The Transformation Of Little Hercules

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Back in the mid-2000s, a young kid became a media sensation for possessing the ripped, bulging-muscled physique of an adult bodybuilder. A pint-sized version of bodybuilder-turned-superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, Richard Sandrak was dubbed "the world's strongest boy" and became better known by the nickname Little Hercules. 

One of the youngest kid bodybuilders to become famous, the journey of Little Hercules began in 1992, when he was born in Ukraine to parents Pavel and Lena Sandrak. He was just two when his parents immigrated to the U.S., initially landing in Pennsylvania. Pavel had big plans for his son and made a risky move to California in 1999 with a dream of making the youngster a celebrity. That goal was eventually realized, with the kid dubbed Little Hercules finding the fame that his father had desired for him when he made his TV debut at age eight in an episode of "Ripley's Believe It or Not." However, the celebrity he gained was accompanied by controversy. Was that bodybuilder's physique the pinnacle of childhood fitness — or the result of years of child abuse? And were those big muscles on such a tiny frame all-natural, or was there a dangerous chemical component behind them? These questions lingered in the public imagination as Little Hercules enjoyed his moment in the spotlight before fading away into obscurity.

It's been a fascinating journey, full of twists and turns and bursting with drama along the way. To learn the whole story, read on for a look back at the transformation of Little Hercules.

Richard Sandrak's parents, Pavel and Lena Sandrak, were fitness buffs who instilled this trait in their son at a young age; while other toddlers were playing in sandboxes, by 1994, the two-year-old future Little Hercules was already doing sit-ups to build up his abs. As Lena explained in the documentary "The World's Strongest Boy," he quickly gravitated toward weight training. "When he grew up, he saw us training all the time," she said. "My husband used to lift weights, and I did some gymnastics, so he started following us and just carrying some small dumbbells."

According to Lena, they crafted a tiny barbell, with one pound weighting each side, that Richard could carry around the house like a favorite toy. From there, they developed a rigorous training regimen for him. Because Pavel was an expert in martial arts, he began training his son in that discipline as well, teaching him various techniques. By age five, Richard had mastered them all.

After the family made the move to Los Angeles, Pavel sought out trainer and nutritionist Frank Giardina, hiring him to become the youngster's trainer-manager in the hopes of making him famous. When he first saw Sandrak's tiny body, Giardina was blown away. "He had as much muscle mass as any professional bodybuilder," Giardina recalled. "He didn't have a six-pack, he had a 12-pack ... I knew, from being in the industry, that nobody had seen anything like this."

The bodybuilding community was dazzled by the kid dubbed Little Hercules, who could reportedly bench-press three times his own body weight and reportedly possessed less than 1% body fat. His heavily defined musculature and feats of strength, however, concealed some dark secrets that hinted at the tragic real-life story of Little Hercules. It was later revealed that young Richard Sandrak was home-schooled and isolated from other children while undertaking intensive training sessions each day, which were rumored to be up to seven hours in duration. 

Frank Giardina, who had initially been floored by the youngster's physicality, soon came to suspect abuse. He noted that the family home had an absence of toys and that Richard had not been permitted to socialize with other children until he was 10. Giardina also learned that his father, Pavel Sandrak, had made Richard sleep on the floor for a time as a way of improving his posture.

When Giardina confronted Pavel about those suspicions, he threatened to murder Giardina. The trainer had seen enough and quit. When questioned by The Guardian, Richard downplayed claims of abuse, insisting he trained because he enjoyed it, not because his father had made him. "'I've never been forced to train or do anything against my will," the youngster said. "It was mostly my choice. It's just what I grew up doing. I was never forced. It was never an issue."

In 2003, Richard Sandrak was becoming famous, evidenced by his visit to "The Howard Stern Show." "This kid is better built than most adult men," host Howard Stern told listeners, before Little Hercules performed a series of jaw-dropping martial arts moves before ripping off his clothing and flexing his muscles.

What really put Little Hercules on the map was the release of a documentary about him, "The World's Strongest Boy, airing on the TLC network in early 2005. The documentary was preceded by an appearance on "Dr. Phil," in which Sandrak showed off his physique for viewers of the daytime show featuring controversial TV host Dr. Phil McGraw.

Little Hercules also appeared on ABC News' "20/20," in which his trainer, Frank Giardina, discussed how popular the youngster had become within bodybuilding circles. Not only was he bringing in thousands of dollars each month in product endorsement deals, but he was also the star attraction at bodybuilding events. "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," Giardina marveled.

