Andrea Shaw

At the 2019 Toronto Pro, Andrea spoke to one of the judges, along with female bodybuilders Irene Andersen, Margaret Marvelous, Lenda Murray, and Alina Popa who all told her she looked more like a bodybuilder than a physique competitor and she ought to consider switching divisions. Shortly, thereafter, Andrea competed at the 2019 Chicago Pro as a bodybuilder, placing second to Aleesha Young by 1 point. She trains at Powerhouse Gym in Highland Park, Michigan, and is coached by her longtime boyfriend, former IFBB Pro John Simmons. Simmons is 24 years her senior. She progressed from working out three days a week to every day. She spends eight to 14 hours working out weekly and once a week she has a cheat meal to celebrate a successful week. She has made guest appearances at bodybuilding competitions, model for women’s clothing lines and traveled to Germany to hold training events together with Mamdouh Elssbiay, the 2020 Mr. Olympia title winner. Andrea appeared on Scott McNally's podcast, "It's Only Bodybuilding," on June 29, 2022, and defended her use of PEDs. During the 2022 Rising Phoenix, she admitted in her routine video that she "woke up" in an ICU in a Detroit hospital on January 21, 2022, and was treated several days for a blood disorder deficiency attributed from her anabolic drug use.

Over the next eight years, Andrea took a break from competing, instead focusing on studying and researching exercises, obtaining a new trainer, and subscribing to magazines such as Oxygen Mag, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Shape, and Muscular Development. She changed her major and found a program that specifically address experience and sports science. In 2016, she decided to resume competing and switched to physique. After competing in six competitions, she placed 2nd at the 2018 Nationals, qualifying herself for an IFBB pro card. She went on to attend the 2019 Toronto Pro, placing 11th.

At the age of 18, Andrea's training adviser told her mom she didn't think she had the heart to stick with training. This encouraged her to focus on obtaining great shape. While training one day at Powerhouse Gym, she came across an Oxygen Magazine and saw the magazine was full of athletic fitness and sports models. She decided that would be her ambition. However, her body began responding quickly to resistance training and once she started intense weight training, soon people were asking her if she competed in muscle competitions. She didn't see herself as having enough size and development to compete as a bodybuilder, but liked the way the figure competitors looked in the magazines. In 2008, she entered two figure competitions, placing 3rd and 4th, but she didn't feel she was on the right path. She took 8 years off from competing.

Andrea Shaw (born December 18, 1983) is an American professional bodybuilding champion and physique and figure competitor. She holds three Ms. Olympia title wins and three Ms Rising Phoenix title wins.