Laurence Shahlaei

Last updated

Laurence Cristiaan David Shahlaei
Laurence Shahlaei.JPG
Shahlaei in 2009
Personal information
NicknameBig Loz / Uncle Loz
Born (1982-12-25) 25 December 1982 (age 42)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight145–160 kg (320–353 lb)
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2016–present
GenreStrength Training/Strongman
Subscribers167k [1]
(16 September 2025)
Views90.52 million [1]
(16 September 2025)
YouTube Silver Play Button 2.svg100,000 subscribers2022
Sport
Sport Strongman
Medal record
Strongman
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2008 World's Strongest Man
9th 2009 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2010 World's Strongest Man
4th 2011 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2013 World's Strongest Man
9th 2014 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2015 World's Strongest Man
10th 2016 World's Strongest Man
7th 2017 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2018 World's Strongest Man
Qualified 2019 World's Strongest Man
Arnold Strongman Classic
7th2012 Arnold Strongman Classic
World's Ultimate Strongman
5th 2018 World's Ultimate Strongman
Europe's Strongest Man
3rd 2012 Europe's Strongest Man
5th 2013 Europe's Strongest Man
1st 2016 Europe's Strongest Man
8th 2017 Europe's Strongest Man
9th 2019 Europe's Strongest Man
Giants Live
2nd2010 Ukraine
4th2010 Istanbul
2nd2011 London
1st2012 Finland
1st2018 North American Open
7th2021 Strongman Classic
WSF World Strongmen Championships
2nd2012 WSC
Jón Páll Sigmarsson Classic
2nd2011 JPSC
Strongman Super Series
10th2008 Sweden Grand Prix
3rd2010 Viking Power Challenge
3rd2010 Sweden Grand Prix
3rd2010 Overall
Representing Flag of England.svg England
Britain's Strongest Man
8th Britain's Strongest Man 2007
4th Britain's Strongest Man 2008
1st Britain's Strongest Man 2012
1st Britain's Strongest Man 2013
3rd Britain's Strongest Man 2014
3rd Britain's Strongest Man 2016
England's Strongest Man
1st England's Strongest Man 2009
Representing Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
Strongman Champions League
1st 2011: South Africa
2nd 2011: Finland
1st 2011: Holland
3rd 2011: Canada SCL Semi-finals
3rd 2011 Overall
2nd 2012 SCL Iceman Challenge III
2nd 2012 Germany FIBO
4th 2012 Serbia
2nd 2012 Holland
2nd 2012 China
3rd 2013 SCL Iceman Challenge

Laurence Shahlaei (born 25 December 1982) is an English YouTuber, strength sports commentator, coach, and a retired strongman competitor. He is most noted for winning the 2016 Europe's Strongest Man competition. [2]

Contents

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 [3] to an Iranian father from Kermanshah and an English mother from Newcastle upon Tyne. He attended Balcarras School, and later moved to Stroud, Gloucestershire [3] 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 [4] 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 [5] 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. [6] He also competed in the inaugural World's Ultimate Strongman in 2018 and placed 5th in a stacked field of 12. [7] He also placed 7th in the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic, widely considered the heaviest and most difficult strongman competition in the world. [8] [9]

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) [10] 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. [11] Alongside his wife Elizabeth, they maintain a YouTube channel titled Big Loz Official. [12] The channel 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. [13]

Personal life

Shahlaei and his wife, Elizabeth Mason, live in Swindon, Wiltshire. [14] They have 3 children [15] daughters Ava, Alexa and son Lewis.

Personal records

Powerlifting

Strongman

Competitive record

Winning percentage: 14.54%
Podium percentage: 41.81%

1st2nd3rdPodium4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13thTotal
International competitions89623523522310155

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008-2011, 2013–2019 World's Strongest Man Himself – Competitor
2007 The Golden Compass
2011 Deal or No Deal Contestant

References

  1. 1 2 "About Big Loz Official". YouTube.
  2. "Game of Thrones star loses European strongman title to Swindon man". BBC News. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Shahlaei is England's strongest in www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk". Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  4. "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.
  5. "Laurence Shahlaei". strongmanarchives.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  6. "Strongman Archives - 2011 WSM Final". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  7. "2018 WUS Dubai". strongmanarchives.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  8. "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.
  9. "Strongman Archives - 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  10. "'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.
  11. Blechman, Phil (29 October 2022). "2022 Rogue Invitational Strongman Results". BarBend. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  12. "Big Loz Official - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  13. 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.
  14. Profile on archive.org's copy of Official WSM site
  15. "BIG LOZ". mirafit.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  16. GPC-GB (9 April 2022). "2011 Laurence Shahlaei (M)". Openpowerlifting.org. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  17. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 02 - Squats". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  18. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 08 - Stonelifting (Irregular stones)". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  19. "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.
  20. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 09 - Hip lifts & Back carries". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
  21. "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.
Preceded by Europe's Strongest Man
2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Britain's Strongest Man
2012–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by England's Strongest Man (Elite/UKSC)
2009
Succeeded by
Eddie Hall (Elite)
Dean Slater (UKSC)