Little Hercules started his career at the age of six, he could lift really heavy weights, like 180 pounds on a bench press, earning him the title of the world’s strongest boy and the nickname Little Hercules. By eight, he was lifting even more – 210 pounds.
Richard spent his childhood working out with his father, doing up to 600 push-ups and sit-ups every day, along with 300 squats. He didn’t have a typical childhood because he was always training and didn’t have time to play with friends.
His father, Pavel, made sure he followed a strict diet, so he never got to eat junk food or sweets. Sometimes, his father would eat pizza in front of him while he had to eat a head of lettuce.
Richard insists he was never forced into bodybuilding. He chose to join in because his parents were always in training. Little Hercules traveled across the country for competitions, promotions, and magazine photo shoots. He even appeared on TV and radio shows like The Howard Stern Show.
However, things turned dark when Pavel’s parenting was questioned, leading Richard’s trainer, Giardina, to quit. Pavel ended up in prison for physically hurting Lena, Richard’s mother.
By age 15, Richard’s Hollywood debut was in the film Little Hercules in 3D. His manager, Marco Garcia, helped him lead a more normal life.
As he got older, Richard transitioned away from intense bodybuilding, to doing cardio exercises like chin-ups, stair climbing, and skateboarding. In a 2015 interview, he mentioned quitting bodybuilding because he got bored, and now he aspires to become a quantum scientist and an engineer for NASA.
