It’s hard not to think something’s not quite right when you look at Giuliano and Claudiu Stroe.
At only nine and seven years old, they have the sculpted frames of much older men – and it’s all thanks to two-hour workouts they go through on a daily basis.
The two can perform stunts that would have grown men in tears. Giuliano, nine, has broken two world records for 90-degree vertical press-ups, and another for holding on to a pole with his body held out horizontally like a human flag.
Claudiu, seven, followed in his brother’s footsteps and can already perform handstand press-ups on a bar, and is close to matching his brother’s flagpole trick.
Both boys think nothing of lifting 4kg dumbbells, and frequently heft heavy weights to work on their biceps and build up their chest muscles.
They are put through the rigorous regime by their father Iulian, who had high hopes of his boys achieving international stardom and netting his family, known as The Hercules, fame and fortune.
Despite his hard work though, and his boys’ undeniably fierce physiques, The Hercules clan, real name Stroe, hasn’t managed to get the earnings to match their impressive moniker.
The Stroes, from Romania, have found themselves in dire financial straits following a brief stint in Italy where they tried to make a name for themselves as the Hercules bodybuilding family.
Now back in Romania, Iuliana is scraping by through scrap metal-dealing, which leaves little left over to fund the boys’ extensive training schedule.
On his Facebook page, Giuliano wrote that his dad now hoped to move to Britain as he had struggled to make enough money in Romania.
Whatever you do, don’t tell Nigel Farage.
