Romania: A nine-year-old bodybuilder dubbed the ‘world’s strongest boy’ has spent the summer holidays pumping iron to impress his school friends.
Muscle-bound Giuliano Stroe, nicknamed the ‘Romanian Hercules’, sent friends videos of himself performing astonishing 90 degree push-ups before starting Year 5 at school.
After balancing his weight on his hands he pushes himself from horizontal to vertical and then smoothly lowers himself to the floor again with his arms locked.
Giuliano showed off his PE prowess along with younger brother Claudiu, 7, in the clips and the pair has been pumping iron since before they could walk thanks to keep-fit-mad dad Iulian, 35, and mum Ileana.
The boys, from Icoana, southern Romania are considered to be the world’s strongest boy bodybuilders and go through gruelling two hour weight-training sessions seven days a week.
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Guiliano has his own YouTube channel and while some are impressed by his performances, others comment that his extreme exercise regime is ‘unhealthy’.
Dad Iulian said: “He was very excited about going back to school and he wanted to show his friends he hasn’t been slacking during the holidays.
“Giuliano is a good pupil and a very bright boy academically but of course his favourite lesson is always PE.”
The youngster holds olds a clutch of world records for feats of strength in his age group.
And the tiny “muscleman” has been performing acrobatic feats and lifting weights and has already broken two world records for 90-degree vertical push-ups and another holding on to a pole like a human flag.
He and his brother think nothing of lifting 4kg dumbbells and heavy weights to work on their biceps and build up their chest muscles.
Dad Iulian said: “Critics say that the boys won’t grow properly, but there’s no proof of that. Hard work and exercise are always good.”