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.
Brian Shaw knows what he is talking about when it comes to strength and the deadlift!
Here are some of his best tips to improve your deadlift:
Deadlift Tips from Brian Shaw, World’s Strongest Man
Warmup
#1. Warming up and recovery are essential
#2. Use a hip circle to activate your glutes
#3. Work on flexibility and mobility to improve your deadlift
Form
#4. 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 that is most comfortable and feels most powerful
- That is most likely the best stance for your deadlift
#5. Grip the bar so that your arms are outside of your legs
#6. Use a double overhand grip because an alternate grip can lead to imbalanced back development or a biceps tear
- When you can no longer handle the weight, use wrist straps (can only be used for Strongman, not Powerlifting competitions)
#7. Your elbows should be flush with your knees
- Watch Brian Shaw deadlift, and you will see that his elbows and arms are always flush with his knees before he begins the deadlift
Watch Brian Shaw Deadlift 1,021 pounds at the Arnold in 2016
Leverage
#8. The best position for leverage is when most of your body weight is behind the barbell
#9. Keep your hips lower than your shoulders
#10. Take a deep breath and tighten your upper body
#11. 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
#12. Lift your chest and flatten your back
#13. Keep your back FLAT
#14. Lift your head slightly
#15. Think of pushing your feet through the floor, as opposed to pulling the bar up
#16. To start the deadlift, push with your legs
- As if you are doing a leg press
#17. Do not think of pulling with your back
#18. When you learn to deadlift correctly, you will feel the deadlift most in your legs, not in your arms and back
Rules
#19. 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
#20. Treat the deadlift with respect
#21. Do not train touch-and-go deadlifts – instead, deadlift from a full stop
#22. And do not lift your one-rep max
#23. Instead, train between 50 percent and 95 percent of your one-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
#24. Be consistent with your deadlift form checklist every single time
Mental game
#25. You want your mind to be as strong as possible
- A great tool to keep a positive mindset is “not to 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
#26. Use wrist straps when you need to, as mentioned before
#27. Get stronger without a powerlifting belt unless you have a vulnerable back and need it for safety.
Also, notice that Brian Shaw always uses shin guards when he deadlifts.
#28. Brian Shaw mouthpiece – “A neuromuscular dentistry-based mouthguard appears to enhance peak power output, performance, and repeated maximal efforts.”²
Brian Shaw Shows Obie His Tips for a Huge Deadlift
Deadlift Workout Routine
- Warm up with hip circles and kettlebell farmer carries
- 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 of trap bar deadlifts
- Alternating seated rows: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Lat pulldowns: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Rest up to 14 days between maximum lifts
Deadlift Records
Brian Shaw handled massive weight using specialized Strongman setups, including the 18-inch deadlift, Hummer Tire deadlift, and Rogue Elephant Bar.
The Rogue Elephant Bar is a specialized deadlift bar created for the Arnold Strongman Classic.
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
- 1,080 lb (490 kg) 18-inch deadlift at the 2018 World’s Ultimate Strongman in Dubai.
- 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
Athletic career
Brian Shaw was born in Fort Lupton, Colorado, on February 26, 1982.
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
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’s Strongest Man competition.
Brian Shaw retired from competitive Strongman in 2023.
He also took fifth place in the inaugural 2008 World’s 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 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.
Brian Shaw’s rivalry with Eddie Hall became one of the defining stories of modern Strongman.
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
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.
Brian Shaw Deadlift Tips – Wrapping up
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, use these five steps to shed 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.
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