Brian Shaw At ASC nats and at WSMSS Venice beach?

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

-Are there two American's named Brian Shaw-?

I noticed that Brian Shaw competed at the ASC ,America's Strongest Man(6th place) and also competed in the WSMSS in Venice(11th place).

I gathered there were some restrictions crossing over from one Fed to another-?

I see Brian was the only athlete to do both contests-?-

Could other athletes have done this also-?-

[Jonathan Creason]

Mike Johnston was talking a little about this over the weekend. Evidently Brian gave up his spot at the World Finals in order to compete in the SS event and try to qualify for WSM.

[MarshallWhite]

You seem to be confusing IFSA with ASC...any american can do an ASC show...but if Brian qualified for IFSA worlds yes he had to forfeit that to shoot for WSM.

Brian is an awesome athlete with unlimited potential...I see him doing good in either fed. in the near future.

[Kevin Cronin]

wow, yeah, it was top 6 qualify, and brian was 6th. so i guess he had to forfeit his spot. man that sucks

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

You seem to be confusing IFSA with ASC...any american can do an ASC show...but if Brian qualified for IFSA worlds yes he had to forfeit that to shoot for WSM.

Brian is an awesome athlete with unlimited potential...I see him doing good in either fed. in the near future.

I see.
between the two contests there were 25 American athletes-

-Brian was the only one to do both contests is why i ask.

I've read about Brian and it does appear that he has unlimited potential.
He is doing very well in strongman---especially with so little time in the weight room and with so little experience in the sport.

Thanks to all for the answers.

[ClayEdgin]

I first met Brian at a contest I put on here in December 2005. He won and afterwards lifted the Inch dumbbell to lockout with either hand a couple of times. Then he stayed around for the grip contest we had and did very well. I think he ended up with a 200lb two hand plate pinch on his first try (including pinching 2-45's with a 5lb bar through them with one hand), closing a #3 gripper and very nearly locking out 200lbs with a 2.5" rolling handle I made. The highest number I've ever heard of anyone lifting with this handle is 180lbs by #4 closer Dave Morton.

Brian is big, athletic, and powerful. As you said, TONS of potential in the sport if he stays healthy.

[Ryan Brown]

I see.
between the two contests there were 25 American athletes-

-Brian was the only one to do both contests is why i ask.

I've read about Brian and it does appear that he has unlimited potential.
He is doing very well in strongman---especially with so little time in the weight room and with so little experience in the sport.

Thanks to all for the answers.

Paul,

We had a discussion about this topic on there a little bit ago. Essentially, many of the SS guys would find it hard from scheduling, financing (and for some motivation) standpoint to do the ASM contest. If your goal is to do SS and then WSM, then the ASM contest gives you nothing other than the satisfaction of competing in the ASM contest--keep in mind that you have to qualify for this contest also, so you would have to have the available schedule to do both the qualifier and the ASM contest itself, even though it doesn't get you to the ultimate spot you want to go.

Honestly I can identify with this. When I wanted to get my pro card, I decided to focus all of my efforts on Pro-ams at the expense of other shows that I would have thought would be cool, but that wouldn't give me that shot at the pro card. If you goal is go to to WSM, then I can see why you might decide not to do the qualifiers and ASM. At that level the contests are not just for kicks anymore.

Even given this, many of the top guys said they would have done ASM, but the SS shows conflicted or at least were so close that it didn't make sense.

[Garrick Daft]

If your goal is to do SS and then WSM, then the ASM contest gives you nothing other than the satisfaction of competing in the ASM contest--
Winning the America's Strongest Man gets you an invite to the Arnold. and I find it hard to believe that the winner of America's Strongest Man would be rejected by TWI if he wanted to be invited to WSM rather then IFSA. Winning ASM comes with a lot more benefits that isn't necessarily obvious at first.
I had heard rumors that Brian Shaw had a lot of interest coming from SS, especially after his virtual tie with Ortmayer at Clovis. He seemed extremely happy to be going to IFSA Worlds though after Nats. Hopefully he get on here and clear things up.

[Ryan Brown]

Winning the America's Strongest Man gets you an invite to the Arnold. and I find it hard to believe that the winner of America's Strongest Man would be rejected by TWI if he wanted to be invited to WSM rather then IFSA. Winning ASM comes with a lot more benefits that isn't necessarily obvious at first.
I had heard rumors that Brian Shaw had a lot of interest coming from SS, especially after his virtual tie with Ortmayer at Clovis. He seemed extremely happy to be going to IFSA Worlds though after Nats. Hopefully he get on here and clear things up.

That's one guy though. In this case Poundstone. I'd have to say, right or wrong, that the majority of guys going to ASM or that could go to ASM do not actually think they are going to or could win it. I could be wrong on this, but I doubt it.

I agree winning it has a lot of benefits in strongman.

[MarshallWhite]

The biggest benefit is that you get to say that you are AMERICA'S STRONGEST MAN!!! If I won that show I would start slapping people for no reason, when asked why I would say "because I'm ASM, beatch!" Jesus I wish I could've done that show this year!

[Paul F.X. Armstrong]

and I find it hard to believe that the winner of America's Strongest Man would be rejected by TWI if he wanted to be invited to WSM rather then IFSA. Winning ASM comes with a lot more benefits that isn't necessarily obvious at first.


IMHO you are right Garrick.
I'd guess that the other org. would be happy to have Derek compete in WSM.
(not suggesting that he should)

Derek's a marketable guy PLUS a Pfister/Poundstone showdown--within the WSM contest--would be of interest to a lot of American Fans.

Obviously Poundstone vs. Marius is something fans wonder about also.

Add to that Ostlund beating Marius (and Jesse being in 3rd @ Venice beach) there is the Poundstone/Pfister/Ostlund/Marrunde match up (within the WSM contest) that adds intrigue---add Kevin Knee-- with a 2nd @ Mohegan Sun- also competeing @ WSM --
PLUS old warhorses Karl Gillingham and Mark Phillipi-- and there could be some interesting American matchups that happen within the WSM contest itself.


I'm sure they'd love to have Derek compete @WSM.

[Brian Shaw]

Hey guys I should have got on here a long time ago. Thanks for all of the kind words. Hopefully I can answer a few of the questions that have come up also. Through ASM I did qualify for IFSA Worlds later this year. I was contacted about going to compete in the WSM SS and at that time I had to make a choice to give up my spot at IFSA Worlds. It was a very tough decision for me to make because there are a lot of great athletes on both sides. I really wish no athlete had to make a decision to do either IFSA or WSM. Hopefully this helps a little.....

B. Shaw