Brian Shaw is one of the athletes who impacted the sport of Strongman the most. He is always aiming to improve the experience of both athletes and the fans in order to make the sport more enjoyable. His love for Strongman is unmeasurable, so he started organizing competitions. Shaw Classic has grown in popularity with the fans, so Brian just announced all of the events for the third edition. The 2022 Shaw Classic will take place on Aug. 13-14, at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, CO.
The new venue is the biggest yet, and it was picked to meet the expectations, as Brian expects a large crowd to attend the 2022 Shaw Classic. Sixteen brilliant athletes will be taking part, and while discussing the events, Brian Shaw also confirmed that Oleksii Novikov is the newest addition.
The 2022 Shaw Classic will last for two days and will consist of eight events across the entire competition two-day competition.
2022 Shaw Classic Events
August 13, 2022 — Day One
- Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
- Super Yoke Event
- Circus Dumbbell
- Throwing Event
August 14, 2022 — Day Two
- Log Press
- Frame Carry Arm-Over-Arm Medley
- Car Leg Press for Reps
- Atlas Stones
Related: Mike O’Hearn Joins Hands With Strongman Brian Shaw For A Chest Workout
Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
In both previous editions of the competition, the athletes performed the Max Hummer Tire Deadlift on the second day of the competition. However, this year it will be the first event. Brian decided to put this event first so the athletes could lift some significantly higher numbers than in previous years.
“All the guys were walking into it (previous Shaw Classic) a little bit more beat up, a little bit tired from the first day. So, starting the contest with the Max Hummer Tire Deadlift, and it is going to be exciting what kind of numbers the guys can pull on that setup.”
Super Yoke Event
It will most likely be the exact same as the 2021 Shaw Classic Super Yoke event, when the athletes had to carry a 506.5-kilogram (1,117-pound) yoke for time across 80 meters (262.5 feet).
“That setup seemed to work. It was a great way to test the athletes. I feel we should come back with the same setup, with the tires on the yoke. It looked incredible.”
Circus Dumbbell
The Circus Dumbbell will repeat, as it was also one of the events at the 2021 Shaw Classic, and it will likely be of the same weight and format this year. They will probably use a 242-pound (110-kilogram) dumbbell, and the aim will be to perform as many reps as possible in a given timeframe. Evan Singleton won this event last year, but with the addition of Oleksii Novikov, it will definitely be much harder this year.
Throwing Event
Brian Shaw revealed that they will use either a keg or a sandbag at this year’s contest. In 2021, the competitors threw bags over a 15-foot (4.5-meter) bar. It could be even more aesthetically pleasing this year, as Brian mentioned that they will throw the implements over a “tower”.
Related: Brian Shaw Trains Bench and Press Accessories With Maxime Boudreault And Samantha Belliveau
Log Press
Brian Shaw is introducing a fairly new format of the log press event. The competitors will have three separate logs available. The logs will weigh 172 kilograms (380 pounds), 186 kilograms (410 pounds), and 200 kilograms (441 pounds). So it will be a log press for reps, but a single rep on the higher log will beat any number of reps on the lighter log. This means that the competitors will have to develop a strategy in the order of their attempts, as any excess energy expenditure could impact the remainder of their performance.
“The goal is to reward maximum strength over endurance. So any number of reps on the lighter log will be beat by one rep on the heavier log.”
Frame Carry Arm-Over-Arm Medley
A straight frame carry will go into a giant tower arm-over-arm. The athletes will perform it in a head-to-head format.
“A really good test of grip, back, and arm strength to finish this.”
Car Leg Press
The format of this event is still under development, but there are some known facts. The competitors will have to leg press a car for repetitions. This has been under consideration by Brian Shaw and his team for some time, and it will definitely be interesting to watch.
“We’ve got the car kind of figured out. The actual setup is what we still need to figure out… A massive leg press set up with a car on top. We will have very strict rules for the competitors, and I will explain more as we are setting up.”
Atlas Stones
The 2022 Shaw Classic will use the same set of atlas stones as last year. There will be five implements ranging from 158.7 kilograms (350 pounds) to 204 kilograms (450 pounds).
You can watch the full video here:
Related: Brian Shaw Signs Joe Kenn As Strength Coach To Prepare For 2022 WSM, Shares High-Volume Workout
2022 Shaw Classic Open
Brian Shaw wants to give a chance to anyone who is good enough to burst onto the big scene and prove themselves. For that reason, he organized an Open division in the 2022 Shaw Classic. The qualifiers were held through an online format, and the greatest 16 athletes received invitations to battle against each other in person. It is not only a Strongman Open, as Strongwoman athletes have their division as well. All of the athletes competing in the Men’s and Women’s Open division earned their spot through qualifying, while the Pro division is purely Invitational.
The 2022 Shaw Classic Men’s Open champion will qualify to compete at the 2023 Shaw Classic in the Pro division. So it is important to note that the Open divisions are not the same as the Pro division where the absolute greatest Strongman will compete. However, the Open could help someone become a world-renowned name in Strongman.
2022 Shaw Classic Men’s/Strongman Open Events
- Log Press for Reps
- Deadlift for Reps
- Yoke Carry
- Frame Carry
- Atlas Stones
2022 Shaw Classic Women’s/Strongwoman Open Events
- Log Press for Reps
- Deadlift for Reps
- Yoke Carry
- Frame Carry
- Bag Toss Over Bar
Although a few events in the 2022 Shaw Classic are a replica of last year, Brain is making the competition more interesting with the aim of it being better than ever. The crowd capacity is enormous and if all spots are filled up, the atmosphere is bound to be electrifying. Brian Shaw also hinted toward a Livestream but did not specify any details.