Suspicions that the intense training that had transformed young Richard Sandrak into Little Hercules had crossed the line into child abuse were seemingly confirmed when his father, Pavel Sandrak, was arrested and charged after savagely beating his wife. For Lena Sandrak, the final straw came during a furious argument that escalated into physical violence, with Pavel ultimately breaking both her nose and her wrist. Richard was so terrified for his mother's life that he felt compelled to call 911. Tellingly, during that call, he'd asked that police officers not use their sirens when they arrived at the family's home due to his fears that the sound would send his father spiraling into even further violence.

Pavel Sandrak was ultimately found guilty of domestic assault and sent to prison. In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, Frank Giardina — who returned to train Little Hercules after Pavel's incarceration — revealed that he'd recently been released but remained in custody under psychiatric care. "They're looking at whether they can deport him," Giardina said. Meanwhile, Little Hercules' manager, Marco Garcia, insisted that Pavel was now completely estranged from Richard and his mother. "His father is no longer in the picture," Garcia declared.

Speaking with the Sunday Mirror in 2004, Lena confirmed that her marriage to Pavel was over. "We're not together anymore and I don't hear from him," she said.

In order to build up the body that led him to become nicknamed Little Hercules, Richard Sandrak's childhood was one of constant exercise, hitting every body part. "My chest, my abs, my biceps, my triceps, my shoulders, my legs," he said when interviewed by "Inside Edition." As that segment pointed out, at that point, he was subsisting on a liquid diet accompanied by copious amounts of vitamins and supplements. 

Achieving that musculature was the result of a punishing regimen that reportedly included 600 sit-ups and 300 squats each day. In a 2008 interview with Thrillist, Sandrak — then 16 years old — broke down his current routine, which he said required two hours in the gym, four to five days each week, plus twice-weekly karate training. And while that might sound extreme, Sandrak felt as if he were taking it easy. "When I was nine, it was much more intense. I would train for much longer, and I can actually eat now," he said. 

The secret to getting results, he explained, was to do three sets of each exercise to failure. "I'll do as many as I can until it burns so bad I hate life. Then I'll rest 10 seconds and do it again," he said.

According to The Guardian, Richard Sandrak's ripped musculature had resulted from not just weight training, but extreme dieting that reduced his body fat to dangerously low levels. In fact, the outlet pointed to claims that his body fat was less than 1%. Such a low level of body fat is highly unrealistic and unhealthy for adults, let alone a child. "You need body fat for cellular function, energy use and to pad the joints and organs," Carol Garber, professor of movement sciences at Columbia University, told ABC News, commenting on the death of 31-year-old bodybuilder Andreas Munzer, who famously claimed to have nearly 0% body fat. "Having too little can lead to nutritional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances and malfunction of the heart, kidney and other organs," Garber added.

Then there were rumors that the supplements Sandrak was being given by his parents weren't just vitamins and protein but anabolic steroids. As The Guardian noted, medical professionals attested that the kind of muscles Sandrak sported would require testosterone levels that are simply not naturally present in a child of his age. "Having seen footage of the boy, it'd be highly unlikely that anyone could achieve that type of physique without artificial enhancement," stated a medical professional at the start of "The World's Strongest Boy." Sandrak's mother, however, continually insisted that there were no steroids involved, simply exercise and diet.

"I look after his diet, but we have regular check-ups at the doctors for blood and bone age tests, to make sure his body is being given the chance to develop properly," Lena Sandrak told the Sunday Mirror in 2004.

Cashing in on Richard Sandrak's fame as Little Hercules took many forms over the years. Among these was his own exercise video, released in 2007, "Little Hercules Hollywood Workout for Kids." In a clip from the video that made its way to YouTube, Sandrak was joined by a pair of friends and his younger sister, Anastasia, to demonstrate various exercises. This routine, however, was hardly at the level at which Little Hercules had been accustomed; the rather tame workout kicked off with 10 jumping jacks, which was then followed by some stretching. 

According to the back of the DVD box (via eBay), the workout was designed by personal trainer Bobby Stone, whose celebrity clients included Britney Spears, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Benicio del Toro. Other highlights of the video included a martial arts display from Steve Terada, some boxing training with Carlos Palomino, and a soccer demonstration from the Palm Desert All-Stars. 

Speaking with the Sunday Mirror in 2004, Sandrak explained his motivation for helping other kids get in shape. "There are a lot of overweight kids in America — and at my school — and if I can help them get fit, I'd like that," he said.

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When interviewed by the Sunday Mirror, Richard Sandrak also revealed that he'd soon be shooting his first movie. "If the movie is a success and we make a lot of money, it would help pay our bills," he said, detailing his dreams for future Hollywood success. "Then, when we're rich, with millions — billions even — we'll have a huge mansion, and maybe I'll have a Ferrari and a Corvette."

