Dr. Mike Israetel Critiques Brian Shaw’s Strongman Training [Video]

“[Brian Shaw] probably holds the informal title of the greatest strength athlete of all time,” Dr. Mike Israetel, co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, proclaimed.

Dr. Israetel dissected the methods of the four-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) in a recent video on his YouTube channel, saying, “There’s nobody in the NFL this big or this strong.”

Shaw, 42, retired from competitive strongman in 2023. He is now the promoter of his namesake Shaw Classic, which features the Strongest Man on Earth contest. He was also inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2024. 

What separates elite strongman athletes like Brian Shaw from others? “90% of what makes Brian Shaw is him lifting weights in the gym. It’s the core of strongman,” Israetel affirmed. Scientific evidence points to genetics as a major part of what makes sports champions. (1) Shaw is a 6-foot-8 physical specimen.

Still, brute strength alone doesn’t win four WSM titles. The remaining 10%? Calculated training and preparation.

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