From 1996 through 1999, Josh concentrated primarily on football and track. Josh would enter an occasional push/pull meet. At seventeen years old, in the APF-West Coast, Bryant managed a 413-pound bench press and a 529-pound deadlift, at 230 pounds. Josh achieved success in football and track and was named All-League and All-County in track and field and football at his alma mater, Santa Barbara High School. Bryant also earned the Clarence Schutte Award for Toughness in 1999 and the Hard-Nosed Award in 1998. Bryant played fullback, linebacker, and nose guard. Josh continued football at Moorpark College for a year; but he decided not to play the next season after an unwanted change of position from fullback to guard.

After Josh had decided to stop playing football, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Even though he had not been competing in powerlifting, he religiously read Powerlifting USA. Bryant always knew that ultimately he wanted to end up being a powerlifter. At that point, Bryant chose to devote all his energy to powerlifting.

Choosing powerlifting proved to be a wise decision for Josh Bryant. As a teenager, Josh won the USAPL Teenage Nationals, at 275 pounds, with an 1824 lbs. total in only his third full meet. Bryant was also ranked #1 by Powerlifting USA for Teenagers in 2001 in sqat with 727, and bench 512 and total 1835.  Josh benched 523 before his twentieth birthday!

Josh Bryant, now twenty-seven years old, has increased his best lifts to 903 in the squat, 622 in the bench and 800 in the deadlift. The squat and benchpress were done June 8, 2003 at the APF Senior Nationals for a WPC Jr. World Record of 2276.  The bench and squat were also Jr. World Records.  The deadlift was done in Washington at Tommy Fannon's meet in February 2005.

On May 15th 2004 Josh competed in his first strongman contest.  The contest, the California Pro-AM, was NASS sanctioned at the Platinum Plus level.   Josh competed against the top competitors in the country.  In his first contest he took first in the Yoke and the log clean and press along with a very close second place in the farmers walk.  Josh made a very strong showing in the tire flip and chain drag, as well as the Conan’s wheel. Josh shows potential to rapidly make an impact at a high level in strongman.

Outside of Powerlifting, Josh enjoys spending time with his family and his friends. Josh’s Dad, Dan, is an educator of over 34 years and was an NAIA All-American thrower in college. Josh’s Mom, Susie, is a pre-school director-owner and is the nicest person Josh knows. Josh’s brother, Noah, was a high school All-American in the shot put with a toss of 67’5” and was California State Champ in 2002. Noah is a graduate of USC, where he won two NCAA nationals Championships in the shot put.  He also won the silver medal in the shot put at the Jr. Pan Am Games in Barbados in 2003 and was a 4 time NCAA All-American in the shot . Noah threw 19.02 meters with the 16 pound shot at age 19 and holds the USC school record at 67' 5 1/2". Josh also enjoys taking road trips with his friends. Josh is a Christian and enjoys Republican politics.

#1 -Powerlifting USA	Teenage National Champ

.."Bryant was also ranked #1 by Powerlifting USA for Teenagers in 2001 in squat with 727, and bench 512 and total 1835"..