Laurence Shahlaei
Laurence Shahlaei (born 25 December 1982) is an English YouTuber, strength coach and commentator. A former strongman competitor, he is most noted for winning the 2016 Europe's Strongest Man competition.[1]
He is also the winner of England's Strongest Man (2009) and Britain's Strongest Man (2012, 2013) competitions at the national circuit.
Early life
Shahlaei was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire[2] to an Iranian father from Kermanshah and an English mother from Newcastle upon Tyne. He attended Balcarras School, and later moved to Stroud, Gloucestershire[2] where he developed his passion towards Strength athletics.
Strongman career
Shahlaei started strongman training in 2005 and entered his first novice competition that year, where he finished 8th. Within two years, he entered his first Britain's Strongest Man, having won the Midlands qualifier. In that competition in 2007, he made a huge impact, making it to the final only to tear his biceps in the tyre flip, which forced him to withdraw. He won the Midlands qualifier again in 2008, and once again made the final, this time finishing 4th behind Jimmy Marku, Terry Hollands and Mark Felix. This placing landed him an invite to the World's Strongest Man in 2008. He did not make the finals.
In 2009, four years after beginning strongman, he became the UKSC Midlands Strongest Man and also won the UKSC England's Strongest Man. Shahlaei did not compete in the WSM qualifier titled England's Strongest Man, which replaced the Britain's Strongest Man contest in 2009 and was won by Terry Hollands.
In 2011 Strongman Champions League Holland, he was equal on points with Ervin Katona but emerged victorious on count-back. Shahlaei emerged runner-up to Krzysztof Radzikowski at 2012 WSF Championships in Abu Dhabi and second runner-up to Žydrūnas Savickas and Vytautas Lalas at the 2012 Europe's Strongest Man, but injured his shoulder during 2012 SCL China. He won 2013 Britain's Strongest Man[3] however 3 weeks later, during 2013 World's Strongest Man group stages, he tore his quad during the squat event.
In 2014, Shahlaei emerged runner-up to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson at the 2014 Battle of the North in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. He suffered a severe injury attempting a personal best deadlift at the World Deadlift Championships in conjunction with the 2014 Europe's Strongest Man, tearing his lat, forcing him to withdraw from the competition despite sharing third place with Martin Wildauer with a 435 kg (959 lb) lift. In 2015 World's Strongest Man group stages, he again sustained an injury during the Norse Hammers event where the second of the three hammers tore his triceps and dropped him to the floor.
In his career spanning over 12 years, Shahlaei competed in 55 international competitions and won 8 of them[4] including his best win, the 2016 Europe's Strongest Man. He also managed to win 4th place at the 2011 World's Strongest Man while securing 7th, 9th, 9th and 10th places in 2017, 2009, 2014 and 2016 respectively, making it five times into the finals.[5] He also competed in the inaugural World's Ultimate Strongman in 2018 and placed 5th in a stacked field of 12.[6] He also placed 7th in the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic, widely considered the heaviest and most difficult strongman competition in the world.[7][8]
During 2019 World's Strongest Man group stages, Shahlaei sustained a career ending injury when he tore his Achilles tendon while performing the super yoke. He made a brief comeback two years later to his final competition 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic where he won 7th place.
Other work
Shahlaei had a minor acting role in the film The Golden Compass (2007)[9] and in 2011, competed on Deal or No Deal (UK game show), where he lifted presenter Noel Edmonds up above his head. In 2012, Shahlaei opened a personal training business in Swindon, Wiltshire.
Since 2016, Shahlaei has become a popular strongman analyst and commentator, announcing in many popular strongman franchises.[10] He maintains a YouTube channel titled Big Loz Official,[11] which has covered many strongman-related topics and has released more than 1,750 videos.
Shahlaei also runs a coaching business, with his clients competing in major strongman competitions. In 2023, he coached Mitchell Hooper to both the Arnold Strongman Classic and World's Strongest Man titles.[12]
Personal life
Shahlaei and his wife, Elizabeth Mason, live in Swindon, Wiltshire.[13] They have 3 children[14] daughters Ava, Alexa and son Lewis.
