Streamers You Never Realized Are Actually Ripped

Years ago, when someone thought of a grown adult playing video games all day, a certain image came to mind. Remember a particular South Park episode?

Playing games online isn't just a hobby anymore, it's a sport — and like any athlete, pro gamers need to bring their A game. Not all streamers are shredded, but when a streamer has millions of viewers, or when there is a tournament and thousands of dollars are on the line, they need to focus on getting that "W." And the "W" stands for "workout."

Phrases like "making the gains" and "track your macros" are used in some game streamer videos as much as "grinding" and "camping out." Gaming isn't just for nerds anymore, and streamers are no longer hiding behind monitors or under headsets. Maybe they're trying to defy stereotypes, or maybe they're genuinely interested in being fit and staying healthy ... or maybe they're just showing off. Whatever the reason, more and more streamers are honing their skills in the gym as much as they are in MMO, and these are just a few.  

One of the most popular pro gamers in the world, Tfue (real name Turner Tenney) is most famous for his Fortnite videos, today having 12 million subscribers on YouTube and over nine million followers on Twitch. Although he is no longer a member of the esports organization Faze Clan (thanks to 2019's legal dispute between Tfue and the company), Tfue owes more than just his wealth and fame to Faze. In May 2020, YouTuber FaZe Jasper — a fitness expert who works for Faze Clan — posted a video which details Tfue's workout journey.

Jasper started Tfue out on a four-day routine, mixing both strength training and cardio, and eventually moved up to six days a week. Tfue also was placed on a high-calorie diet with lots of proteins so that he could "bulk up." Tfue then asked Jasper for advice on building his own home gym. When Tfue began his fitness journey in January 2020, he weighed 165 pounds — but thanks to Jasper's instruction and the gamer's dedication, he gained 20 pounds of pure muscle and a sick six-pack over the course of three months.

Symfuhny has a decent following on both YouTube and Twitch (with 2.5 million followers on the latter) where he posts live gameplay of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Fortnite. He has a number of tournament wins under his belt, which he shows off on his YouTube channel and which reveals his competitive nature.

The pro gamer is not shy about exhibiting his strengths, both in gaming and in physical prowess. When word got around about Tfue's impressive fitness transformation, Symfuhny decided to get in on the action. In June, Symfuhny posted a pic on Twitter showing off his huge, rippling arm, challenging the rival gamer with the caption: "Yo, @TTfue, ur small kid." 

Tfue's response? A scathing reply in which he accuses Symfuhny of using steroids and being a "cheater noob." It's most likely that Tfue is just joking around, but it's not the first time Symfuhny has been accused of cheating — some streamers and gaming fans believe that Symfuhny has used hacking to make impossible kills on Call of Duty. But Symfuhny is certainly not faking those guns, as evident in his Twitter pics at the gym.

PewDiePie has been uploading a variety of videos on YouTube since 2010, and he is still one of the most famous gaming influencers on the site with over 100 million subscribers and counting. Yet fans had no idea just how ripped PewDiePie was until a shirtless pic of him ended up on Instagram, thanks to his wife Marzia.

The photo of the Swedish gamer (whose real name is Felix Kjellberg), was posted on Marzia's Instagram in May 2020. Fans were clearly shook by the display of PewDiePie's impressive abs, expressing their surprise in the comments. The post has gained over one and a half million likes. 

A week later on YouTube, PewDiePie posted a video in which he humbly stated his surprise over the response to the photo. In the video, titled "My Workout Review," Pewdiepie gives a tour of his home gym, which is actually just a single-car garage with a shaky bench and a variety of dumbbells. While he admits that he began knowing nothing about fitness, he benefited a lot from going to a gym and learning from personal trainers, as well as reading works by the Japanese author Mishima Yukio.

World of Warcraft player and T1 esports pro Sonii may look like the average gamer when he wears hoodies and T-shirts, but the minute the top comes off, it's a whole other story. This boy is Fit with a capital "F," and he has the pecs ... ahem ... the pics to prove it.

When he wasn't on Twitch showcasing his Valorant and WoW skills, Sonii would post workout videos and fitness tips on YouTube. He started posting gym vlogs on the site in 2015, with fairly regular workouts in between game highlight videos. In a video posted in 2018, Sonii gives his viewers advice on eating a healthy diet — particularly sticking to "clean" foods, a lot of protein, and healthy fats, all while keeping a strict watch on caloric intake versus exercise.

