He is looking pretty fit right now but the reality is he has slipped further and further back each year. He can place high in an event here and there but he has lost his top end strength and while he was never fast he has lost a yard of pace as well and that hurts him over 5/6 events.
I have him in the second tier of competitors. Which doesn’t mean he can’t win this year with Kiels and Licis out but more likely around the 4 - 8 mark, finding his way on the podium would be a great result.
He really does look to be in pretty good shape, but then he puts of a video of his work in a car commercial and I wonder if his head is really in it anymore.
It does pain me to see guys like Shaw finish so low. But he is older now. It happens to everyone. Look at Big Z. Possibly the best ever. Not so much now.
Future proofing his earnings. Very few strong men end up with 7 figures in the bank. Its a short career with not at going on once you retire.
Its better now but I guess he has to make hay whilst he is still completing and relevant.
But it must be detrackimg from his training/recovery.
I just watched Laurence youtube interview with Brian and this he talks about how the events at WSM changed after 2017. It seems like the years leading up to 2017 both at worlds and the Arnold the events got heavier and more biased towards static strength. This in turn led to competitors including Brian getting bigger and heaver to be competitive. After 2017 the weights dropped and more events requiring strength and speed were introduced. Brian indicated that this impacted him and he has had to adapt and reduce the weight a little to be a little more athletic (not sure how athletic a 400lb man can be!!). Brian still seems to have a passion to win and it will deff be interesting to see how he goes this year. I believe he has the goods to win again but it may well depend on the events and whether he or other competitors have a good contest.
Eddie did win the WSM that year by coming in first in the 3 events that did not require you to move your feet at all, and coming in 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the events that did.
Think Brian is drinking his own bathwater on this one.
2018 Arnold’s had one moving event and it was over 1000lbs lol
2019 Arnold’s had two moving events but they were the Conan wheel and husafel not exactly speeder events
2020 definitely had fewer static lifts but the moving events were heavy AF
I think most of the conversation was around WSM. I am pretty sure the super yoke at 2017 Arnold was over 1500lb and the years after were lower.
It isn’t like he’s creamed Arnold’s and botched WSM though. Not sure on his WSM theory either:
2018 WSM Brian paced out of the top 3 in the max overhead, bus pull, loading race and stones.
2019 WSM Out of the top 3 was loading race, deadlift hold, stones
2020 giants medley (a loading race), max deadlift,
log ladder
He’s lost points on static lifts and vehicle pulls which have been his strong suit (will give him the loading races though)
I’m not sure how he manages it, but he comes across thoughtful and introspective while dishing out excuses after excuse for every event every year.
But he always has an excuse.
I’m not saying I love him or he should have won. Just saying what he conveyed in his interview. Bottom line is best man wins on the day regardless.
I’m a fan of Shaw. I just think he is wrong about this. I think if WSM or Anrold had another static or heavy moving event he may have done better but I don’t see him contending for the win.
He’s aged, got a significant injury and lost some top end speed and strength at a time when the field is very strong is a better explanation for his results than he got a bad hand events wise (for 3 years).
Just had a look back. Not 100%.sure what year he feels is lighter and faster.
1001lb yoke?
Max 18inch deadlift?
Max log?
Squat - max reps?
Groups have been released
Group 1
Hicks
Boudreault
Ortmayer
Shaw
Smaukstelis
Group 4
Hollands
Bishop
Pritchett
Janashia
Van der linde
Group 2
Felix
Hansson
Mitchell
Singleton
Stoltman (Tom)
Haven’t seen the others yet
Am I just not seeing it, or is Caron not participating this year?
Top of group 3
No MATEUSZ KIELISZKOWSKI though?
No think he is still recovering from a tricep tear ?
The only 3 guys I think are nailed on finalists.
Tom Stoltman
Novikov
Shaw.
No way Shaw / Novikov dont ace their groups.
Tom will finish in the top 3 of his and then smokes the stone off.
Luke has a 50/50. If he finishes in 2nd or 3rd he’s good at stones.
Carron 75% sure to get through.
Excited to see the results. So confused as to why its not being shown until the winter.
Tradition. Always that way. Big in Britain to show over Christmas.
