In the early 2000s, there was a kid whose insanely jacked body was plastered all over the Internet with headlines calling him “Little Hercules.” His name is Richard Sandraka, and he was a pint-sized powerhouse with muscles that rivaled professional bodybuilders. His jaw-dropping strength and chiseled physique were anything but “meh,” but it was his story that made people feel for him even more.
Little Hurc’s five minutes of fame came with years of intense training routines, crappy parenting, and a bumpy rollercoaster ride filled with ups, downs, and everything in between. What started as a display of strength on TV ended with the pursuit of dreams far from the bodybuilding spotlight.
Let’s take a look at the wild transformation of Little Hercules over the decades!
1. Early Days
Richard was born in Ukraine in 1992 and moved to the U.S. at two with his fitness-obsessed parents, Pavel and Lena. By age two, he was doing sit-ups, and soon, his parents crafted him a miniature barbell. Encouraged by Pavel, Richard kept pushing his training routine, ultimately mastering martial arts and weightlifting by age five. When all three of their family moved to California, they decided to ask a famous trainer, Frank Giardina, to help Richard sculpt his body even more. Looking at the boy’s already chiseled physique, Frank could not say no to their request.
2. Controversial Training
While Richard’s ripped body amazed onlookers, his childhood was far from typical. He was home-schooled, isolated, and subjected to grueling workouts. Rumors swirled about seven-hour training sessions and extreme diets. Giardina noticed a lack of toys at home and suspected abuse, including Pavel making Richard sleep on the floor. All this tension between Pavel and Giardina led to Giardina quitting instead of calling the public services on Pavel.
3. The Glory Days
Richard’s fame went through the roof after he appeared on Ripley’s “Believe It or Not,” Dr. Phil, and “20/20.” By 2005, the quite popular TLC documentary “The World’s Strongest Boy” solidified his celebrity status. He became a sought-after figure in bodybuilding circles, earning thousands in endorsements and drawing massive crowds at events.
4. Ain’t No Drama Like Family Drama
Richard’s upbringing and intense workout routines did not look good on his parents, specifically his father. In fact, the police arrested Pavel after he violently attacked his wife Lena, breaking her nose and wrist. Richard, fearing for his mom’s life, called 911 and asked the police not to use sirens, worried it would provoke his father further. Pavel got locked up in prison but later was placed in psychiatric care, becoming estranged from the family.
5. Intense Workout Routines
Richard’s early training regimen was extreme and, as some might say, “barbaric.” At just nine years old, the boy was doing 600 sit-ups and 300 squats daily, fueled by a liquid diet and supplements. By 16, he was still working out but described it as less punishing than his childhood routine. His secret? He trained until his muscles were completely burned.
6. The Infamous Fitness Video
In 2007, Richard released “Little Hercules’s Hollywood Workout for Kids.” The video, aimed at inspiring other children, featured much lighter routines like jumping jacks and stretches. Alongside him were friends and his younger sister, Anastasia. One of Richard’s main goals was to combat childhood obesity and help kids of all shapes and forms get fit.
7. Movie Debut
Not many people know this, but Richard starred in the 2009 straight-to-DVD film “Little Hercules in 3-D,” alongside Hulk Hogan, as a boy sent from Mount Olympus to Earth. Despite an impressive cast, the movie was a huge flop. By then, Richard’s muscles were not as impressive as they used to be, making him appear more like an average teenager rather than a demigod.
8. Exploring Musical Talents
As Richard moved away from bodybuilding, he explored music. He learned guitar and classical piano, forming a high school band called Ralph, Waldo, and the Emersons. His YouTube channel featured him performing blues tracks and Spanish guitar solos, showing a creative side far removed from his bodybuilding days.
9. Stepping Back from Bodybuilding
By 23, Richard had left bodybuilding behind. In a 2015 interview, he called it “boring” and said he stayed in shape with skateboarding and pull-ups. Though proud of his past, he didn’t want to be defined by it. Richard also rejected claims that his childhood physique was unnatural, noting other kids had similar builds.
10. From Pull-ups to Physics
After dabbling with music, Richard found a new career—a stunt performer, working at Universal Studios’ Waterworld show. His stunts included setting himself on fire and diving from a 50-foot-tall setup. However, his ultimate goal is neither music nor dangerous stunts; instead, he wants to work for NASA as a quantum scientist. Because why not, right? Since then, however, Sandrak has still been working as a stunt performer. According to his social pages, he’s signed a lucrative contract with Action Horizon, a company that provides stunts for movies and TV.
