‘Little Hercules’ was known as “The World’s Strongest Boy’ – sit down before you see him today, age 30

But Richard was only capable of flexing his impressive muscles. The little boy was also described as a “master of karate,” able to do splits and bend and contort his body. Weighing just 80 pounds, he could bench press twice his body weight at age eight. By age 11, he could lift three times his body weight. It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that his workout routine had to have been out of this world.

Little Hercules traveled all over the US with his father, entering several competitions and promoting nutritional products.

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

Richard trained five times each week, with each session lasting 90 minutes. He also followed a rigorous diet that included the consumption of lima beans due to their protein. At that time, it was said that Richard Sandrak had less than one-percent body fat, which in the long run can be dangerous.

Now, it wasn’t only Richard’s parents that helped the boy turn into Little Hercules. He had a manager and trainer in Frank Giardina, but Frank himself believed that the boy’s father was employing some sketchy methods after they started working together.

Starred in film alongside Hulk Hogan

As per reports, Pavel forced his son do repeated, intense exercises if he didn’t follow orders. He also made Richard sleep on the floor to maintain perfect posture.

Sandrak himself told The Guardian that it was “no big deal.”