That movie, "Little Hercules," did not prove to be as successful as he'd hoped and wasn't actually released until 2009. "I finished a movie called 'Little Hercules 3-D' with Hulk Hogan when I was 13. That should be coming out in theaters next year," Sandrak told Thrillist in 2008. Asked why "Little Hercules 3-D" took four years to come out, Sandrak replied, "Because it's in 3-D." In the film, Sandrak plays the titular Little Hercules, who is sent from Mount Olympus to Earth by his dad, Zeus (played by pro wrestling sensation Hulk Hogan). Despite an impressive cast that included legit Hollywood stars such as Elliott Gould, John Heard, and Robin Givens, the film pretty much vanished upon arrival (it was produced, by the way, by Sandrak's manager, Marco Garcia). 

As many online reviews pointed out, the great irony of "Little Hercules" was that Sandrak no longer had the bodybuilder's physique that brought him that nickname in the first place, having apparently dialed down his training to the point that he looked like a typical 13-year-old. That's clear in the movie trailer, in which the body of the shirtless Sandrak appeared surprisingly less muscular and closer to average.

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When interviewed by The Guardian in 2007, Little Hercules' manager, Marco Garcia, revealed that Richard Sandrak's next film project was then in development. With the working title of "Fancy Moves," Garcia described the prospective film as being "kind of like 'The Karate Kid' with some hip-hop." That project never came to fruition, but in a 2008 interview with Thrillist, Sandrak revealed he was in the midst of training for another movie, "Amazon Kid," to be directed by Joey Travolta (older brother of "Saturday Night Fever" star John Travolta). 

Interviewed by the Sunday Mirror, Travolta revealed that he'd first encountered the kid nicknamed Little Hercules at one of his children's acting workshops. "At first I didn't know what to make of him," Travolta said. "I'd seen his picture in a magazine before that and thought, 'Oh God! A bodybuilding kid!' But when I got to know him personally and learnt about all his other talents — like playing classical piano — I realized how mature and worldly he is. He has a softer personality than you'd imagine ... The movie was written for him because I knew he was right for something, and that he'd be a big success." Travolta's film — which had been variously referred to as "Little Tarzan" and "Tiny Tarzan" — also never saw the light of day.

Sandrak went on to appear in one more movie, playing a small role in the 2012 feature "The Legends of Nethiah." He was also included in the 2012 short "Assassin Priest," with his performance as "Lead Goon" marking the culmination of Little Hercules' brief film career.

Despite being known as Little Hercules, Richard Sandrak ultimately developed other interests besides bodybuilding. That included music, with Sandrak displaying talent at both guitar and classical piano. 

Sandrak launched his own YouTube channel in 2009 and, over the years, posted various videos. Many of these were exercise routines. Among these, Sandrak demonstrated his swimming techniques, as well as the workouts he used to build up his abdominal muscles, arms, and other body parts.

In addition, he also displayed his musical side with some videos in which he can be seen playing guitar with his high school band, which boasted the moniker Ralph, Waldo, and the Emersons. One of these videos featured the group performing the B.B. King blues track "Rock Me Baby." Another video shone the spotlight on Sandrak's skills, showcasing him performing a Spanish-style guitar number. "I can't sing, so I'm just going to play," he told the audience before launching into an impressive solo. Other performances captured on video included a cover of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black."

Years after Richard Sandrak first entered the public eye, he eventually disappeared from the spotlight. That led "Inside Edition" to track him down in 2015 in order to answer the question, what is Little Hercules up to today?

Sandrak, who was then 23, revealed that he'd stopped bodybuilding altogether. While he remained healthy, his physical condition was a far cry from the musculature that had made him stand out as a child. "No, I don't lift weights. If anything it just got boring," he said, revealing that he'd stopped bodybuilding and stayed in shape by skateboarding and doing pull-ups.

As Sandrak explained, he wasn't trying to run away from his former fame as Little Hercules but had simply moved on with his life. "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," he said. He also disputed the characterization that the body he'd built as a youngster was somehow unnatural. "People seemed to try to make me out to be a freak of nature but there were many kids who had similar physiques," he insisted. 

In that 2015 interview with "Inside Edition," Richard Sandrak revealed that he'd embarked on a new career as a stunt performer. "I set myself on fire," he explained, discussing his role performing stunts for the popular "Waterworld" show in the Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles. Not only did he catch fire multiple times each day, but he would also fall 50 feet from a large platform. 

Performing stunts, however, was not his ultimate goal. When asked what job he'd like to undertake if he could choose from anything, the erstwhile Little Hercules offered a surprising response. "Quantum scientist. More specifically maybe even an engineer for NASA," he replied. Asked whether he actually believed that could really happen, he added, "Absolutely, I see no reason why I can't."

Since then, Sandrak has apparently continued to pursue a career as a stunt performer. According to his LinkedIn page, he'd gone on to work for Action Horizon, a firm that provides stunts for film and television.