Brock O’Hurn: Ride or Die

By Muscle and Health
November 12, 2020

Hollywood sensation Brock O’Hurn found unexpected fame through his Instagram account. His towering 6’7” frame and impressive physique proved popular, but it was arguably the man bun to top it all off that caught the attention of 2.5 million followers.

“When I joined Instagram and started to get thousands of followers overnight I was like, ‘Is this a joke?’” says Brock. “My childhood was far from perfect and I’d never envisioned myself as someone people would look up to or aspire to be like. I grew up with undiagnosed depression and my frame resembled a stick insect. I was incredibly skinny and struggled to find the motivation to get out of bed most days. I went through periods of living off food stamps, faced multiple evictions and changed schools a total of nine times. Truth is, I never really knew what it was to be happy.”

Fitness found Brock O’Hurn, 28, by chance and his outlook on life began to change.

“Weightlifting was the only class available when I transferred high schools for the fifth time in my sophomore year,” he explains. “I had 95 pounds fall flat on my chest because I didn’t have the strength to lift it. But in that same month I stayed consistent and put on 35 pounds of muscle. I weighed just 135 pounds when I started. Working out gave me a space to push through my pain and triggered my endorphins. It gave me a taste of what being happy really was. So I ran with it and I never stopped.”

The improvements he’d made in just one month gave Brock the vision he needed to put a plan into action.

“I went through periods of living off food stamps, faced multiple evictions and changed schools a total of nine times.”

“When I saw what I’d created with my own two hands in the first month of working out, I started diving deeper into what it would take to put on noticeable size,” he says. “I began chasing happiness through bodybuilding and developed the goal of looking like a superhero. I spent hours every night in high school researching bodybuilding and powerlifting. I never went out partying. When I found Pumping Iron, I became an addict. My perspective of how to grow muscle and attain my dream physique expanded. It went from everyone telling me I was too skinny and it was impossible to learning the science, applying it and creating change. I knew in my mind if I truly applied myself I could do anything.”

Brock joined forces with trainer Kyle Hunt and together they took his body to the next level!

“Kyle is a great friend of mine with a whole database of workouts literally built into his mind,” says Brock O’Hurn. “Such an awesome dude. His background was completely different to mine in the way he approaches working out. We actually met when I had a broken heel and he came up to me in the gym to spot me while I was benching. We became fast friends and he showed me movements that aided in my recovery. The goal as I’ve gotten older is not about being the biggest guy in the room; it’s about being the healthiest. Finding ways to create more balance, including proper stretching, yoga and focusing on a diet that isn’t just macro-based. I’m talking nutrients, vitamins and regulating my heart health. I’m in it for the long haul. I believe we owe it to ourselves to treat ourselves and our bodies the right way.”

Brock O’Hurn enjoys a passion for motorcycles and can often be spotted pictured for Harley Davidson.

“I’ll probably ride when I can barely walk anymore.”

“I fell in love with motorcycles as a kid but growing up, my mother wouldn’t let me go near one,” he says. “She was right; they’re dangerous machines. But truth be told, riding for me is a form of meditation and I think many others can relate. My bike is one of the few places I am fully present. At times, it forces me to be so. I’ve had some awesome experiences with Harley. From flying out to Milwaukee for their 115th anniversary, to our recent Black Lives Matter ride where at least one thousand of us gathered to ride for change. I’ve made some of my best friends to this day through riding. I’ll probably ride when I can barely walk anymore.”