Brian Shaw is an American strongman.
Some people claim that he is the strongest man that has ever lived.
Can you believe this giant stands at 6’8”?
He is the winner оf World’s Ѕtrоngеѕt Маn соmреtіtіоn, winning in 2011, 2013, 2015, аnd 2016.
He won the Arnold Strongman Classic as well.
When he was very young he was interested in basketball. That makes sense seeing as he is so tall!
When he attended Black Hills State University, he received a full basketball scholarship. He got his degree in wellness management.
He married in 2015 and the couple had two sons.
He started his career as a strongman in 2005, without any formal training, gaining success already in 2006. By 2009, he entered the Fortissimus.
He qualified for the World’s Strongest Man competition finals in 2019. He also won the inaugural Jon Pall Sigmarsson Classic during this year.
Apart from his fantastic wins, Brian also has his own YоuТubе сhаnnеl called ЅНАWЅТRЕNGТН.
It’s full of training footage, challenges with eating, as well and strength and fitness challenges.
He has also made appearances in many movies and TV series that have made him very popular and famous all around.
World’s Strongest Man Diet & Workout Routine
Current Stats
- Weight: 430 lbs./195 kg.
- Birthday: 26 February 1982
- Birthplace: Fort Lupton, Colorado, United States
Accolades/accomplishments
Brian has a fantastic record of wins and accomplishments. He has been the World’s Strongest Man champion for four years, winning many awards in the Arnold Strongman Classic.
But mentioning all his achievements would fill a separate post!
So look at his brilliant achievements here.
Workout Principles of Brian Shaw
Brian follows workout principles that combine the training protocol of powerlifting and strongman training.
Brian explains that if you want to be the world’s strongest man, you will need a special place that has plenty of weight and specialized equipment.
He ensured that he got all that he needed for his gym. It’s 2,000 square feet and his very own.
“My gym has an intense vibe,” he says, “Even before you enter there are a bunch of Atlas stones in the parking lot beside the door, so you know it’s not your average gym.”
It’s got all the right stuff for a strongman to train; bench press, squat rack, deadlift platform, bench press, and also a pulldown machine, dips bars, and cable row.
Brian says it’s crucial to have the right tools that have been handpicked particularly for strongman training.
He warns aspiring strongmen that the events are pretty dangerous, so you need to know what you’re doing.
About Brian’s workout principles, he says, “The champion mindset is one of self-belief, vision, overcoming any obstacle and pushing yourself to the levels most people would think are impossible. As long as you can see and it and you can believe it… anything is possible!”
Brian Shaw’s Training Methods
Brian always had a love for the gym, dating back to his Black Hills State University days.
He got really hooked on training while he was at this university, and he spent heaps of time in the weight room.
With his strongman training, Brian also does “normal” training. This consists of free-weight compound exercises such as deadlifts, squats, barbell rows, bench presses, and dips.
He uses a variety of machines to reach certain muscle groups.
“I need to keep my body in top shape like any other athlete,” he explains. “So I do so-called ‘bodybuilding’ movements for base strength and fitness. You don’t see someone in the NFL just training on the field; they hit the gym hard, too.”
He works out on Monday to Thursday and then no training on a Friday.
Shaw says, “I have to make time for myself and my loved ones—all work and no play makes me go crazy!”
He leaves Saturdays for event-specific training. Sunday is his other rest day where his body recovers before he starts a new week of training.
Brian Shaw’s Workout Routine
Each workout session of Brian takes two hours of intense training. On the other days, he takes time to focus on rest and recovery.
Monday: Legs
- Safety Bar Squats 5-8 sets, 2-5 reps
- Good morning: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
- Hammer Strength Iso Leg Press: 3 sets, 8-15 reps
Tuesday: Shoulders, chest
- Standing Military Press: 5-8 sets, 3-8 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 5 sets, 5-8 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
- Cable Triceps Extension: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Back
- Deadlift: 5-8 sets, 1-5 reps
- Glute-Ham Raises: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
- Lat Pulldown: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
- Seated Cable Rows: 3 sets, 8-12 reps
- Frame Shrug: 3 sets, 20 reps
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Event Training
- Farmer’s Walk: 5 sets, Reps: 80 feet
- Log Press: 6 sets, 5 reps
- Atlas Stone: 2-3 sets, 5 reps
Sunday: Rest
Brian also realized that he would need to perfect his skills through the right training if he wanted to excel in Strongman competitions.
