29 Best Brian Shaw Deadlift Tips that Will Make You Fit

Who is Brian Shaw?

Brian Shaw is an American Strongman athlete, four-time winner of the World’s Strongest Man title, and an actor.

Shaw also won the World’s Strongest Man Competition and Arnold Classic twice in the same year, 2011 and 2015, an unparalleled feat of strength.

Shaw was born in Fort Lupton, Colorado on February 26, 1982.

Today, Brian is 37 years of age.

He grew up in Colorado as an all-state basketball player for Fort Lupton High School and received a full basketball scholarship to Black Hills State University.

But, he always gravitated towards lifting heavy objects and found his greatest peace of mind in the weight room.

As he told the Denver Post in 2009:

“I’m naturally a very powerful person,” 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, brute power.” ¹

Athletic career

He started his athletic career as a basketball player and attained worldwide success, fame, and fortune as an elite powerlifter and Strongman.

In 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016, he took first place in the World Strongest Man competition.

He also took fifth place in the inaugural World Strongest Man Competition, although his competitors outweighed him by over 100 pounds.

Pound for pound, he is one of the strongest men and most influential Strongmen of all time.

Because of his incredible strength, his fans nicknamed Brian Shaw “Gigantor”.

Brian won the by invitation only Arnold Strongman Classic in 2011, 2015, and 2017.

On July 10, 2019, The Strongest Man in History show premiered on the History Channel.

Watch Shaw crush the competition which includes “The Beast” Eddie Hall by pulling a 12,000 lb boat 60 feet in 44 seconds.

Watch Brian Shaw Win the 2017 Arnold Strongman Classic

By now you trust that Brian Shaw knows what he is talking about when it comes to strength and deadlifting.

Here are some of his best tips to improve your deadlift:

World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw Deadlift Tips

Warmup

#1. Warming up and recovery is essential

#2. Use a hip circle to activate your glutes

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#4. Work on flexibility and mobility to improve your deadlift

Form

#5. Because your body is unique, you need to determine which starting position feels best for you

For example, regarding the best stance for your deadlift
Some say hip width, and some people say shoulder width
Which width feels best to you if you were going to do a long jump or box jump?
In which position will you generate the most power?
Find the jump position which is most comfortable and feels most powerful
That is most likely the best stance for your deadlift

#6. Grip the bar so that your arms are outside of your legs

#7. Use a double overhand grip, because an alternate grip can lead to imbalanced back development or biceps tear

When you can no longer handle the weight, use wrist straps (can only be used for Strongman, not Powerlifting competitions)

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#8. Your elbows should be flush with your knees

Watch Brian Shaw deadlift and notice that his elbows, and arms are always flush with his knees before he begins the deadlift

Leverage

#9. The best position for leverage is when most of your body weight is behind the barbell

#10. Keep your hips lower than your shoulders

#11. Take a deep breath and tighten your upper body

#12. Pull the bar towards your body so that your lats are engaged

You can use the cue to imagine you are bending the barbell around your legs

#13. Lift your chest and flatten your back

#14. Keep your back FLAT

#15. Lift your head slightly

#16. Think of pushing your feet through the floor, as opposed to pulling the bar up

#17. To start the deadlift, push with your legs

As if you are doing a leg press

#18. Do not think of pulling with your back

#19. When you learn to deadlift correctly, you will feel the deadlift most in your legs, not in your arms and back

Rules

#20. Always work on improving your deadlift form

If that means you need to take off weight to focus on your form, then do it
Because bad form can mean a short deadlift career and in the worst case, back surgery

#21. Treat the deadlift with respect

#22. Do not train touch and go deadlifts – instead, deadlift from a full stop

#23. And do not lift your 1 rep max

#24. Instead, train between 50 percent and 95 percent of your 1 rep max on effort days aka heavy days

You also need to sense your perceived exertion, so do not train to the max of your perceived exertion, even if you think you have more in the tank

#25. Be consistent with your deadlift form checklist every single time

Mental game

#26. You want your mind to be as strong as possible

A great tool to keep a positive mindset is to not miss deadlifts
Meaning, only deadlift weight that you know you can handle
Never max out to the point that you fail at a lift

Gear

#27. Use wrist straps when you need to as mentioned before

#28. Get stronger without using a powerlifting belt, unless you have a vulnerable back and need the belt for safety.