Personal records
Powerlifting
- Squat – 380 kg (838 lb) (2020 Tattooed and Strong)
- Bench press – 227.5 kg (502 lb) (2020 Tattooed and Strong)
- Deadlift – 385 kg (849 lb) (2016 Tattooed and Strong)
- Total – 960 kg (2,116 lb) (365 + 220 + 375 kg (805 + 485 + 827 lb)) (2017 GPC-GB Salisbury Qualifier)[15]
Strongman
- Deadlift – 435 kg (959 lb) (2014 Europe's Strongest Man) Shahlaei previously held the joint-strongman deadlift record with 430 kg (948 lb) in 2011 Giants Live London
- Giant Barbell Squat (for reps) – 317.5 kg (700 lb) × 12 reps (single-ply suit w/ wraps) (2017 World's Strongest Man)
- Keg drop Squat – 265–360 kg (584–794 lb) x 7 reps in 25.67 seconds (2008 World's Strongest Man - Group 4) (World Record)[16]
- Log press – 185 kg (408 lb) (2011 SCL South Africa)
- Axle press – 205 kg (452 lb) (2010 Giants Live Turkey)
- Dumbbell press – 100 kg (220 lb) x 4 repetitions (2018 Giants Live North American Open)
- Dumbbell press – 90 kg (198 lb) x 8 repetitions (2017 UK's Strongest Man)
- Max Atlas stone – 200 kg (441 lb) x 3 times over a 4 ft bar (2013 SCL FIBO)
- Atlas stones – 5 stones 100–180 kg (220–397 lb) in 20.75 seconds (2016 Britain's Strongest Man)
- Atlas stones – 5 stones 140–200 kg (309–441 lb) in 30.80 seconds (2016 Europe's Strongest Man)
- Dinnie Stone carry in farmers walk style (with the original stones) – 332 kg (732 lb) for 22 ft 4 in (6.81 m) (World Record)[17][18]
- Bavarian Stonelift – 275 kg (606 lb) for 81cm (2012 SCL FIBO)
- Super yoke – 580 kg (1,279 lb) (15 meter course) in 16.49 seconds (2018 World's Ultimate Strongman) (World Record)[19]
- Car Walk – 450 kg (992 lb) (20 meter course) in 11.05 seconds (2016 Europe's Strongest Man) (former world record)
- Keg toss – 7 kegs (18–25 kg (40–55 lb)) over 4.00 metres (13 ft 1 in) in 40.96 seconds (2011 World's Strongest Man - Group 2)
- Basque Circle – 363 kg (800 lb) 233° rotation (2018 World's Strongest Man - Group 1)
- Basque Circle – 300 kg (661 lb) 710° rotation (2014 Britain's Strongest Man)
- Thor's Hammer one arm grip lift – 113 kg (250 lb) (2021 Rogue Invitational)[20]
- Captains of Crush – No. 3 gripper with 127 kg (280 lb) of pressure
Competitive record
Winning percentage: 13.79%
Podium percentage: 41.37%
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Podium | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 15th | 17th | 24th | 26th | 29th | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International competitions | 8 | 10 | 6 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 58 |
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-2011, 2013–2019 | World's Strongest Man | Himself – Competitor | |
| 2007 | The Golden Compass | ||
| 2011 | Deal or No Deal | Contestant |
References
- ^ "Game of Thrones star loses European strongman title to Swindon man". BBC News. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Shahlaei is England's strongest in www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk". Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
- ^ "Burnley company reveals deal with Britain's strongest man". Lancashire Telegraph. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ "Laurence Shahlaei". strongmanarchives.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Strongman Archives - 2011 WSM Final". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ "2018 WUS Dubai". strongmanarchives.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "Which Event Really Finds The World's Top Strongman?". Christo Bland for Barbend.com. 6 February 2017. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ^ "Strongman Archives - 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ "'I am iron man' says weight lifter". Stroud News and Journal. 9 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ Blechman, Phil (29 October 2022). "2022 Rogue Invitational Strongman Results". BarBend. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- ^ "Big Loz Official - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
- ^ Lockridge, Roger (25 April 2023). "Laurence "Big Loz" Shahlaei Recaps 2023 World's Strongest Man Finals, Reacts to Coaching Client Mitchell Hooper's Win". Breaking Muscle. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- ^ Profile on archive.org's copy of Official WSM site
- ^ "BIG LOZ". mirafit.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
- ^ GPC-GB (9 April 2022). "2011 Laurence Shahlaei (M)". Openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 02 - Squats". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 08 - Stonelifting (Irregular stones)". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ "Strongman Laurence Shahlaei Breaks Dinnie Stones Carry World Record Of 22 Feet, 4 Inches". Roger Lockridge for Barbend. 7 August 2023. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 09 - Hip lifts & Back carries". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Martins Licis Sets World Record in Thor's Hammer Lift - The record going into the event was owned by Hafthor Bjornsson". Roger Lockridge and Phil Blechman for Barbend. 1 August 2023. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.