Although Sonii hasn't been posting workout videos on YouTube for a few years, he still keeps his fans updated on his fitness routine on both his Twitter and Instagram.

While it's certainly impressive to see the dedication it takes to maintain a bodybuilder-like physique, it's even more astounding to watch a drastic transformation before our eyes. When Dimitri Antonatos first started posting Minecraft videos on YouTube in 2011, his handle of "Greekgodx" was, perhaps, meant to be ironic.

Weighing just under 400 pounds at the time, it took Antonatos years to have the confidence to post a photo of himself online, and even then, he was bullied into it during a livestream back in 2017. Let's just say the photo was less than flattering, and he was clearly made to feel uncomfortable during the incident. 

In April 2019, Greekgodx shared his 70-pound weight loss with his followers on Twitter. The streamer also posted updated photos on Instagram and Twitter, and the evidence is undeniable that he has worked hard to get where he is today. Antonatos spoke candidly on Twitch that he cannot give advice to anyone on how to lose weight because each person is unique and must "figure it out" for themselves. No doubt Greekgodx has figured it out for himself, and congratulations to him.

Another Swedish streamer on the list (seriously, what do they put in the water?), NymN posts a variety of content on his Twitch and YouTube channels, including a number of videos with him playing games such as Fall Guys, Witcher 3, and Minecraft.

NymN may not be a household name at the moment, but he has a relatively decent following online and 248,000 followers and counting on Twitch, on which he streams regularly. While NymN is not as vocal about his fitness routine as he is about his day-to-day, one look at his Instagram account will have people wondering why this guy is making a living online and not in Hollywood blockbusters. From sultry shirtless pics to posing in athletic wear, NymN has got the goods and is not shy about showing it. (There are also some super adorable cat pics.)

Although NymN does not actively post his workouts on social media, he has shared a bit of advice from time to time. He also posted a clip on Twitch, which, unfortunately, glitches barely into the start but gives us a hint of NymN's strong pull-up game.

The size of the Doc's ego might only just be surpassed by the size of his biceps. Not only does he like to trash-talk while he streams games like Call of Duty, but he will be more than happy to demonstrate just how ripped he is — especially when called out by mouthy rivals like Tyler1.

He may look skinny, thanks to being 6'8", but don't let the Doc's towering stature and slim waist fool you. When the gloves come off (or rather, the sleeves), you can see that Dr. Disrespect not only talks the talk but walks the walk when it comes to handling his guns, both literally and figuratively. 

After his lifetime Twitch ban, Dr. Disrespect has now returned to livestreaming on his YouTube channel with 3.1 million followers. He recently spoke about the ban in a candid video, though he still doesn't know why he was banned in the first place.

Who says you have to sit in front of a computer all day to rule in World of Warcraft? Not only is Bajheera a WoW pro, but he's a warrior in the gym as well. When he's not posting his gameplay highlights on YouTube for his 412,000 subscribers, Jackson Bliton (his real name, according to his Instagram) is streaming live workouts on Twitch from his home.

Sporting an epic-level beard and a shaved head, Bajheera spends his time leveling up during his near-daily livestream workouts by lifting weights, bench-pressing upwards of 300 pounds and doing lots of squats. He also constantly encourages a healthy diet, and says he hopes to help people with their own health and fitness goals. Besides his passion for working out and World of Warcraft, Bliton loves spending quality time at home with his family, including his wife (who uses the Instagram name Warcraftjen) and their son, Archer.

Another WoW aficionado on the list, Scottish gamer Scott McMillan never seems to slow down. Not only does he stream live gameplay on Twitch and post gaming videos on YouTube, but if you check out his Twitter and Instagram accounts, you'll see him traveling around the world, pumping up at the gym, and even running his own esports company.

Looking at Method Sco for the first time, you'd never guess he was a gamer. He's got a trendy shaved haircut, a trimmed beard, and he's built like a Mac truck. While he appears to have an easygoing friendliness behind a winning smile, he also has a visible intensity both while playing online and working out. Sco's Instagram videos show him killing it at the pull-up bar, and even quarantine hasn't stopped him from getting reps in at home. 

Sco's other passion is Method, an esports organization of which he is the founder and co-CEO. Method was recently the subject of some controversy when they had to let one of their members go for sexual misconduct.