Imagine going through a transformation where you lose 40 pounds but are still too big to fit in traditional fitness equipment or machines. That is life for Brian Shaw.
The four-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and current promoter of the Strongest Man on Earth (SMoE) contest walks around 6 feet, 8 inches tall, and over 360 pounds, even into retirement from the competitive strongman arena. However, he still has special gym equipment made to suit his needs. In mid-March 2025, Shaw shared some of his new gym investments.
Shaw and his wife Keri loaded his old equipment onto a trailer, explaining that he does not fit in the equipment being sent to Texas. One piece was a biceps preacher curl machine with twisting handles that allow Shaw to curl from a hammer position, a traditional palms-up position, or twist as he curls the weight up.
This hammer curl feature, in particular, comes in handy for his burgeoning arm-wrestling career.
The second piece was a seated chest press machine. The engineer who worked on it for Shaw shared a critical customization that allows Shaw to work unilaterally or bilaterally. Shaw demonstrated and appeared pleased with the final result. The engineer shared that the handles are wider so Shaw could fit comfortably in the unit.
The third piece was an incline press machine that had not yet been completed — it needs longer arms to accommodate the Shaw’s range of motion. Shaw tested a seated-row machine with three handles.
Blown away for sure by these pieces of equipment.
—Brian Shaw
Shaw took the two chest press machines back to Colorado. The other two units remained for final adjustments. These machines are the latest additions to Shaw’s home gym, which he uses for arm wrestling training in addition to traditional strength training.
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Featured Image: @shawstrength on Instagram
