Brandon Smith, graduate of the class of 2016 was always a beast on the football field. But when starting college at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Smith still craved the competition he was once so used to.

At first, Smith was just in the gym, until the director approached him about an offer he couldn’t turn down. “The gym director who is the world’s strongest drug free man Mike Hall came to me asking if I wanted to start [powerlifting].” Smith stated, “Naturally, I was looking for new competition since I don’t play football anymore and said yes.”

The alumni trains almost every day and documents his progress on his personal Instagram page. “I am not sponsored yet,” he commented, “but I am trying to find a sponsor as the equipment is very expensive”

One way Smith is attracting some attention is through his training for the Maryland State Championships on May 12, 2018. The max weight he has lifted so far in his career is 415 pounds for benching, 500 pounds squat and 500 pounds deadlift. But that still isn’t enough for Smith, “I’m looking to put up 440 on bench, 550 on squat and 560 on deadlift.

Not only has powerlifting made Smith bulk up, he has changed as a person as well, “It’s changed my life by giving me more goals in my life to work for, like setting records.”

While Smith makes his powerlifting look easy, it involves strength and stamina that are hard to maintain. The recent graduate says “create a workout plan for whatever you want to do whether it be toning or building muscle. Once creating a plan, stick to it and eat as healthy as possible. My preferred diet is high protein with low carbs.”