his rival once again. He contested in the inaugural Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic winning on the 21st of November 2010. At the Strongman Super Series Swedish Grand Prix on the 18th of December 2010, the gigantic sportsman won, earning the title of the 2010 overall Super Series champion. This was his second successive overall Super Series championship.

Shaw Later Broke The Jinx Of Coming In Second Place To Savickas

It would appear that Brian Shaw’s rivalry with Zydrunas Savickas was still there in 2011 when he entered for the year’s World’s Strongest Man competition. During the Atlas Stones which is the final competition, the two strongmen ended up in another tie, but this time around, Shaw was the one who knocked Savickas out, clinching the first place. The same thing happened in the 2013 competition when Shaw, again, beat Savickas in the Atlas Stones to win the competition.

The strongman’s winning streak continued into 2015 and 2016 as he won World’s Strongest Man competitions for the two years. In 2018, he surfaced at the Arnold Strongman Classic, placing 2nd in Event One: The Bag Over Bar, fourth position in Event Two: The Stone Shoulder, he clinched another second position in Event Three: The Timber Carry, and in Event Four: The Rogue Elephant Bar Deadlift, Shaw emerged in third place. The American was tied for 1st place in Event Five: Apollon’s Wheel and was eventually left in 2nd position overall, recording 42 points to Hafthor Bjornsson’s 45.5.

The Champion Emerged In The Second Place For The World’s Ultimate Strongman Contest

In October 2018, Brian Shaw went to Dubai to compete in the World’s Ultimate Strongman competition where he had to struggle with some of the events, the deadlift inclusive. There, he had trained with a different bar height, as well as the yoke walk where the stage cracked under the combined weight of the Colorado native and the yoke, causing him to drop the yoke briefly which increased his time.

Against all odds, Shaw still performed very well, lifting all objects in the overhead medley and was eventually separated from Hafthor Bjornsson by less than a single point which led him into the sixth and final event (the Atlas Stones). During the Atlas Stones, Brian Shaw lifted all five stones, however, his points were not enough to outdo Bjornsson in the final points tally; this left Shaw in second place. he uploaded an Instagram post, claiming he was disappointed with his performance at the 2019 World’s Strongest Man after Martins Licis was crowned World’s Strongest Man for 2019.

He Is Active On Social Media, Television, And The Movies

Brian Shaw is also known for SHAWSTRENGTH, his YouTube channel which airs video fitness training, strength challenges, as well as eating challenges. He has featured Eddie Hall on some of his videos. The series The Strongest Man in History (which premiered on July 10, 2019) on History Channel has featured the strongman on set where he pulled a 5,400 kg (12,000 pounds) Viking ship on an 18 m (60 feet) incline course in 44.05 seconds during the show’s debut episode.

Furthermore, Brian Shaw has made several appearances as an actor in films and television shows, with his credits including Kickboxer: Retaliation and Whose Line Is It Anyway?

His Net Worth Is Calculated In Excess Of $1 Million

With all the wins he has recorded in All-American Strongman Challenge, Los Angeles Grand Prix, Gothenburg Grand Prix, the Overall Champion of the Strongman Super Series, and many more, one would expect Brian Shaw to be financially buoyed which is not far from the truth.

The Colorado Strongman equally has a huge social media following with over 12 million views on his YouTube channel, Shawstrength, which fetches him an enormous fortune. Brian Shaw has also garnered an impressive wealth from his online presence TV appearances, and his roles in the movies, hence, he is said to be worth around $1 million.

Brian Shaw Is A Gigantor In The True Sense Of The Word

The father of two is not nicknamed Gigantor for nothing; this moniker will be best appreciated by people who have encountered the giant athlete in person. Brian Shaw’s strong personal presence is a testament to his skills and prowess as a strongman

He is quite tall, standing at a magnificent height of 6 feet 8 inches (2.0 m) with a huge accumulated body mass of 400 lb. Furthermore, he has gigantic body measurements of chest size – 60 inches, biceps – 23 inches, and wears shoe size – 16 (US).

The Strongman Is Married To His Longtime Girlfriend Keri Jenkins

Brian Shaw met his significant other Кеrі Јеnkіnѕ through mutual friends in 2014. They met during an event at Keri’s gym as they are both involved in the fitness business. Keri is an аlgеbrа tеасhеr аnd оwnеr оf Fіt Моmmу Асаdеmу. The couple commenced dating immediately and a few months into the relationship, Brian Shaw popped the big question in an elaborate manner. The strongman put up a show on a bridge lit by twinkle lights by the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – his girlfriend’s hometown. Also, the Gigantor followed it up with a romantic carriage ride throughout the city.

Brian Shaw and his spouse tied the nuptials on the 4th of July 2015. Their wedding which took place at the Estes Park Resort, Colorado, was an intimate affair with only close friends and family in attendance. The Brian/Keri wedding ceremony was rather simple but added several valuable moments throughout the day. After exchanging marriage vows, the newlyweds watched fireworks alone as a couple, roasted marshmallows at the reception alongside their guests, and danced to the tune of a local band.

The Couple Has Two Children

Barely one year after they exchanged marriage vows on the 15th of June 2016, Brian Shaw and his wife welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Braxton. A couple of years later, Braxton became a brother to Kellen James Shaw, their second son who announced his arrival on the 3rd of May 2018.

Brian Shaw and his wife seem to be living in marital bliss at their Brighton, Colorado home and there has been no negative news emanating from their quarters. We only get to see them on social media showing love and affection to each other. They never miss any chance to show off their children as well.