At 27 years old, Andrey Smaev has become one of the most talked-about figures in strength athletics, not just for what he can lift but for what that pursuit has visibly cost him. Recently, footage emerged on TikTok showing the Russian athlete bench pressing 530 lbs (240kg) for 10 full repetitions.
Smaev’s reputation has been built on this kind of output. His background in street lifting, a discipline centered on weighted calisthenics like pull-ups and dips, already set him apart. But his recent bench press session proves his strength extends well beyond bodyweight movements and into traditional powerlifting territory.
At 350 lbs with 27-inch arms, he performs feats that seem almost physically improbable. According to mixed martial arts referee John McCarthy, who discussed Smaev on a recent episode of the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, the athlete is a hybrid: part bodybuilder, part powerlifter, part strongman, part arm wrestler.
“He’s 350 lbs. I mean, 27 inch arm, something like that,” McCarthy said as images of Smaev appeared on screen during the podcast. Joe Rogan immediately noticed the scale of his hands. “His hands are so big they look like catcher’s mitts,” Rogan said. McCarthy explained the reason: “His hands are huge because of growth hormone.”
The conversation quickly turned to the scope of Smaev’s reported performance-enhancing protocol. “He takes everything,” McCarthy said. “He takes a thousand units of growth hormone a day. That’s 10 vials.” Rogan responded with visible disbelief. “Is that real? A thousand. Oh my god,” he said.
Even more surprising to the group was Smaev’s continued athleticism despite his size. “That dude does one arm pull-ups at 350 lbs,” McCarthy noted. Rogan was equally taken aback by another detail: Smaev reportedly works a regular factory job and is not pursuing fame or financial gain through his training. “He has a regular job,” Rogan said. “I think he has a factory job. He’s not even doing it for money.”
But the physical toll of his choices is undeniable. When most people see Andrey Smaev for the first time, they assume he is significantly older than he actually is. The rounded face, sunken eyes, and receding hairline all suggest a man in his late 30s or 40s. In reality, he is 27.
During the podcast, McCarthy pointed out the contrast. “He’s 27 years old. Look at him. He looks like he’s 50,” he said. Rogan compared recent images to older photos from 2016. “That looks like a regular athlete,” Rogan said of the earlier pictures. “And then all of a sudden he becomes this immense freak.”
The physical changes are not cosmetic quirks. They are the result of mechanisms set in motion by prolonged anabolic use. Water retention and fat redistribution cause facial swelling, erasing the sharp lines associated with youth. Muscle growth occurs everywhere, including the face, contributing to a thickened, bloated appearance. Hair loss accelerates dramatically as hormones convert to DHT, a compound that attacks hair follicles and causes them to shrink permanently.
Someone who might have maintained a full head of hair into middle age can find themselves balding in their early 20s. Severe acne follows, driven by overactive oil glands that clog pores and leave lasting scars across the face, chest, and back.
The visible aging is only part of the story. Internally, the heart muscle thickens under the strain, reducing efficiency and increasing risk. The liver and kidneys work overtime to process the excess load. Research also points to cognitive changes in long-term users, affecting memory, focus, and emotional regulation in ways that mirror the aging process itself.
Stephen Thompson, another guest on the podcast, observed the hair loss in particular. “He does a lot of testosterone to lose his hair like that,” Thompson said. McCarthy agreed. “He did everything.” Rogan summed it up in one line: “He’s done everything there is. Whatever you got, give me it.”
