Little Richard Sandrak rose to fame in his childhood as a mini bodybuilder. Unsurprisingly, then, he came from a sporty background: his father Pavel was an award-winning martial artist, and his mother competed in aerobics.
Growing Strong
Richard was born in the Ukraine in 1992. A couple of years later, though, the family upped sticks to Pennsylvania. And it was here that Pavel introduced his son to weightlifting – at the very tender age of two.
Growing Strong
Realizing his son’s potential, Pavel shifted the family once again, this time to California. The reason? He hoped Richard would have a shot at the spotlight. In fact, the family even employed a trainer to coach their iron-pumping son.
Going Hard On His Son
Yes, Pavel worked Richard very hard; Richard practically spent his childhood at the gym. In fact, some reports stated that he completed an incredible 600 press-ups and 300 squats every single day.
Pushing the limits
So, Pavel pushed Richard hard and controlled his diet too. For instance, Pavel would not allow his son to eat anything unhealthy. Soon enough, then, Richard’s abs and biceps began to bulge.
Incredible Physique
Of course, it was his incredible physique and awesome strength that earned Richard the nickname “Little Hercules.” In fact, the papers later dubbed him the “strongest boy in the world” at just eight years old.
Competitions
As a result, Richard was competing in nationwide weightlifting events, attending media photoshoots and promoting products. In short, he was becoming quite the star, with a string of TV and radio appearances behind him.
The World’s Strongest Boy
He even had a documentary filmed about him. Called The World’s Strongest Boy, it showcased his incredible strength. However, it also revealed that he had below 1 percent body fat – a potentially dangerous statistic.
Public Criticism
Indeed, with such an intense routine for such a young boy, many worried about Richard’s health and criticized Pavel’s parenting. Realistically, how long could this way of life last?
No Pressure
For his part, Richard has always said that he was never pressurized into working out. However, his trainer at the time reportedly quit, calling Pavel’s pushy parenting “criminal.” So, all these years on, what does the young bodybuilder look like now?
New Passion?
Well, he certainly doesn’t lift weights anymore. In fact, he’s now a 24-year-old man with different passions in life. Yes, Richard’s a far cry from the ripped boy he was 16 years ago.
New Passion?
Well, he certainly doesn’t lift weights anymore. In fact, he’s now a 24-year-old man with different passions in life. Yes, Richard’s a far cry from the ripped boy he was 16 years ago.
A Complicated Situation
The turning point came for him as an 11-year-old boy. At that time, Pavel was sent to prison for domestic violence against his wife. In fact, it was Richard who called the police after his father broke his mom’s nose and wrist.
New Possibilities
With his dad now out of the picture, Richard decided to give up bodybuilding. But what do you do next when you’ve had such an unusual childhood?
Stunts
“I set myself on fire,” Richard revealed in a 2015 interview with Inside Edition. But before you think he was talking suicide, hold that thought. In fact, he set himself on fire around five times a day – as part of his stuntman job at Universal Studios.
Proud
Asked in the same interview if he was ashamed of his past, Richard said, “I’m very proud of my past. It’s not something I don’t want people to know, it’s just that I’m not going to be stuck living in it.”
Not Done Yet
Richard is now a six-foot-tall man who doesn’t have quite the same ripped physique he had as a child. That’s not to say he’s not in good shape; he’s still athletic and skateboards regularly to keep fit.
Boredom Forced Changes
Richard said lifting weights became “boring,” and as he grew up he focused on the buzz of being a stuntman. So, at the time of the interview, he was hurling his burning body off high platforms into water with astonished crowds looking on.
More To Come
However, Richard’s hopes for the future stretched further than being a stuntman. That’s because there was another career that he was keen to pursue, and it’s a far cry from his bodybuilding past.
Future scientist
Yes, Richard told Inside Edition that he’d like to be a quantum scientist, or perhaps “even an engineer for NASA.” Asked if this was likely, he said, “Absolutely, I see no reason why I can’t.”
Future scientist
