After his service in the military, Shivlyakov began powerlifting, winning several competitions and breaking the deadlift record at Kemerovo Region.

Shivlyakov's first international competition was the 2011 Arnold Amateur Strongman World Championships, where he finished in sixth place.

[3] This victory allowed him to compete in the 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic in Columbus, Ohio, in which he secured seventh place.

[5] In 2018, Shivlyakov finished in third place in the Arnold Strongman Classic, behind champion Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and runner up Brian Shaw.

During the same competition, while deadlifting 426 kg (939 lb) on the Elephant bar, Shivlyakov bled profusely from his nose, earning him significant publicity.

[8] In 2019, Shivlyakov narrowly missed the Arnold Strongman Classic podium by 1 point, ending in fourth place.