Bryson DeChambeau gained a lot of muscle very quickly but insists he never used anabolic steroids to do it.
Bryson DeChambeau, a 26-year old American golfer who turned professional in 2016, started seriously bulking up towards the end of 2019. He promised to completely transform his physique in the coming year.
DeChambeau wanted to get significantly bigger and stronger. He and his trainer believed the added muscle mass would increase his golf swing speed and allow him to hit farther.
DeChambeau ended up gaining almost 50 pounds in less than a year. His swing speed increased from an average of 175 mph to 186 mph. His average driving distance increased approximately 20 yards to an average of 323.8 yards. The PGA Tour single-season record for average driving distance is 321.4 yards.
Obviously, many people suspected that anabolic steroids and/or some other muscle-enhancing drugs contributed to his enhanced physique. Most steroid-using bodybuilders never gain close to 50 pounds in a year. So it would seem almost impossible for anyone to gain so much muscle without using muscle-building drugs.
DeChambeau’s personal trainer insisted that his client gained weight without the use of any chemicals.
Greg Roskopf, the founder of Muscle Activation Techniques who has trained DeChambeau for several years, “guaranteed” that his client was all “natural”. Roskopf attributed that relatively rapid muscle gain to a rigorous training program and a generous calorie-rich nutrition program that included daily protein shakes. His daily caloric intake reportedly averaged between 5000 and 6000 calories.
“But under normal circumstances, you’d say the only way somebody could make those changes is by taking steroids,” Roskopf said. “And I can guarantee you, that’s not been part of his process and not even a thought in his head. It’s just been part of the evolution of him being involved in this program and being able to tolerate the forces that his body’s been able to tolerate. And those changes in strength have been amazing, but it’s all natural from this end of it.”
Roskopf explained that the two preceding years of training laid the groundwork for his massive weight gain in 2020. Curiously, DeChambeau generally avoids compound exercises like squats and bench press. Instead, he focuses on isolation exercises.
DeChambeau went from 190 pounds in late 2019 to 240 pounds in August 2020. He gained half of the bodyweight during the PGA Tour’s break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.