Laurence Shahlaei - now Britain's Strongest Man

Loz's accepts his first place trophy (image mine)

Back when I lived in Gloucester when I trained 'at the whey' I enjoyed the occasional workout or three with Laurence Shahlaei. Now these might mean more me helping than lifting, more so when Loz was working on strongman events. But they also included an even more occasional grip workout. I've said before that Loz rarely worked his grip consistently. Indeed he did a grand total, two or so years ago, of 6 weeks back to back pinch work and equalled me when I pulled my biggest pinch.

Like all of the very best lifters and strength athletes I've known Loz to travel all over Southern England to train with the best. Included can be Dave 'Bulldog' Beatty of Genesis Gym, Wembley for Squat advice, Nick McKinless for conditioning and loads more. Also, as I know they do, information has been swapped between others via phone calls and emails. Loz has listed these elsewhere. In this way they advance their knowledge of a specific training aspect and use that info to improve. So Loz's speed and conditioning as well as his strength has got better and better.

You'll have seen on TV at the last few WSM competitions that Loz (or Lozza) has yet to lose a squat event - even when they restart it!! Year on year we've seen a gradual improvement in his placings and strength. 

This last weekend he beat Terry Holland and others by winning all bar one event and tying on the other with a 400+ kilo deadlift (with straps) at the Hercules Olympia's Britain's Strongest Man. It really is HIS TIME and I still think he has a way to go in terms of absolute peak power and speed. I hope sponsors take note and give him the support he needs to allow him to be the best the UK has to offer. He has the potential to be another UK World's Strongest Man.

Well done big Loz - upwards!!