This week on **Made in Brum**, we're joined by bodybuilder and coach Brett Smith, a man who has dedicated more than 35 years of his life to bodybuilding, competing in an incredible 87 shows along the way.
But behind the muscles, trophies and achievements lies a much bigger story.
Brett opens up about the highs and lows of his bodybuilding career, competing on some of the sport's biggest stages, the physical punishment his body has endured and the devastating period when serious health problems left him in a wheelchair.
He speaks candidly about undergoing multiple operations, battling depression, experiencing suicidal thoughts and the long road to recovery that saw him having to learn to walk again.
We also discuss:
💪 35 years in bodybuilding and 87 competitions
🏆 Competing at the Arnold Classic
🏋️ Old-school bodybuilding and Birmingham gym culture
💉 Performance-enhancing drugs and the realities of the sport
🩺 12 operations and the physical toll of bodybuilding
🦽 Going from training seven days a week to being in a wheelchair
❤️ Mental health, relationships and the people who supported him
🔥 Finding the determination to recover and keep moving forward
🎙️ How bodybuilding has changed and what Brett has learned along the way
It's an honest, emotional and at times funny conversation about a life dedicated to bodybuilding, the challenges Brett has faced and the strength it takes to keep going.
**This is much more than a bodybuilding story.**
⚠️ This episode includes discussions of depression and suicidal thoughts.
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