Who doesn’t want to have arms like the Hulk?
Before Mark Ruffalo was the face of the Incredible Hulk, he was played simultaneously by Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno Sr. in the Hulk television series from 1977 to 1982. Whenever mild mannered Dr. David Banner, played by Bixby, lost his temper, he’d transform into the not-so-jolly green giant, played by Ferrigno. While Ferrigno doesn’t wear the green body paint anymore, he’s still a muscular powerhouse, comfortably maintaining a position of prestige in the bodybuilding world. If you want powerful arms and a sturdy chest like the vintage Hulk, try following his workout routine.
“I’ve seen guys pick up 50-pound dumbbells, swing them, drop them, because they want to make an impression,” Ferrigno told Men’s Health. “You don’t want me to be angry— and you won’t like when I’m angry, because you don’t want me to become the Incredible Hulk! So make sure you do it correctly.”
Before the workout proper, Ferrigno starts with a ten minute jog for a warm-up. If you don’t have a good place to go jogging, a walk on the treadmill for the same amount of time will suffice. After he’s warmed up, the first order of business is the Machine Chest Press for 3 sets of 12 reps. After that comes the Machine Preacher Curl, once again in 3 sets of 12 reps. Next, he switches things up a bit with an Alternating Dumbbell Curl with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps on both arms. Finally, he rounds things out with the Triceps Kickback, once again at 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm.
Ferrigno has said that he would never force someone into body training if they don’t want to, but if they do, he expects them to commit fully and properly to it. “I’m not at a bar. I’m not at a nightclub. I’m not at a boardwalk on the beach. I’m at a gym,” he says. “The gym is where you fix your body, you get in shape, you take care of yourself.”
