It wouldn’t be hard to argue that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the most famous bodybuilder of all time. As for the number two position, it seems solidly held by another champion who went on to conquer Hollywood.
Lou Ferrigno is best known for his role as the original Incredible Hulk. Before that, he was known as Mr. Universe — twice over, as a matter of fact. Ferrigno starred alongside Schwarzenegger in the bodybuilding docudrama Pumping Iron, and his future was set after he scored the role of Bruce Banner’s alter ego shortly after.
[Read More: How Strong Was Lou Ferrigno? Looking Back at the Bodybuilder’s Hulking Feats]
Ferrigno is much more than that, however. He’s also a father, husband, deputy sheriff, and one of the original competitors in the first World’s Strongest Man contest. It would take a book to share all the accolades of the man from Brooklyn, but for now, we’ll start with this condensed glance at how he reached icon status in the eyes of his fans.
Early Life
Ferrigno was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1951. Early in his childhood, he was diagnosed with a series of ear infections that resulted in him losing an estimated 75 percent of his hearing. He was bullied in school because of this, and he resorted to reading comic books with superheroes, which inspired him to pursue getting bigger and stronger.
He started weight training at age 13 after being inspired by actor and bodybuilder Steve Reeves. He graduated high school in 1969 and began pursuing a career in bodybuilding.
Contest History
Ferrigno regularly competed from 1971 until 1975. His final Mr. Olympia contest at that time was filmed for Pumping Iron. Schwarzenegger won that contest. Ferrigno then retired to focus on other ventures, including his future role as the Incredible Hulk. He came out of retirement in 1992 and competed once each year from 1992 to 1994. The closest he came to winning a show was the 1994 Masters Olympia, which was claimed by Robby Robinson.
In all, Ferrigno competed in 13 shows as an amateur and professional and won five, according to Muscle Memory. His rundown of shows during that time is below.
1971
- WBBG Teen Mr. America — 1st
- AAU Teen Mr. America — 4th
1972
- WBBG Pro Mr. America — 2nd
- NABBA Mr. Universe — 2nd, Tall Category
1973
- IFBB Mr. America — 1st, Tall and Overall
- IFBB Mr. Universe — 1st, Tall and Overall
1974
- IFBB Mr. International — 1st, Tall and Overall
- IFBB Mr. Universe — 1st, Tall and Overall
- Mr. Olympia — 2nd, Heavyweight
1975
- Mr. Olympia — 3rd, Heavyweight
1992
- Mr. Olympia — 12th
1993
- Mr. Olympia — 10th
1994
- Masters Olympia — 2nd
Another key note to add to his contest history has to do with another sport. The first edition of the World’s Strongest Man contest was held in 1977, and Ferrigno was one of the contestants. He took fourth place out of eight contestants, which also included 1976 Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu. Bruce Wilhelm would be crowned the champion.
[Read More: Every Winner of the Mr. Olympia Bodybuilding Competition]
Lou Ferrigno’s Shoulder Workout
Like many bodybuilding champions of his era, Ferrigno believed in using a high-volume approach that involved several exercises and sets of each.
His training would vary based on whether he was in New York or California, but he made the most out of all the working sets, going to failure with each set. He liked to keep within a rep range of 10 to 12 per set, as he shared on this shoulder workout for Muscle & Fitness. He shared that he would also push some of these sets beyond failure by doing forced reps, where someone would help him lift the weight while he lowered it under control.
- Behind-the-Neck Barbell Press: 5 x 10–12
- Front Barbell Press: 5 x 10–12
- Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise: 5 x 10–12
- Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise: 5 x 10–12
- Dumbbell Front Raise: 5 x 10–12
[Read More: The Best Shoulder Exercises for Stability, Power, and Aesthetics]
Lou Ferrigno in Hollywood
After moving on from wearing posing trunks, Ferrigno was painting himself green, wearing torn pants or shorts, and throwing around heavy objects from 1977 until 1981. The final episodes of Incredible Hulk that he was on aired in 1982. From there, he went on to star in a Hercules film and take on other smaller TV and film roles throughout his years in Hollywood. One of his most famous recent roles was as himself in recurring episodes of The King of Queens.
Throughout his years of acting, he also used his bodybuilding experience to work as a trainer to the stars. Among them was the late Michael Jackson, who Ferrigno worked with in preparation for his performances on tour.
Other Business Ventures and Social Media
Ferrigno would capitalize on his success and connect with his fans in other ways by making appearances at various Comic Cons and trade shows both in entertainment and fitness events. He also put his name on a line of fitness equipment and promoted the Ferrigno Legacy shows for the IFBB Pro League in the mid-2010’s.
He has been a big supporter of law enforcement and became a Los Angeles County reserve sheriff’s deputy in 2006. He was also sworn in as a member of a volunteer sheriff posse by then Maricopa County, AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio in November 2010.
In 2018, Ferrigno became a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition under then-President Donald Trump. In the early 2020s, he began working with Cochlear Limited implants after he used them himself to improve his hearing.
Ferrigno is not as active on social media as other bodybuilding stars. He has a personal Facebook page but has no other verified accounts on any other platform.
2024 and the Future
Ferrigno is still active in training and has even shared photos of his six-pack on his various social media outlets. He still stays in great shape in his 70s and promotes fitness while remaining active in the entertainment industry. The husband and father of three will very likely remain relevant for many years to come thanks to his impact in both bodybuilding and television.
Featured Image: @thearchivesofbodybuilding / Instagram
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