He was getting training professionally, making him a very strong contender for the top positions of strongman competitions.
With his great work ethic, he has achieved great success. Becoming a top contender like he became didn’t just happen in just a few weeks.
It takes years of commitment, good diet, hard work, and dedication to achieve the levels of physical strength Brian Shaw has attained.
Brian Shaw’s Diet Plan
Brian Shaw eats Trifecta meals.
Trifecta A La Carte is a vital part of Brian’s competition success and helps him balance life’s demands. He eats Trifecta A La Carte so he has control of his macro count.
These meals are fully cooked and ready to eat, made from organic ingredients.
The meats eaten are healthy bison, salmon, and steak.
It’s hard to believe that Brian eats 10,000 calories a day. This consists of seven meals spread over the day.
He says, “I need to get enough protein in me to grow and stay strong. My favorite meal is grass-fed beef, but I do switch up my protein sources—everything from salmon, eggs, chicken, turkey, to bison.”
Shaw also eats a lot of price, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. “You name it, it’s pretty much part of my diet,” he says.
Brian says he eats very clean, weighing out his food to the exact measurement that his nutritionists set out for him.
Shaw works hard to maintain a constant intake of calories to keep himself as strong as possible
“I have to eat constantly,” Shaw says. “If you want to become a strongman, this is key.”
He is no professional chef, so Brian keeps his diet effective and simple.
He seasons his food well so it is easy to eat. He has a nutritionist, Nathan Payton, who allows Brian much freedom.
Nathan just ensures that each meal Brian eats through the day has the right amount of carbs and proteins that go hand in hand with intense training.
Here are Brian’s daily meals:
Breakfast
Meal one
- 8 eggs
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch with peanut butter
- 1,180 calories
Meal two
- Protein shake/snack
An hour later
- A whey-protein shake with 80 g of protein in water. He follows shale with two granola bars and some peanut butter.
- 1,053 total calories
Meal three – Lunch
- Angel hair pasta with meat sauce
- Plenty of organic, grass-fed ground beef.
- 2,190 total calories
Meal four: Protein shake/snack
- A whey protein shake mixed with almond milk and frozen organic blueberries and peanut butter. He just blends this one all up and downs it quick.
- 1,002 total calories
Meal five: Post-lunch/pre-dinner
- 93% lean organic ground turkey,
- White Jasmine rice,
- Broccoli
- 1,417 total calories
Meal 6: Dinner
- Italian takeout – if his next day is a huge training day and as advised by Nathan Payton
- Estimate of around 3,430 calories
Meal 7: Nighttime snack and a protein shake
- Four pieces of cheesecake and a Bio-Active whey protein shake with 80g of protein.
- 1,649 total calories
The seven meals always take place in the span of around 13 hours. Brian says that eating like this is tough, but he does what he has to do. “It’s constant,” he says, “all day long I have to eat, but it’s part of the job.”
Brian Shaw’s Supplements
- Whey protein: To keep his muscles maintained, Brian will usually drink 3 protein shakes a day.
- Pre-workout: A pre-workout supplement optimizes testosterone, giving muscles maximum strength and growth.
- Post-workout: A post-workout supplement with creatine replenishes the system, stimulates muscle growth, and improves recovery.
- Weight gainer: Even though he eats a hefty diet, Brian will still take weight gainer to up his mass.
Brian Shaw’s noteworthy recommendations
Proper supplementation before and after training and in-between meals keeps the nutrients flowing into Brian’s muscles.
“The secret to strength is making sure you’re always in a state of healing and growth,” he says.
“You can’t have a kick-ass workout and then not supply your body with what it needs to repair itself and grow. That’s ass-backward, and you’ll never advance in strongman training, bodybuilding, or whatever sport you do. You’ll actually hurt your gains and make yourself worse off than when you didn’t train at all!”
Brian Shaw also has some workout recommendations for his fans:
1) Focus on quality over quantity
Brian ensures he puts in 100% in each workout session.
He makes sure he incorporates the right techniques while working out, never compromising on the exercise forms.
2) Rest is crucial
Rest and recuperation are vital in Brian’s workout plans.
This is to repair muscle from such intense training sessions. On Sundays, he will perform light activities that promote recovery.
3) Warm-up and stretching
Each training session starts with a 15-minute warm-up for Brian. This comprises light cardio, and basic stretching to prepare his muscles for his workout.
After the workout, he stretches again to avoid any injury or muscle tightening.