Body builder Ryan Schmidle is quickly joining the ranks of the internet’s top fitness sensations.
On the internet and on social media, Schmidle is fast becoming a popular body building icon, where he is famous for his quick wit, startling take downs, and honest feedback about the challenges and rewards of body building. In the span of just a few short months he has gained hundreds of thousands of followers on platforms such as TikTok, and boasts numerous posts which have crossed the magical 1 million viewer mark.
The toned Los Angeles-based actor is using influence to market for a number of supplement and clothing retailers, and sells a host of muscle building and fat burning workouts online.
Even at his young age, Schmidle has quickly made a name for himself in the crowded online and social media fields, with more surely to come in the near future.
From Pre-Med to Internet Sensation Focus on Building Muscle
A native of the Orchard Park section of Buffalo, New York, Schmidle grew up playing sports at Canisius High School, an independent Catholic Jesuit college prep school, where he had a 4.0 grade point average. His time in New York set the stage for his current fitness journey.
Soccer was his main sport throughout school. He was also a Defender playing for Empire United Development Academy, where he had numerous goals to his credit, including this highlight: scoring the winning header in a league match against Toronto Football Club, a professional academy team run by the MLS.
But major injuries during the 2018-2019 season, however, forced him off the playing field. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, however, waiting for healing to come his way, he focused on rehab, hitting the gym on schedule to better his chances at bouncing back.
“We give Ryan a ton of credit for how hard he works and his ability to always bounce back,” coaches wrote in the spring of 2020, sadly adding that his injuries were forcing him to give up the game for the time being.
But while Ryan may have stopped playing soccer, he was not done with competition and fitness. Instead, he took inspiration from his injury and put it into body building.
Leaving New York, Schmidle ventured to Fort Myers, Florida to attend college at Florida Gulf Coast University. At Florida Gulf Coast, he signed on as a pre-med student and declared his major in Athletic Training. He went on to continue his academic excellence by maintaining a 4.0 GPA while in the Honor’s Program.
Ultimately, however, his stint at Florida Gulf Coast University was a short one as he headed off to Los Angeles after his freshman year.
“After my freshman year,” he said, “I got an opportunity to pursue social media and ran with it.”
On to Bigger and Better Things
Medical school, of course, can wait, but when golden opportunities arise, those opportunities have to be seized, and that is what Schmidle did when he had the chance to pursue career opportunities in the social media and online domains.
Schmidle opened his Instagram account in 2016, though it stayed relatively tame until early 2020, when he began posting free diving, lifestyle, and workout posts. Schmidle currently has nearly 45,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts striking workout images, many of which garner thousands of likes. He also frequently posts discount codes for promotions tied to brands he supports. He shares some of his favorite workouts, such as a full back and bicep workout from this spring. On it, he shows the proper form for low rows, lat pulldowns, seated cable rows, and dumbbell pullovers.
Schmidle has a smaller following and presence on Twitter and Facebook, though there is a growing influence on YouTube. On that platform, Schmidle goes into detail about body building and fitness and workout routines, and he currently has more than 2,350 subscribers. The frequent poster offers quick advice for new gym members, short full ab workout routines, his favorite lower back exercises, the most effective tricep exercises, and what foods serious body builders should avoid. One of his more popular videos is an entertaining account of being locked in a Gold’s Gym by accident for half of the night — his routine was so focused the gym was closed without him realizing it.
A Rising Star on TikTok
Schmidle’s top internet platform is TikTok, where he has more than 525,000 followers. On TikTok, he shares his secrets to his full ab routines, tips for quick core workouts, takedowns of trending videos, and ratings of the physiques of the likes of Jarrett Stodd, The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, and himself.
One recent video, where he is punched by Bryce Hall, has garnered more than 6 million views, 551,000 likes, and in excess of 200 shares. He also goes into detail on how to build muscle and his take on the best pre-workout supplements.
His physique critiques are by far his most popular posts. They mix humor and surprisingly frank body talk. According to Schmidle, Myles Garrett, for example, gets a mere 5.4/10, with minus points for his small thighs and shoulders. Joe Shulk, a “natural” body builder, got 9.5/10, with bonus points for his small waist and chunky thighs, though questions about his honesty remain, Schmidle said. Zac Effron got a 6/10, with tips to focus on his chest, arms, and back.
Want to lose weight? Schmidle says it is not that hard: follow a workout plan — it does not have to be anything intense, he said, and could actually just be walking for three days a week for just a few weeks while not changing your diet. “Tag the fattest person you know so they can start doing this and actually live past 40,” he said. The post garnered more than 5,500 comments.
The Partnerships Keep Coming
Recently, Schmidle made the move to Los Angeles, where he is focused on creating fitness content for a number of platforms.
“I do what I do to make it easier for others on their own fitness journey,” he said.
The 6-foot, 210-pound internet star is currently engaged in a number of sponsorships and partnerships, including deals with Raw Gear and multiple top supplement companies.
His success has also been translated into a number of online ventures. Schmidle’s Shopify store promotes 13-week, 6-week, fat loss, lean building, and power building programs at prices beginning at less than $10. His Linktree platform lists his supplement and clothing partners and includes discount codes.
“Starting your transformation can seem like a daunting task, but is much easier with the guidance of a properly structured program,” he said. “Through years of personal trial and error, I’ve found the most effective ways to administer volume and stimulate growth. So, in order to guide others, I’ve made easy to follow programs designed to help transform one’s physical appearance.”
There’s no doubt that Ryan Schmidle is quickly becoming an authority figure online and on social media — follow him to see just how far he goes.
