progress in 2 short years

[Swaminator]

Disclaimer: I am not a "competitive" bodybuilding fan. Not against it. I simply don't follow it anymore. I love the bodybuilding lifestyle, but as far as stepping on stage etc. I really don't have a big interest in that. And I am really turned off by the new mass monster physiques with the bloated bellies etc.

History: I have never competed BUT I have been a gym rat in SoCal since 1984. I have seen some of the best of the best train. I have seen many come and go (and a few endure like Shawn Ray). So I do have an objective and "semi-educated" background.

Story: About 3 years ago a teenager joined my gym and he had some solid genetics to build on. He told me he wanted to be a pro bodybuilder but I had heard that line Soooo many times before (including me in 1984 or so). Anyway I have watched this kid train day in and day out. I can honestly say I have never seen (personally) someone with the combined work ethic and genetics this kid has. I am NOW highly confident he will be a pro one day. I personally say him step on the scale at 250lbs (about 5'10") with very cut abs and intercostals. I am not saying barely visible, I am saying he is freaking lean at 250. I am attaching some pics of him from his first show 2 years ago to his latest last month. He has put on a TON of size since that time.

Anyway, if I am wrong so be it, but this kid Brett Smith at age 21 will be monster. And literally, saw him the day he stepped into the gym. He didn't win his latest show (that dude Kali Muscle won it), but he has literally put on 20 lbs of muscle and his waist is ridiculously small. I think he has the combo of MASS and the classic physique of the X body that will take him far. No bloated belly on this kid.

[Swaminator]

2011


2015

[Sammich]

Just FYI I deleted the duplicate thread.

[Swaminator]

Just FYI I deleted the duplicate thread.

Thx brother...my computer froze so I am guessing when I hit post again, both went up.

[Rocky]

Impressive physique...At first I thought you were talking about yourself in the third person for narrative purposes LOL

[Skinnyrunt]

Impressive physique...At first I thought you were talking about yourself in the third person for narrative purposes LOL

Yeah, kinda like The Rock used to haha.

[Swaminator]

If you smeLLLLLL what the Swaminator is cooking!

[doug1]

Great physique!
Very pleasing to the eye. I like it.

[SAHD]

I will chime in that I love the big guys for the freak show but the guys like your mate above is what would help the sport a whole lot more. He looks good, healthy etc.

[Rocky]

^^^agree. new IFBB pro Cody Montgomery embodies all those characteristics...pleasing to the eye, with just enough size, no gut, and well-balanced all-around

[Swaminator]

Follow up on "the kid" from my gym. He is now 22. He went from being the goofy kid to a legit bodybuilder future star. The last contest pics ^^^ were exactly one year ago. Here he is again, one year later, with 13 lbs of muscle added. Keep in mind, when guys say they gain 20 pounds of muscle in 3 months etc. I call bullshit. This kid did everything "correctly" under the guidance of a legit coach and he added a total of 13 lbs in one year. I have seen him train (hard and often), I watched him painstakingly power down eggs, oatmeal, chicken, potatoes etc. because he worked the front desk at my gym and he always had a plate of food in front of him. So, 13 lbs later, AFTER A YEAR, this is how he looks now. He did a great job keeping the waist narrow and avoiding any "gut" issues.



Here is a vid of him on stage

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGH-jvAx6LR/?taken-by=apex_brett&hl=en

[Skinnyrunt]

Nice! Any idea how much extra weight he gained this year at his heaviest? Assuming that he gained 13lbs of lean mass this year after dieting down, so how much weight did he gain this year in total before dieting? Just curious.

But yeah, that's impressive!

[Swaminator]

I believe his heaviest off season was just north of 250. He told me today he would like to get to 270+ this next year off-season and try to put on 20 lbs. of muscle (in a year). I was most impressed with his ability to add delt width, quad outer sweep, while maintaining an impossibly small waistline. I really like this look over the mass monsters with the big swollen guts. (He is about or just short of 5'10" I would estimate).

Here is a comparison of him from about 5 years ago. This most recent he is prob 250 or so.

[phoenix13]

Man that is nothing short of amazing!

[Swaminator]

Nice! Any idea how much extra weight he gained this year at his heaviest? Assuming that he gained 13lbs of lean mass this year after dieting down, so how much weight did he gain this year in total before dieting? Just curious.

But yeah, that's impressive!

OK, I was slightly off. This past off-season he got up to 263 (and I think just over 250 the previous off season). His coach is going to try to get him to 290 this year but that remains to be seen. Whatever the case, here is a guy that basically LIVES for bodybuilding. No divided interest with work/school/being a parent etc. So imagine he is doing everything possible to pack on quality muscle...and managed to gain 13 lbs of lean muscle in a year. Like I said, I think that is a testament to how difficult it is to put on quality muscle (for anybody other than an absolute newbie) and these guys claiming to put on 15-20 pounds of muscle in a few months are full of shxt IMO. Especially if they have other responsibilities like work, family, etc.