Richard Sandrak, nicknamed “Little Hercules,” caught the public’s attention for having the strongest and most sculpted body of any 8-year-old on the planet. Richard’s physique began to raise questions about his health and whether he was being forced into the sport. Have a look at the controversial life of baby bodybuilder Richard Sandrak and where he is today.
He Began Weightlifting At Age Two
On April 15, 1992, Richard Sandrak was born in Ukraine to athletic parents. His father was martial arts world champion Pavel Sandrak and his mother was Lena Sandrak, an aerobics competitor. They moved to California for Richard’s promising future as a bodybuilder.
Richard Built Up A Remarkable Physique In A Short Time
At just two years old, Richard’s dad moved the family to California for more bodybuilding opportunities as well as exposure. In California, they met trainer Frank Giardina and hired him to mentor Richard throughout his bodybuilding career span.
A Brutal Training Regimen
After meeting Giardina, Richard was in the gym training every day. His father and trainer helped him complete over 600 push-ups and 300 squats each day to help him sculpt his body.
Grueling Diet Regimen After Gym Time
Richard’s diet was equally important. His father strictly controlled Richards’s food intake. He gave up every delicacy that a child would fantasize. He was put on a low-carb diet which meant no candy or no pizza. His father would eat pizza while he would have only lettuce. This was done so that he could control his urge for eating empty calories.
Controversial Training Methods
Richard was never physically forced to do anything against his will. But he had to sacrifice a lot as a child to learn self-discipline. From giving up pizza to sleeping on the floor to improve his posture his health practice seemed mildly abusive to any outsider. But Richard had no issues with this at the time.
He Starts To Compete
By the time Richard was eight years old, he began participating in national bodybuilding events. He was also hired to do photo shoots and represent various companies’ health and fitness products.
Worldwide Attention
Richard also starred in the documentary The World’s Strongest Boy which showed his life and training practices on a day-to-day basis. With the fame and popularity, controversies also grew. People were raising eyebrows over his strength and health.
Eyebrows Are Raised Over Questionable Health Practices
People began to ask questions concerning Richard’s health both physically and psychologically. They wondered if he was being pushed. He was also not having much social interaction for his age. Having one percent body fat isn’t considered to be healthy either. People grew suspicious and wondered whether he was taking performance-enhancing substances.
Richard Responds To The Suspicions
Richard responded by claiming that he did receive help from his dad, he was never pressured to work as hard as he did. He emphasized that he was self-driven and that he wasn’t being put into any dangerous situations. However, Richard’s trainer claimed that his dad was pushing him.
Richard’s Profession
In a 2015 interview, Richard informed reporters that he has been working in Hollywood as a stuntman. Whether it’s jumping off of structures or setting himself on fire, he is now working for Universal Studios.
