You’ve seen the videos. That grainy footage of a lanky 14-year-old kid standing in a dimly lit bedroom, looking like a stiff breeze might actually knock him over. Fast forward a few years, and that same kid is basically a Greek god carved out of granite, standing tall as the face of Gymshark. But here’s the thing—whenever someone brings up the height of David Laid, the internet starts a civil war.
Is he 6’2”? Is he 5’10”? People obsess over it. Honestly, it’s kinda wild how much a few inches of vertical height can change the way people perceive a physique. If you're 5'8" and jacked, you're a "tank." If you're 6'2" and jacked, you're a "superhero."
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The Numbers: What’s the Real Height of David Laid?
Let's cut through the noise. David Laid is officially listed at 6’2” (188 cm).
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’ve seen the Reddit threads where people analyze every pixel of him standing next to other influencers. There are guys out there who spend hours trying to prove he’s actually 6’0” or maybe 6’1” on a good day. But the most consistent data we have from his competitive stats and official bios puts him right at that 6’2” mark.
Why do people doubt it?
Because proportions are deceptive. David has what we call "god-tier" genetics for aesthetics—specifically, a tiny waist and incredibly wide clavicles. When you have a waist that small, it creates an optical illusion. It makes everything else look bigger and taller. His legs are long, his neck is long, and he carries himself with a posture that maximizes every millimeter of his frame.
The 14-Year-Old Transformation
When David started, he wasn't just skinny; he was emaciated. He has openly talked about weighing around 98 lbs at 14 years old. He was diagnosed with scoliosis back then, which is a curve in the spine that can actually make you look shorter or more "hunched" than you really are.
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Lifting wasn't just about getting "huge" for him; it was a way to manage the pain and the physical limitations of his back.
It's actually pretty fascinating. Usually, heavy lifting is blamed for "stunting growth" in teens—a total myth, by the way—but for David, it was the catalyst for a massive growth spurt. He went from a tiny, bullied kid to a 6’2” powerhouse in just a few years. If you look at his 3-year transformation video, you can see the vertical growth happening almost as fast as the muscle gain.
Why Height Matters in the "Aesthetic" World
In the world of fitness modeling, height is a double-edged sword.
- The Struggle: Tall lifters have longer muscle bellies. It takes way more actual muscle mass to "fill out" a 6’2” frame than it does for someone who is 5’7”. This is why David looked skinny for so long even while he was getting strong.
- The Payoff: Once a tall lifter finally fills out, the result is imposing. You don't just look like a guy who lifts; you look like a cinematic character.
David’s height of David Laid is a huge part of why his physique became the "gold standard" for the modern aesthetic movement. He doesn't have the blocky, short look of a traditional bodybuilder. He looks elongated.
Comparing David to Other Icons
To get a better sense of scale, you have to look at him next to other people. When he stands next to someone like Jeff Seid (who is roughly 6’0”), David clearly has a couple of inches on him.
But then you see him next to Chris Bumstead.
Cbum is about 6’1”, yet in some photos, they look almost identical in height. This leads to the "shoe lift" theories or the "angle" arguments. Honestly, who cares? Whether he's 187 cm or 189 cm doesn't change the fact that he has one of the most influential physiques of the last decade.
He’s tall. That’s the bottom line.
Dealing with the Scoliosis Factor
We can't talk about his height without mentioning the scoliosis again. This isn't just a minor detail. Scoliosis can cause significant asymmetry. If you watch David’s posing routines closely, you can sometimes see how he compensates for his spinal curvature.
Some people claim his height fluctuates because of his back. It’s true that spinal decompression (like hanging from a pull-up bar) can temporarily "increase" height by a fraction of an inch, while heavy squats can compress the discs. For someone with scoliosis, these changes might be more pronounced.
But let's be real—he’s not shrinking to 5’11” after a heavy leg day.
How to Train if You Have a Similar Build
If you’re a tall, lanky "ectomorph" looking at the height of David Laid as inspiration, your training needs to be specific. You can't just follow a standard "bro split" and expect to look like him.
David uses a mix of powerlifting and hypertrophy. He’s famous for his heavy deadlifts. For a tall guy, deadlifting can be a nightmare because of the long levers, but it’s also the best way to build that "thick" look in the back and traps.
- Focus on the big three: Squat, Bench, and Deadlift.
- Don't fear the calories. David had to eat a massive amount of food to move the needle on the scale.
- Prioritize lateral raises. Wide shoulders are what make a tall frame look aesthetic rather than just "lanky."
- Be patient. Muscle takes time to show up on a long frame.
The Verdict on David's Stats
So, where does that leave us?
The height of David Laid is 6’2”. He weighs anywhere from 185 to 215 lbs depending on whether he's cutting for a shoot or bulking in the off-season. He’s 26 years old (as of early 2026), and he’s still the benchmark for what many consider the "perfect" male physique.
Stop worrying about the specific inches. The lesson from David’s journey isn't how tall he is—it’s how he took a frame that was literally failing him (scoliosis, underweight, bullied) and turned it into a literal masterpiece.
If you're tall and struggling to gain weight, use him as proof that it's possible. It just takes a lot of deadlifts and even more protein.
Next Steps for Your Own Transformation:
- Calculate your TDEE: Find out exactly how many calories you need to actually grow.
- Track your compound lifts: If you aren't getting stronger, you probably aren't getting bigger.
- Focus on posture: If you have a tall frame, poor posture can hide your gains and make you look shorter.