Entertainment
Top 10 Real Life Hulks You Don’t Want To Mess With
Yes it might seem absurd when we think about a giant green Hulk leaping across buildings and causing mayhem in his path. Yes an average Joe would die of exposure to intense gamma radiation if exposed directly to it. No you would not instead turn into a rage monster whose alter ego has anger management issues and if provoked would make your life hell. The Hulk’s power seems tempting and way too fictional in the real world. Even though joining the Avengers would be the best thing in the world, you sure would never have a chance and are way too underqualified for the job. But despite the real world limitations, there are very much real life Hulks that prove that you don’t have to rip your pants during transformation and being green is not part of the resume requirement to become the Hulk. Grab your popcorn because here are the top 10 real life Hulks you don’t want to mess with.
10. Romario Dos Santos Alves
Romario Dos Santos Alves is a Brazilian bodybuilder who wanted to bulk up, starting at the age of 15. Due to lack of seeing any results, Romario started depending on injections filled with mineral oil to achieve the exaggerated bulked up features of the character Hulk. He pumped mineral oil in his body to such an extent that he ended up getting 20 inch arms and along with being addicted to the oil for nine months straight. Romario aspired to be big and wanted people to give him respect, which is why he started injecting himself it. As he started seeing results, which he wanted, he became more addicted to it. With high volumes of the oil going in his body, with time Romario started seeing abnormal changes in his body. He started feeling sick and got breathing problems as his energy levels dropped. In his abnormal transformation endeavours, his wife Marisangela Marinho got worried for her husband’s health and gave him an ultimatum that she would leave him if he didn’t stop. On the news of his wife’s pregnancy, Romario decided to turn a new leaf and go drug free as he considered his wife and child more important than being the real life Hulk. Like any addiction he had to undergo depression for some months as he had been way too dependent on the injections.
Eventually things worked out for him and Romario recalled that if he hadn’t stopped this dangerous obsession, he would have ended by getting killed in the process. Now that’s some motivation to steer away from artificial transformations. So guys injecting yourself with oil is not the way to go for muscle transformation. Even Bruce Banner wouldn’t agree with this now would he?
9. The Iranian Hulk
Sajad Gharibi is 24 year Iranian weightlifter. The big guy has taken up the title of the ‘Iranian Hulk.’ Looking at this physique, it is no surprise why. He is also known as the ‘Persian Hercules.’ Standing at 6’1 feet, Gharibi has an imposing physique and can lift upto 400 pounds. The 350-pound man has a huge fan following on social media as everyone is in awe by his impressive physique. With around 60,000 followers on Instagram, there is no stopping the man. With a lot of attention also comes along scepticism and some people have suspected his photographs to be doctored. That is still debatable. Gharibi has strong aspirations to join wrestling and in one of his social media posts, he has warned famous WWE wrestler Triple H that he is coming soon. The guys on the arena better watch out. The man has a lot of self-confidence and his massive arms could sure throw a good punch or two. While some of us hit the gym to look good for the next Instagram photo, the ‘Iranian Hulk’ has made a mission to become the biggest and best possible version and the next time if we see the man doing signature moves in the WWE ring, we sure hope that he goes easy on his opponents.
8. Arnold Schwarzenegger
The man has to be part of this list because why not. We all know about the Austrian-American actor and his Hollywood popularity. Starring in action movies like True Lies, Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, The Predator, to name a few, the actor has come a long way since his professional bodybuilding days. You walk in a gym and see the man’s pictures of his prime decorating the walls, flexing his biceps. He has been the persona in the bodybuilding business that everyone looks upto. Arnold’s story is a true rags to riches kind and he has become an iconic image when you think of a big action movie star and bodybuilding. His persona is synonymous to both mediums. Lifting weights since the age of 15 and going on to win the Mr. Universe title at the age of 20, Arnold has been talented in whatever he does, especially during his time working on every muscle of his body. His attention to aesthetics in bodybuilding has been important for other bodybuilders and people in general, who want to look and feel good or compete. Many exercise programs are blueprints of his regime. Lifting heavy weights like a piece of cake, Arnold made good use of his physique later on when it came to being a badass cyborg in The Terminator series or an alien butt kicking soldier in The Predator. He has earned the spot to be the real life Hulk in this list.
He has deadlifted 683 pounds, benched 440 pounds and squatted 473 pounds at one point. There is a big repertoire of achievements associated with Arnold and he has clearly shown that he has had a lot of strength up his sleeve, especially during his peak period. So besides bashing bad guys in movies, the man and the ‘machine’ is nothing less than the mean green Hulk. Its ironic that he had once auditioned for the 1970s Incredible Hulk show, but was turned down for actor Lou Ferrigno. Never fear Arnie, because in our eyes you are the real life Hulk one surely shouldn’t mess with. Arnold proves that you don’t have to be part of a gamma experiment accident to be big and awesome. Hasta la vista baby.
