When two of the strongest men on the planet go head-to-head with a group of schoolchildren, you’d expect the outcome to be a foregone conclusion.
However, in a hilarious showdown that went viral online, strength sport legends Brian Shaw and Eddie Hall discovered that sheer numbers can outweigh brute force.
The spectacle began with Shaw, a four-time World’s Strongest Man champion from the United States, taking on just five kids in a tug-of-war. Unsurprisingly, the 6ft 8in giant — who once weighed over 200kg at his competitive peak — made short work of the opening round.
From there, the challenge escalated. Ten kids took hold of the rope, then fifteen, as the contest grew increasingly even. “It’s not about the bodyweight,” Hall told the viewers, “It’s really about how many little feet are on the floor.
“The surface area compared to just our four feet. I reckon five pairs of their shoes probably equals one of ours. So when it gets to 10 or 15 kids, they’re already beating us on surface area — and that might be game over. Honestly, I think it’ll be a lot fewer than people expect. It could get embarrassing.”
As “The Beast” — Britain’s 2017 World’s Strongest Man and the man who famously became the first to deadlift 500kg — stepped in to help his long-time rival-turned-friend, surely two of the most powerful men on the planet could beat 20 children, right?
…Right?
Well, check out the video below and find out for yourselves:
Well, to their surprise – and ours – that’s where it all unravelled. Despite bracing themselves for as many as 100 challengers, the combined power of twenty determined youngsters proved too much. With rope burns on their hands and laughter all around, Hall and Shaw were dragged over the line in a moment that has quickly become a fan favourite. They even went for a Round 2 – but to no luck.
With the kids taking the victory, all that was left to do was for Hall and Shaw to congratulate the children and dish out some high-fives. “So, we just finished up. The tug-of-war didn’t go exactly how we thought… we actually lost to 20 kids,” Shaw said.
“As we worked out, they were about 270 kilos heavier than us,” Hall added, “And with 20 kids, that’s 40 feet on the ground compared to our four. It was close, if we had two Eddie Halls we would have beat them.”
Both men are no strangers to extraordinary feats. Hall, known for his record-breaking lifts and recent transition into MMA, remains one of the most recognisable figures in strength sports. Shaw, who retired from World’s Strongest Man in 2023, continues to share his experiences and challenges on YouTube, where his blend of humour and Herculean strength has earned him a loyal following.
In fact, in another mind-boggling tug-of-war challenge, Shaw appeared in a video with MrBeast to take on another beast… a lion! Check it out below:
Featured image credit: YouTube/ShawStrength (Screenshot)