Also, notice that Brian Shaw always uses shin guards when he deadlifts.

#29. Brian Shaw mouthpiece – “a neuromuscular dentistry-based mouthguard appears to enhance peak power output, performance and repeated maximal efforts”.²

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Brian Shaw Deadlift 1021 pounds Arnold Classic Image Credit Skydevil1977 Mack youtube

Brian Shaw Deadlift Records

In the gym:

1,025 pounds (465 kg) deadlift
1,031 pounds (468 kg) long bar deadlift

In competition:

1,021 lbs (463 kg) Rogue Elephant Bar deadlift with straps at the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2016 and 2019
1,014 lbs (460 kg) deadlift at the World’s Strongest Man competition in 2017
1,128 lbs (511 kg) Hummer Tire Strongman deadlift with straps at the 2014 Arnold Classic

Watch Brian Shaw’s world record Hummer Tire deadlift of 1,128 pounds

World’s Strongest Man

First Place Wins

2011
2013
2015
2016

Arnold Strongman Classic

1st Place Wins

2011
2015
2017

Strongman Super Series

First Place Titles

2009

Los Angeles Grand Prix
Gothenburg Grand Prix
Overall Champion

2010

Viking Power Challenge
Swedish Grand Prix
Overall Champion

Watch Brian Shaw Deadlift 1,021 pounds at the Arnold in 2016

Brian Shaw Height and Weight

Do not assume you cannot deadlift if you are tall.

How tall is Brian Shaw? Believe it or not, he stands at a height of 6 feet 8 inches, and a weight of 440 pounds.

Many people think they are too tall to deadlift.

The incredible success of Brian Shaw in the deadlift and Strongman explodes that myth, forever.

So, do not use your height as an excuse.

Shaw is taller than many of his competitors, except for Hafthor Bjornsson, but that did not prevent him from achieving widespread success.

Watch Brian Shaw deadlift 700 pounds (317.5 kg) for reps including deadlift tips

Brian Shaw Deadlift Workout Routine

Warmup with Hip Circle and Kettlebell farmer walks
On a max effort day, do sets of 5 reps up to approximately 90 percent of 1 rep max
On speed days, do 8 sets of 2 reps using 45 to 55 percent of 1 rep max
Follow conventional deadlifts with 3 sets of 8 reps trap bar deadlift
Alternating seated rows 3 sets of 8 reps
Lat pulldowns 3 sets of 8 reps
Rest up to 14 days between maximum lifts

In the Movie “Kickboxer Retaliation (2018)”

Brian appears as a convict in the 2018 movie Kickboxer Retaliation.

Kickboxer Retaliation Brian Shaw Movie Image Credit IMDB

He also appears in:

the 2019 TV series “The Strongest Man in History”, and episodes of:
- Born Strong documentary (2017)
- Good Morning America
- Louder with Crowder

Brian Shaw Deadlift – Final Thoughts

If you are on the tall side, you too can build a stronger deadlift.

With the right training program, mental game, and nutrition, you can gain fitness and strength with the deadlift.

Even if you are 6 feet 8 inches, you can become much stronger than you are today, and perhaps compete in Strongman.

Never give up.

What’s Next

If you need to lose weight before beginning your deadlift journey, you can use these five steps to lose 20 pounds in 3 months.

Once you are ready to deadlift, start by learning How to Deadlift for Beginners – A Step by Step Guide, and then try out this deadlift workout routine and 12-week beginner deadlift program.

No matter where you start, Brian Shaw’s deadlift and Strongman accomplishments will motivate you to accomplish your fitness goals.

About Squats and Deadlifts:

Best Deadlifters Tips and Tricks

Squat and Deadlift Workouts and Programs:

Never Give Up on Getting Fitter Than You Are Today

Best Squat and Deadlift Gear Buying Guides:

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Footnotes:

¹ Coloradan Eyes Coveted Title of World’s Strongest

² Effects of Different Jaw Relations on Postural Stability

What Muscles Do Deadlifts Work Infographic by HashiMashi.com

Muscles targeted by the Deadlift infographic credit https://hashimashi.com