7. Stongman Brian Shaw
The American professional strongman Brian Shaw proudly sits in this list of real life Hulks you don’t want to mess with. The winner of 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 World’s Strongest Man competitions, the man is a sight to behold. Standing proud at 6’8, Brian sure isn’t green, but he sure is mean when you look at his size and the amount of weights he lifts as if they were jelly. He is known for being the first to win the World’s Strongest Man and the Arnold Strongman Classic competition in the same year, in 2011 and 2015. Holding many strength records under his belt like the 820 pound squat and the 880 pound deadlift, his strength is as much unrivalled as his diet that is required to maintain it. During his trips to the grocery store, he shells out about $622 and the food lasts him approximately five days a week. This also includes 14 kg of meat for himself and that doesn’t even occupy a lot of space on his shopping list. His 12,000 calorie diet consists of cereal, eggs, peanut butter, ground beef, breadsticks and pasta, to name a few and Brian indulges in seven meals a day to fulfil his diet goals. The day in the life of a strongman is never easy and you see that in a number of video series of the athlete, showing off his intense training that goes into him preparing for the competitions and being at peak perfection to take on anyone who crosses his path.
So you see guys, you don’t have to be a scientist to become big. Its all in the meal plan and the demanding workout sessions. Sure doesn’t sound easy, but that is the least of your worries when you think of the grocery bills accompanying your strongman adventures.
6. The Asian Hulk
Looking at pictures of Hwang Chul Soon, one would imagine him to be buffed since he was in diapers. But what common between him and Hulk’s alter ego Bruce Banner? You guessed it right. He was skinny and a victim of bullying. Taking matters into his hands and running on the road towards immense physical transformation, he got what he wanted. Weighing in at 220 pounds at 5’9 inches, Soon became bigger and meaner like we all see him today. He is also known as the Korean Conan, Asian Aesthetics and the Seoul Swole, but we can proudly coin him as the ‘Asian Hulk.’ He is an example of someone facing his fears of bullying and using that to alter his body into pure muscle, which required his dedication of 12 years. The guy doesn’t just show off his physique, but he has also taken part in many fitness and bodybuilding competitions. Soon has taken up first place in the 2012 Musclemania World Championship and the 2014 Musclemania Universe. Like many others in the bodybuilding business, it comes as no surprise that the man spends $500 a month just on food. He adheres to a high protein diet and other supplements along with fruits and vegetables. Even though he has been suspected of taking steroids, Soon denies it and is sticking to the guns. Looks like he won’t be ditching his Hulk mode avatar anytime soon.
His bullies’ better watch out now, you would not want to make him angry. You wouldn’t like him when he will get angry.
5. The Great Khali
Dalip Singh Rana, also known by his stage name “The Great Khali,” is a force to be reckoned with. Belonging from a small town in India, the 7 foot tall Hulk has made a name for himself in the WWE world. He is the first Indian wrestler to enter the WWE ring in 2006 and looking at his built and rough physical exterior, he is one intimidating guy. Before entering the wrestling arena and smashing people’s heads with his bare hands, the giant was involved in a bodybuilding career. The wrestler suffers from Gigantism, a condition under which the pituitary gland produces more growth hormone, leading to unstoppable growth. Because of Khali’s unique physical prowess, an Indian bodybuilder recognized his talents and thus he used the opportunity to take part in domestic and regional level competitions. With a swap in career choices, he joined WWE and with that he became a popular face in the wrestling sport. Defeating the likes of WWE superstars like The Undertaker, John Cena, Kane and Shawn Michaels in his roster, the “giant from the East” has proven time and again that he is not to be messed with. We will take him for his word and kindly oblige him by staying away, especially during his angry moments.
Now this Hulk surely means business and we can’t refuse the offer he has to make, otherwise its hospital bills and a whole lot of therapy in store for us.
4. The English Hulk
Edward Hall ‘strongman’ is an English professional lifter. Similar to Brian Shaw, this guy is another beast that teaches us that we don’t have to subject ourselves to freak accidents in order to take the mantle of the next real life Hulk. He has officially taken the crown of Britain’s strongest man title. Looking at Eddie aggression and a lot of testosterone flowing through his body comes to mind. But in person Hall is a gentle giant. Following a strict routine and feeding himself copious amounts of food, serving himself 10,000 calories a day, he uses that fuel to train hard and hone is body for the purpose of being the strongman. With the nature of the tournaments, Hall mentions how strongmen have to shake up their training as well and tailor it to every event. It is never constant. The man gives credit to strength in the strongman competitions, but he emphasizes a lot more on technique itself. This mean green machine has a lot of aspirations and wants to try other things like Olympic bodybuilding and weightlifting, once he gets hold of the World’s Strongest Man title. Compared to other strongmen, Hall wants to reach a point where he is considered a role model in a sense that children get inspired to follow their dreams, especially when others deem them as impossible.
