When we are young, we have numerous aspirations. Some people desire to be pilots, while others want to be athletes or entertainers like actresses or singers.

The childhood fantasy of Richard Sandrak was quite different. The Ukrainian-American boy grew up wanting to compete in bodybuilding and quickly earned the nicknames “The World’s Strongest Boy” and “Little Hercules.”

In his teen years, Sandrak was committed to his aim and worked out five times per week for 90 minutes each time. He also got a personal trainer and adhered to a strict diet.

What happened to Little Hercules, then? What is the true story behind his father’s crazy gym training, too? He is currently 29 years old, and this is how he looks!

The most essential thing for any child is that they remain a child. Every child should have the freedom to pursue their passions in life without being forced into doing anything they don’t want to.

Richard Sandrak – Little Hercules

Many of us have encountered parents who attempted to have their children fulfill their aspirations, whether they were for them to become renowned scientists, dancers, hockey players, or anything else!

Yes, we should always encourage kids to pursue their aspirations, but never to the point where they spend their childhood pursuing goals they may not have even selected for themselves.

Richard Sandrak has experience crossing that specific border. He began working out at the gym when he was a very young boy, under his father Pavel’s supervision.

He would become referred as as “The Planet’s Strongest Boy” throughout the entire world. Even others referred to him as “Little Hercules.”

Although it was widely believed that Richard was forced into exercising, Little Hercules himself claims that this was not the case. Though he has yet to turn 30, he is already 29 years old and has led an exceptional life.

What happened to Little Hercules, then? Here is his amazing life narrative up to this point, though!

On April 15, 1992, Richard Sandrak was born in Ukraine. Physical fitness was a part of his life since he was very young. His father, Pavel, was a former martial arts world champion, while his mother, Lena, competed in aerobics.

Drilled since the age of two

Because of his father’s expertise in martial arts, Richard began working out far earlier than the majority of people. Around the time the family relocated to Pennsylvania, when he turned two, his parents began to train him in flexibility and strength.

His parents had a desire for their son there. In 2007, they had aspirations of relocating to California in order to promote their kid as he gradually transformed into a young bodybuilder.

Pavel, Richard’s father, came under a lot of fire at the time for allegedly pushing his son too far. For such a young boy, he had amazing muscles, and some people even suspected that he had used drugs to get so ripped. However, his parents fiercely disputed this.

Little Hercules himself debunked the myth that he was forced into exercising as much as he did in a 2009 interview.

I’ve never been made to train against my will or do anything else, he claimed. “My parents used to exercise frequently, and I wished I could participate. I mostly made the decision. I simply did it growing up. Never was I forced. There was never a problem.

Despite Richard’s statements to the contrary, his father’s exercise regimen may be considered excessive.

He engaged in “six or seven hour training routines” that involved thousands of press-ups. The little kid was home schooled rather than attending school, and his father controlled everything.

Little Hercules’ exercise program

The idea of Richard’s parents appeared to be taking off in 2004. He received plenty of attention with the broadcast of the documentary The World’s Strongest Boy.

People were naturally skeptical, wondering aloud if his parents had given him steroids or other medicines to boost his muscle growth.

Viewers of the program witnessed Little Hercules posing and flexing on a stage in Las Vegas. At the time, he had an eight-pack and resembled a little Arnold Schwarzenegger in every way.

Richard, though, was limited to showing off his strong physique. The little child was said to as a “master of karate,” capable of performing splits and bending and contorting his body.

At age eight, he could bench press twice his own weight while only weighing 80 pounds. He could lift three times his body weight by the age of 11. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that his exercise regimen had to be extraordinary.

Little Hercules toured the US with his father, competing in a number of events and promoting dietary supplements.

The manager and trainer in Frank Giardina claimed, “We had more people at our booth than any 25 booths combined… I mean hundreds of people thinking they were going to see Elvis Presley.

Richard worked out five times a week for 90 minutes each time. He also maintained a strict diet, and lima beans, which are high in protein, were part of it. Richard Sandrak reportedly had less than 1% body fat at the time, which over time can be dangerous.

Now, the boy’s transformation into Little Hercules wasn’t just aided by Richard’s parents. Frank Giardina served as his manager and trainer, but after they began working together, Frank came to suspect that the boy’s father was using questionable tactics.

Co-starred in a movie with Hulk Hogan

According to accounts, whenever his kid disobeyed directions, Pavel had him perform tiring workouts again. Richard was also forced to sleep on the floor to preserve proper posture.

It was “no big deal,” Sandrak stated.

But, he added, “that was simply a period of trying something new.” “Nothing significant,”

Richard severed all relations with his father when he entered prison when he was 11 years old and quit bodybuilding. He didn’t completely discontinue training though.

Marco Garcia became his new manager when he was 15 years old. Richard would enter a new industry after learning that Marco was also a film producer.

Hulk Hogan and Elliot Gould were among the cast members of the 2009 release of Little Hercules in 3-D. Despite the fact that it seemed to be somewhat of a fiasco, Richard kept working.

Sandrak remarked at the time, “For now, I just want to go out and produce more movies,” adding that he wants to make the world a better place.

“Childhood obesity is something I’ve observed quite a bit. It’s become such a significant issue, particularly in America, that I feel I must do something. Children will grow up to be adults.”

They will shape our future. Currently, one in three people run the risk of passing away before their parents. I want to encourage kids to eat healthily and spend an hour each day exercising.

Little Hercules today.

Little Hercules got to hang out on the red carpet and be photographed with Hulk Hogan while attending the 2005 Get Rich or Die Tryin’ premiere in addition to making an appearance on the big screen.

In addition to Little Hercules in 3-D, Richard also starred in the 2012 movies The Legends of Nethiah and the short movie Assassin Priest.

Richard was a sedentary child who just lifted weights and exercised. He never got weary of it since he did it his entire life. But as Richard grew older, he lost his prominence. He doesn’t lift weights at all right now.

Even though his most recent position is not one that the ordinary person would pick, he has instead changed to a more “regular” way of living.

“The first time was very scary; all I could think about was to follow the safety procedures,” he told Inside Edition. “I don’t lift weights anymore. If anything, it just got boring to me.”

“I’m very proud of my past”

Little Hercules, aka Richard Sandrak, has led a pretty fascinating life thus far. We are pleased that he takes pride in his new work, and we are even more pleased that he has been able to discover a new interest.

If you agree that Little Hercules looks fantastic today, then spread the word about this post!