Growing Strong
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.
Richard was born in the Ukraine in 1992. A couple of years later, though, the family upped sticks to Pennsylvania.
Growing Strong
And it was here that Pavel introduced his son to weightlifting – at the very tender age of two.
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.
Going Hard On His Son
In fact, the family even employed a trainer to coach their iron-pumping 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.
Incredible Physique
Soon enough, then, Richard’s abs and biceps began to bulge.
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.
Public Criticism
However, it also revealed that he had below 1 percent body fat – a potentially dangerous statistic.
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.
New Passion?
Yes, Richard’s a far cry from the ripped boy he was 16 years ago.
Well, he certainly doesn’t lift weights anymore. In fact, he’s now a 24-year-old man with different passions in life.
A Complicated Situation
Yes, Richard’s a far cry from the ripped boy he was 16 years ago.
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.
New Possibilities
In fact, it was Richard who called the police after his father broke his mom’s nose and wrist.
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.
Proud
In fact, he set himself on fire around five times a day – as part of his stuntman job at Universal Studios.
Asked in the same interview if he was ashamed of his past, Richard said, “I’m very proud of my past.
Not Done Yet
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.”
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.”