Now that’s something we can all get behind and vouch for Hall and for his feats on the field, he sure is inspirational. He clearly shows that there is more to a book than just a cover, which is why this real life Hulk deserves a spot on this list. Go Hall!
3. Becca Swanson
Who says being the Marvel gamma radiated green goliath is restricted to real life men. Becca Swanson is the real life She-Hulk, the cousin of Bruce Banner who got an emergency blood transfusion from the scientist, which explains her transformation. Swanson is an American powerlifter who has set many records. She is the only woman to squat 854 pounds, benchpress 600 pounds and deadlift 683 pounds. She is so good at her game that many of her feats are unrivalled. She was operating in the late 90’s and the early 2000’s and she has an impressive resume of bodybuilding, professional wrestling, powerlifting and strong woman competitions. With a height of 5’10 and weight no less than 242 pounds, and added to that Swanson’s strength and muscles mixed in together, she is the She Hulk one would never mess with. Her physical prowess and ability to remain unmatched in various competitive events, clearly gives makes her the winner in the strongwoman category and most importantly as the female Hulk for the purpose of this list.
She defines what it truly means when it comes to girl power and she sure means business.
2. Big hands Denis Cyplenkov
If you think Hulk smashes whatever he comes across with his massive hands, there is Denis Cyplenkov in the real world to replace the green fighting machine. The Ukranian born arm wrestling champion happens to have big hands and knows what to do with them. He has taken part in many competitions and won as well, like the Nemiroff World Cup in 2010 and 2011. Along with that he also has several Russian Arm Wrestling Championship titles. Known for the biggest biceps (64 cm circumference) and ginormous hands (24 cm circumference), one could easily imagine Cyplenkov creating sonic blasts like the Hulk. When you compare his hands to normal people, everything dwarfs next to him. It is no wonder that many have fallen to dust in the arm wrestling events when they are competing against Cyplenkov. He has gotten attention by many thanks to his abnormally large hands.
A bodybuilder and an armwrestler, this man of pure muscle is going places because of his talents. Who needs a nutcracker when we can use Cyplenkov to decimate open those pesky walnuts.
1. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
You all might be wondering why the ‘Brahma Bull’ has taken a spot on this list. When you look at Dwayne Johnson and his irresistible charismatic demeanour, you simply just can’t ignore the guy. His bulging biceps and toned physique is a sight to behold and he is no less than the Hulk. We all know Johnson, also known as ‘The Rock,’ his stage name during his career in WWE as a pro wrestler in the 1990s and 2000s. We have seen the man do his signature moves and his wrestling entrance theme has been ingrained in our minds. We have been exposed to many of his Hollywood ventures and reality shows. His infectious personality has tagged him along a long way since his wrestling days and like the green giant, he is unstoppable. Did you know his family was in the wrestling world before Johnson stepped in the ring? He carried forward the lineage by taking part in wrestling and the rest like everyone knows, became history.
Also his iconic tattoos speak of his Samoan heritage and yes in order to keep himself fit, The Rock, takes part in mindboggling meal plans and workouts, which only make sense because they apply to him. There was a point in time when he considered being part of the FBI, but his professor told him that he would need a law degree, resulting in Johnson to call the whole thing off. We sure can picture Johnson strapped up in a suit and being undercover. He has achieved so much in his career and his size is symbolic in regards to being “Dwayne Johnson,” that it is hard to fathom this Hulk to not make the list. With successful films like The Fast and The Furious series, Jumanji, Central Intelligence, to name a few, the guy now also gives thought to taking part in the election to be the next president of The United States. The big guy has an aptitude to take risks, learn from his failures, follow his dreams, works his ass off and is part of a successful family. Under Armour, the American company that manufactures sports, footwear and casual lines made a deal with Johnson in 2016 to come together and combine the Dwayne Johnson brand with the company’s products. Johnson supports Under Armour’s fitness initiatives. The range of products in association with him have proven successful. ‘The bull’ just doesn’t know how to stop and because of his relentless passion to reach higher goals, a net worth tag of $220 million as of 2018, comes as a no brainer. We are all waiting for that imminent call from Nick Fury to make sure Dwanye Johnson is part of the Avengers. He can sure knock Thanos senseless and not turn into dust in the process.